Desert Rain Zen

Desert Rain Zen
Podcast Description
Listen to dharma talks by our teacher Tenney Nathanson Roshi and other teachers in our tradition. Desert Rain Zen is part of The Open Source, a branch of the Pacific Zen School founded by Joan Sutherland Roshi. Our practice centers on an innovative approach to koans and includes group koan conversations as well as individual koan work with Tenney.Most of Desert Rain Zen's activities take place on Zoom. For more information you can: email us at [email protected] find us at https://www.desertrainzen.org/ and on Facebook. You can also find more teachings by Tenney at https://tenneynathanson.com/ .Other Open Source groups include Springs Mountain Sangha in Colorado Springs, led by Sarah Bender Roshi, and Crimson Gate Meditation Community in Oakland, CA, led by Megan Rundel Sensei. Desert Rain Zen podcasts will include talks by Sarah and Megan when they are part of shared Open Source retreats and other activities.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast focuses on themes of Zen practice, koans, and the interplay between the ephemeral and the eternal, with episodes addressing specific koans from The Blue Cliff Record like 'Dalong’s Flowers Like Brocade' and discussions surrounding the emotional depth of mindfulness as experienced in loss, joy, and the nature of existence.

Listen to dharma talks by our teacher Tenney Nathanson Roshi and other teachers in our tradition. Desert Rain Zen is part of The Open Source, a branch of the Pacific Zen School founded by Joan Sutherland Roshi. Our practice centers on an innovative approach to koans and includes group koan conversations as well as individual koan work with Tenney.
Desert Rain Zen podcasts are free. If you’d like to support our podcasting and other activities, you can make a tax-deductible donation on our website at https://www.desertrainzen.org/donate.html
Most of Desert Rain Zen’s activities take place on Zoom. For more information you can:
email us at [email protected]
find us at https://www.desertrainzen.org/
and on Facebook.
You can also find more teachings by Tenney at
https://tenneynathanson.com/ .
Other Open Source groups include Springs Mountain Sangha in Colorado Springs, led by Sarah Bender Roshi, and Crimson Gate Meditation Community in Oakland, CA, led by Megan Rundel Sensei. Desert Rain Zen podcasts will include talks by Sarah and Megan when they are part of shared Open Source retreats and other activities.
Tenney gives the second night talk on “Sickness and Medicine,” discussing the Blue Cliff Record commentary on the case and bringing in a few anecdotes, from both his own practice history and the Open Source community. Hakuin says that if you take the phrase “sickness and medicine cure each other” as itself being medicine, that’s a big mistake (it’s too glib). Sickness isn’t “quelled” so simply, through a formula or an upbeat attitude, one-and-done. If not, what might the koan ask of us, and what might it offer us?
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About us:
Desert Rain Zen is located in Tucson, Arizona. But almost all our activities take place on Zoom or as hybrid events, so you don't need to live here to practice with us.
Desert Rain Zen podcasts are free. If you'd like to support our podcasting and other activities, you can make a tax-deductible donation on our website at https://www.desertrainzen.org/donate.html
For more information you can email us at [email protected] or find us at https://www.desertrainzen.org/ and on Facebook.
You can also find additional teachings and updated information about Tenney's various activities at tenneynathanson.com

Disclaimer
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