Zen teacher Jules Shuzen Harris teaches us a three-step practice to connect with and serve those who are suffering. Illustrations by Carole Hénaff. In times of doubt, disbelief, and insecurity, the practice of bearing witness can be an important aspect of our awareness and presence. Bearing witness can be defined as acknowledging that something exists or is true. From a [...]
About Jules Shuzen Harris
How to Practice Zazen
Jules Shuzen Harris teaches Zazen, the meditation practice at the heart of Zen Buddhism. There are many forms of meditation that offer you the opportunity to cultivate stillness and open up space in your life. One such form, zazen, has both outward and inward instructions in how to engage your awareness in the immediate, uninterpreted experience of the present moment. [...]
Should I Try to Stop Thinking?
In meditation, should you stop thinking? Good luck with that. A more workable approach, says Jules Shuzen Harris, is to change your relationship with your thoughts. From the May 2017 issue of Lion's Roar, in which eleven Buddhist teachers answer frequently asked questions about meditation. One of the most frequently asked questions about meditation is, “What do I do about [...]
How Do You Step Forward?
Many of us may find ourselves on a journey that feels in one way or another like a steep climb. With great energy over considerable time, we ascend stage by stage and take heart in our progress. Whether it is in our work or personal goals or Buddhist practice, we are eager to measure our accomplishments. In Mumon’s The Gateless Gate, Case 46, Master Sekiso says, “From the [...]
The False Comfort of the Familiar
Being with people like us feels comfortable and secure—and it’s a big reason why communities aren’t more diverse, says Zen teacher Jules Shuzen Harris. From the May 2016 Lion's Roar magazine. Also in this issue, Pamela Ayo Yetunde updates the stories of Buddhism for the age of #BlackLivesMatter. I recall the early days of my Buddhist practice when, either on retreat or [...]
