In this short, lovely little film, Peter Coyote — actor, author, and Zen priest — takes you to Hokyoji Zen Practice Community, which is found on 105 acres of forested land in rural, Southeast Minnesota. “Quite a magical place,” he offers, as he recalls his first time visiting there. “This is it,” he recalls the late Zen teacher and Hokyoji founder Dainin Katagiri Roshi declaring when assessing the property. (“Katagiri Roshi died on March 1, 1990, before a final design for Hokyoji could be developed,” the center’s website explains.)
Hokyoji First Encounter from Ted Samore on Vimeo.
Coyote presents not just a visit to the grounds, but a sense of their ambience, and a dharma talk as well as he reflects on the interconnection so easily found in nature: “When I’m looking at you,” he tells us, “I’m looking at the entire universe.”
We thank Peter and film producer Ted Samore for sharing this short film so that we may share it with you. For more info on Hokyoji, visit online.
And for more from Peter Coyote, don’t miss the new issue of Lion’s Roar magazine, which includes a feature profile on him. Nor should you miss our new online series of teachings (created in partnership with San Francisco Zen Center) about Shunryu Suzuki Roshi and his famous book, Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind; it too features a dharma talk by Peter, and a meditation period with him as well. Learn more and register here.
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