Angel City Zen Center - Beginners Only Podcast

Dave Cuomo - Zen's Golden Dark Age (History of Zen)

"If you want to know why Zen survived, light the incense, do the sit, and listen. It's what the koans describe, what Dogen tried to explain. There's nothing that could go away, nothing to defend..." - Dave Cuomo

Dave brings us the epic tale of Zen's golden age, when the great masters we know and love from the koans could enlighten you with a single well timed word, a shout, a blow from their stick, or a simple lift of an eyebrow. But it turns out this golden age was also a mini dark age! Just as Zen is flourishing, China spends 200 years in the chaos and confusion of a crumbling society. Did Zen have a special answer for these dark times? And why did it flourish so spectacularly while everything else fell apart around it? Can we believe our own legends or it all just clever PR? Let's find out...

Wilcox Gwynne - No Trigger Warning Needed (What Was I Doing There??)

“I feel like the right books and the right person always came at the right time. There's been a seamless way of following the practice where I’m not sure which one is leading the other.” - Wilcox Gwynne

In a warm and generous telling, former ACZC resident Wilcox shares the story of what they were doing and why they were here. From a quaker upbringing to aspiring ballet pro, through motherhood, relationships, and all the twists and turns of life, Wilcox gives us a revealing look at how practice deals with trauma, the challenges of sitting when everything gets torn apart, and what might come together when we find our way home to sit in the quiet acceptance of community.

Emily Eslami - Nothing to Lose (The Precept pt 3 - No Stealing)

"Please remember this “no stealing” precept. It is the ultimate recognition that you have nothing to lose. Even if you, your whole body, is stolen by somebody, your whole mind by somebody, you have not lost anything."
- Kobun Chino

In our ongoing in depth precept series, Emily takes on the second grave precept - No Stealing. By which we mean, is it even possible to steal? What do we have to lose, and what is there that could possibly be taken from us? It's a simple sounding rule with no easy answers... Fortunately Emily is on the case to expertly walk us through all the implications and contradictions, from the basic lessons of who gets harmed when we engage in illicit gain (ourselves of course), to how to completely protect yourself from every thief and burglar out there (see title...). With thousands of years of expert Zen advice and Emily and the sangha's own stories of moral quandaries, gains, and losses, this is the story of our togetherness and our separateness dancing together in the groundless realization that there is nothing but gain where we have nothing to lose.

Dave Cuomo - The Beautiful Boring of Blockhead (History of Zen - Shitou vs Mazu!)

“Get to know your own heart. It isn’t permanent or impermanent. It isn’t good or bad. It is clear and perfect.” - Shitou

Dave returns to pickup our storyline to find that almost as soon as Zen had coalesced itself into one cohesive school of Buddhism, Shitou & Mazu come along and split into two separate streams that will run next to each other for the next 1300 years all the way down to today. It's a story of the beautifully boring side of Zen vs the wacky and weird that will become Soto vs Rinzai in later generations. Along the way we see the birth of three stooges Zen in the koans, and get treated to a loving rendition of Shitou's classic poem "Grass Hut Song" about the quiet nothingness warmly embracing everything.

Emily Eslami - First Gift (The Precepts pt 2 - Not Killing)

“All the rules & commandments out there are trying to anticipate a situation. But right action, acting in the moment of an actual situation, can only happen in the moment of doing.” - Emily Eslami

In her ongoing deep dive into the precepts, Emily takes on precept number one - No Killing! Which sounds simple, until she starts walking us through an honest look at the utter impossibility of such a thing.... Fortunately Emily is on the case armed with classic koans and thousands of years of commentary, and a wealth of personal deliberation and confusion one how to live a life without harm in a universe composed of infinite suffering. What do we do if we accidentally step on a bee (relax)? What kind of belief system has breaking the rules built into the rules (this one!)?? How is not being enlightened already not killing (whoa)? And how could we even destroy what we are already part of (exactly!)?? Find out here!

Dave Cuomo - Inconceivable! (The Vimalakirti Sutra - pt 2)

"The freedom, or liberation, she’s talking about is one that all of us inherently possess, and one that only we can grant to our selves. And it’s also a freedom that no one could ever take away from you no matter what they do..." - Dave Cuomo

The thrilling conclusion to our two part series on the Vimalakirti sutra! Dave continues the story with the classic goddess chapter, where everyone's favorite no BS goddess gives Sariputra the business for his worst ideas on gender roles and enlightenment. Also, we get Dogen's hot take on the whole sutra, a visit from some benevolent sweet smelling aliens, heavenly take out is ordered, and so much more!

Dave Cuomo - Thank You For Being (The Vimalakirti Sutra - pt 1)

In this extended two part podcast, Dave brings us a thorough cliff notes reading  of the Vimalakirti Sutra! An epic story of right and wrong complete with miracles and magic, bodhisattvas breaking all the rules, benevolent aliens, devils disguised as gods, snarky gender bending goddesses, and through it all Buddha finally answering the question of why the world is so screwed up and whether or not there's anything we can do about it. The plot revolves around our hero Vimalakirti, everyone’s favorite enlightened layman, who is suffering from a mysterious illness that just might be the root cause of all sickness and suffering in the world! Will he get better? Will we get to the heart of suffering and end it once and for all? Let’s find out… 

Erik Andersen - The Poor Way

In an lightly amusing and deeply enlightening talk, Erik takes us on a very deep dive into a very short story as he gives us a close reading of Prajnatara’s classic three sentence tale of a very poor practice. Along the way we discuss the Zen shortcut to to truly mindful breathing, how to properly speed read the scriptures (hey look, there they go again!), self care, Zen mysticism, lion's dens, elephants, and fox tracks (oh my!)

Emily Eslami - On Shaky Ground (The Precepts pt 1 - Historical Background)

In the long awaited premier to Emily's new in depth series on the precepts, she takes us on a wild ride through 2500 years of making and breaking the rules, as we whittle an unwieldy set of hundreds of vows down to the familiar 16 that we Zennies know and love today. Join us as we find Buddha laying down the law about the proper relationship one should have with a monkey (respectful of course...) and when the appropriate time to wear owl feathers is (sadly, never). And then we catch up with Dogen as he makes his way to China and has his monkhood (gasp!) questioned by the emperor himself for an apparent lack of concern for said owl feathers and monkey rules. Along the way we question what it means to make impossible vows (everything!) and ultimately who we answer to when we break them (only ourselves!).

Emily Eslami - Old Bones, Dull Brains (Ceaseless Practice pt 2!)

Emily brings us Dogen at his most poignant and poetic as he gives us a rousing pep talk for practice, complete with inspiring stories and exhortations on giving up everything except for all of the bounty you already possess in every moment. Fame and profit? Who needs it. The body? No big deal! Its the endless path of existential ease, and Dogen and Emily are the perfect team to inspire us to it.