How can a soiled toilet paper which you have used to wipe your ass be Buddha? How can the things we “hate” about life be “sacred”? How can the worst kinds of physical and emotional pain experienced during meditation be a pathway to a deeper realization, equanimity and courage?

In this talk, Zen teacher Kanko talks about a classic Koan and discusses how we can best relate to pain during a meditation session. Everyone feels pain. Life consists of physical and mental suffering. That is the first fundamental truth in Buddhism.  But during meditation sessions, should we always ignore pain and just focus on our breath or koan like many traditional Zen Buddhist teachers recommend? What is a modern trauma-informed way to deal with pain? How can we embrace both the feminine and the masculine aspects of spiritual life? Can we be both kind to our bodies, which will get physically tired from long periods of sitting and/or internal trauma, and also remain firm in the face of pain? Using personal stories as examples to make her point, Sensei Kanko makes this topic come alive. The talk also explains the basic steps of the meditation path and what it takes to work with koans like the one discussed in the talk.

Sensei Kanko gave this talk during the February 2023 Zen retreat (sesshin).

Thank you for listening to the Boundless in Motion podcast. You can access more information about our programs and retreats by going to www.boundlessinmotion.org or www.kriteekanko.com