A moving account by Susan Moon of her journey back from depression, and how her Buddhist practice both helped and hindered her.
Overwhelmed by Emotions?
Author and lay Zen teacher Susan Moon is asked: “Should I stop meditating when emotions begin to overwhelm me?”
Summertime Longing
Whether meditating or doing headstands, Susan Moon’s small self continues to reach for something beyond.
I Thought I Was Alone
I’ve been a Zen practitioner for thirty years. Ten years ago I was in a deep depression. If I sat down to meditate, demons would torment me.
How can I work with strong emotions in meditation?
Susan Moon offers advice on working with the intense emotions that can arise in meditation, one of the most frequently asked questions about challenges on the spiritual path..
“Satsujo Weeps”—an excerpt from The Hidden Lamp: Stories from Twenty-five Centuries of Awakened Women
An excerpt from The Hidden Lamp: Stories from Twenty-five Centuries of Awakened Women, an engaging anthology of Zen koans and commentaries.
From Teishos to Trident Missile Protests

Susan Moon remembers Robert Aitken Roshi’s lifelong commitment to the unified path of Zen and social justice.
This Is Getting Old
Old age forces you to let go of one damn thing after another! But as Susan Moon learns from her mother, it can also be a golden opportunity.
Aging: Everybody’s Doing It
Susan Moon on the benefits of growing old, and why we should embrace aging.
Finding Freedom: The Death Row Journey of Jarvis Jay Masters
Susan Moon on the spiritual journey of Jarvis Jay Masters, a Buddhist practitioner on death row in San Quentin prison.