Shows
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastThe Place of Sangha in Post-Monastic Zen PracticeThe Place of Sangha in Post-Monastic Zen Practice by Andrew Tootell2025-09-0126 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastDogen Zenji - A Biography, by KodoIn this talk Larry Kodo gives his first of a series of three talks on the founder of Japanese Soto Zen Eihei Dogen (1200-1253). In this talk, Kodo presents his life story in the wider context of 13th century Japan and China, the motivations for his life decisions and a simple look at some of his core teachings and why he is still relevant to our practice today.2025-04-2735 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: Shelter from the Storm: The Three RefugesWhy do we need refuge? In Zen Buddhism the Three Refuges are like a life-raft on the sea of life. We face many storms of different conditions and circumstances. We face natural disasters, floods and fires; the storms of relationships, loss and disappointment; we face wars and financial anxiety. We can summarise these as:
Fear
Uncertainty
Vulnerability
Greed, hatred and ignorance
People may take refuge in gods or an intervention God. They make seek refuge in authoritarian leaders. The Buddha taught us to find refuge within this world, within ourselves and our relationships.2025-04-2236 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastPractice Principles 2025In this dharma talk I share my latest understanding of the Practice Principles, originally formulated by Joko Beck and as interpreted by my teacher Barry Magid. The practice principles give us a condensed way of understanding ordinary mind zen practice. However, they do miss out some important aspects of practice, such as the importance of supportive relationships and mutual recognition. This talk covers how they are a re-working of the four noble truths and the four great vows. The two couplets represent the Two Truths, the absolute or ultimate truth and the relative or conventional truth. The first two lines...2025-04-1338 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: Life as it is and other teachersThese days I like to think that “life as it is” is the ultimate teacher, but not of course, the only teacher. There are many teachers: relationships with nature; works of art and of course, relationships with significant people in our lives. Zen is a relational practice. Even when you are sitting alone, you are sitting with a long line of ancestors going all the way back to Shakymuni Buddha. During this guided meditation, we are going to integrate our zazen practice, our experience of life as it is, with an exploration of our relational selves, embedded as they are in a...2025-04-0837 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastCoping with the loss of a loved one, by Louise Shinsho CrannyCoping with the loss of a loved one is always difficult. In this Dharma Talk Lousie Shinsho explores how different people cope in different ways. The Buddha's teachings of impermanence are tempered by teachings of our deep interconnectedness. This can help in developing an ongoing relationship with our loved ones who are not really lost to us.2025-03-3020 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: On Mu, by Ryan EnoThis guided meditation is based on Case 1 from the collection of Koans called The Gateless Gate. The case: "A monk asked Joshu in all earnestness, does a dog have Buddha nature or not? Joshu said “Mu!". The koan question is "What is Mu?" Ryan Eno has been working with Mu since May last year and will explore oceanic or open awareness of Mu. That is, Mu as direct experience of life as it is. It is a gentle and easy approach to Mu, that encourages you to allow whatever arises as you bring your focus back to Mu throughout the si...2025-03-2533 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: Riding the Thought Train, by Phil GenkaiThis guided meditation uses the imagery of sitting at railway stations and waiting for trains to explore how thoughts arrive during zazen. It takes the meditator on a journey from a busy mind (the subway) to a calm mind (no station, no trains). It poses a key question throughout - is your mind busy or is your mind calm - from moment to moment? Please sit and enjoy.
Note: Phil chose to prioritise long periods of silence in this guided meditation, to enhance the meditation as a whole.2025-03-1133 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastThe Experience of Intimacy in Zen, by Zenko Jack WicksTalk from OzZEN Zazenkai in Sawtell 2nd March 2025.
Intimacy in Zen is discussed in terms of the two aspects of 1. presence with all of life, and 2. emotional availability and vulnerability. A complete offering of ourselves, unmasked.
This brings forth the character of the Bodhisattva as: simple, joyful, and open to life’s possibilities.
We mention “Intimacy and Commitment” from Ordinary Mind Zen teacher Elihu Genmyo Smith’s book “Everything is the way”. We mention three koans: The Hands and Eyes of the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion (Blue Cliff Record Case 89), The National Teacher’s Monument (Blue Cliff Record Case 18), and Dizang’s “Not...2025-03-0831 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastWaking to a Dream within a DreamThis dharma talk focuses on exploring the concept of the self-centered dream and suffering, with discussions on practice principles and their potential modifications. Participants shared personal experiences and insights related to self-centeredness, dreams, and the nature of reality. The conversation also touched on the importance of shifting from a self-centered to a life-centered perspective, drawing from various philosophical and literary sources to illustrate key points.2025-02-1644 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: Stop running, by ShinshoWe seem to be caught in the habit of running from one thing to another.
When we do this, the next moment will not provide freedom from this urgency.
Here we practice together, breathing in “coming home”, breathing out “arriving”. Learning to resist the urge to react, we can become settled in restful attention. We also notice what happens when we stop running and slow down.2025-02-1127 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastThe History of ShikantazaThis talk explores some of the history and mythology behind the development of zazen (including Shikantaza or just sitting) meditation, and how it has been described as a way of practice. Broadly following the historical timeline of Zen development, it draws on several key sources such as Red Pine’s translations of Bodhidharma’s sermons and the work of Guo Gu on Chinese Chan ‘silent illumination’ practice. This sets the scene for the travels of Dogen Zenji to China in the 13th Century and the eventual transmission of the Shikantaza zazen practice to Japan. Dogen would go on to establish Soto Zen...2025-02-0227 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMedidation: Wabi SabiIn this guided meditation we will be exploring the Japanese aesthetic philosophy of wabi sabi and how we can integrate it into our just-sitting practice. Wabi is about finding beauty in imperfection, simplicity, things that are aged and broken and cracked. Sabi is the appreciation of the beauty of impermanence and transience and the kind of melancholy feeling which comes with that which is kind of a sweet feeling. Sabi is concerned with the passage of time, with the way in which all things grow and decay and how aging alters the visual nature of those things.2025-01-2835 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: Leave everything aloneThis guided meditation explores our core practice of just-sitting and the encouragement to leave everything alone. Even though we're in different geographical locations with different visuals, different sounds, we share very similar bodies. One thing all humanity has in common is breathing. We all share that together. Welcome the breath. Become one with the breath, our constant companion and friend, right to the very end. Not trying to change anything, fix anything. Just allowing our Zazen to do its work for us. Sitting relatively still allows us to go deeper and deeper into just simply experiencing this moment. Allow the...2025-01-1438 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: The Morning StarChristianity has the star of Bethlehem. We have the morning star.
There is nothing special or supernatural about our morning star, yet the morning star is perfect just as it is, and it twinkles and changes from moment to moment – and we are all just like that morning star!
During this guided meditation I will take you on a metaphorical journey through three phases of Zazen as we sink deeper and deeper into being just moment and how this moment discloses itself to us – leading us into our core practice of Shikantaza:
1. Settling in and building the Dwelling: Settling and clai...2024-12-0835 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastWu-Tsu’s Who is that Other?THE CASE
Wu-Tsu said, “Sakyamuni and Maitreya are servants of another. Tell me, who is that other?”
WU-MEN’S COMMENT
If you can see this other and distinguish him or her clearly, then it is like encountering your father at the crossroads. You will not need to ask somebody whether or not you’re right.
WU-MEN’S VERSE
Don’t draw another’s bow;
Don’t ride another’s horse;
Don’t discuss another’s faults;
Don’t explore another’s affairs.2024-11-1548 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: Your Original Face is Always ChangingThe title of today’s contemplation “our original face is always changing” comes from the story of the sixth ancestor, Eno, retold in case 23 of The Gateless Barrier collection of koans:
“Don’t think good, don’t think evil. At this very moment, what is the original face of Ming the head monk?”
“What is your original face before your parents were born?”
In other words, just sit and your original face immediately appears.
Finally, we could say our world self is also embedded in the great Cosmos. We could say -
We are the Cosmos, experiencing itself in human form.2024-10-2736 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastYogacara part fourYogacara part four by Andrew Tootell2024-10-1352 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: Being afraid of making mistakes is the biggest mistake you can make, by Louise Shinsho CrannyThis guided meditation explores our personal relationship with mistakes. Mistakes are a fertile ground for learning. Dogen says ‘Life is one continuous mistake.’ Changing our attitude to our mistakes can change our life. Mistakes are exactly the path.2024-10-0828 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: Zen Practice as Community, by Jack Dosho WicksIn this guided meditation we explore what is it to do zen practice together and to wake up together. in supporting each others practice, we support our own; in practicing together we discover our uniqueness within the simultaneous discovery of how important we are to each other.2024-09-2431 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastDenkai Talk: New York, Nov 15 2014Denkai Talk: New York, Nov 15 2014 by Andrew Tootell2024-09-2150 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastYogacara part threeIn this lecture/discussion, Sono gives some background detail on the “three turnings of the wheel”, culminating in Yogacara. He also comments on the meaning of three natures and compares it with western phenomenology.2024-09-1550 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: Facing and Embracing Our FinitudeThis morning, we will be contemplating our finitude and how by facing and embracing our finitude, we can learn to live a life full of appreciation and meaning.2024-09-1031 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastFirst Precept: Non-killingNonkilling: Life is nonkilling. The seed of buddha grows continuously.
Maintain the wisdom-life of buddha and do not kill life – Dogen Zenji
Appreciate your life – Maezumi Roshi2024-08-2518 minAndrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastYogacara part twoIn this lecture today, we will first review the discussion about the “three natures” that I introduced last month from the work of the Yogacara philosopher, Vasubandhu. Then we will begin to discuss a contemporary philosophical school called Phenomenology and its similarities to Yogacara. We will then finish today’s lecture by reading and discussing a chapter from Joko Beck’s first book called Experiencing and Behaviour which I think will help us make the link between what these Yogacarins and Phenomenologists are on about because Joko has this way of being able to express these complex ideas in a simple a...2024-08-1836 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: A Path to Oneness by ShinshoShinsho directs us home in this beautifully crafted guided meditation:
A magnificent round full moon is rising before you and the path ahead is well lit.
You have arrived home.
‘Walk as if you are kissing the earth with your feet’ says Thich.
We have caused a lot of damage to the earth. Now is time to walk home with love. It is only possible if we do not constantly think of the future or the past. Life can only be found in the present moment.2024-08-1341 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: Jui-yen Calls MasterTHE CASE: The priest Jui-yen called “Master!” to himself every day and answered himself “Yes!” Then he would say “Be aware!” and reply “Yes!” “Don’t be deceived by others!” “No, no!”" (from "The Gateless Barrier: The Wu-Men Kuan (Mumonkan)" by Robert Aitken)
This is good practice for everyday life. He is basically calling out the name Master! And the key is the effortless immediacy of the response – YES! That YES is everything. What is he saying Yes too? Who is the Master?2024-08-0439 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastYogacara part oneIn this lecture we sample the Yogacara teachings of Vasubandhu called the Treatise on the Three Natures, which form the philosophical backbone of Yogacara. So, what are the three natures? They are three interrelated aspects of our experience: the imaginary, dependent and complete or realised nature. In a nutshell they are:
The imaginary nature of things is what we think they are.
Their dependent nature of things is that they appear to depend on other things.
The complete, realised nature of things is that they are not what you think they are2024-07-2141 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: Leave Everything AloneLeave Everything Alone is a guided meditation on our core practice – the simple art of “just sitting”. I will leave lots of space and silence in-between my words. Just-sitting is the practice of non-doing – Wu Wei in Chinese. Effortless. No need to cultivate. If you are efforting you are straying away from the way. It is simply surrendering to the immediacy of our natural functioning.2024-07-1636 minAndrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastIntroduction to the PreceptsThis is the first of a series of talks on precept practice given by OzZen teachers and facilitators. This talk focuses on how to practice a nondual psychologically minded approach to the precepts influenced by the teaching of Bernie Glassman, Nancy Mujo Baker and Barry Magid.2024-06-3019 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastNagarjuna and the Two TruthsIn this sixth episode in the series Indian Buddhist Philosophy: Progressive Stages of Insight into Emptiness, Sono discusses the Two Truths of Nagarjuna, the important insight into the “emptiness” of emptiness and how these philosophical insights shape how we practice.2024-06-2342 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: A Still Forest Pool, by ShinshoMeditation: A Still Forest Pool, by Shinsho by Andrew Tootell2024-06-1128 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: Song of ZazenZen Buddhism can be understood as a form of performance art.
In this recording, Sono performs the song by the 17th century monk Hakuin, called “Song of Zazen”.2024-06-0934 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastWhat does it mean to be a social activist?, by Louise Shinsho CrannyHow does our practice help with this work?
When we come from love rather than anger and fear, without creating enemies, we avoid anxiety and burnout. We can rely on our zazen practice to step back and see clearly with a compassionate lens. Together with the fundamental truths of Buddhism, this allows us then to step up and into wise action as is required in any given moment.2024-05-2426 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastSocially Engaged BuddhismIn this talk I discuss socially engaged Buddhism and how the paths of personal and social transformation are interdependent.
As David Loy states: ‘Engagement in the world is how our individual awakening blossoms, and how contemplative practices such as meditation ground our activism, transforming it into a spiritual path”.2024-05-2240 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: Why do you sit?In this meditation we contemplate the question: Why do you sit?
Like a Koan there is no right answer. Are we “Performing our vows”?
“Renewing our commitment”? “Embodying the practice principles?”
What kind of engagement with life is Zazen? The practice of nonseparation?
The practice of leaving everything alone? Nonthinking is a kind of letting be – letting
thinking be, letting everything be. Forget yourself. No gain. Just this is it.2024-05-1435 minAndrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastThe Liberatory potential of the Emptiness TeachingsIn this lecture/discussion, Sono explains the concept of dependent arising in Buddhism, emphasizing that things only exist conventionally and do not have inherent existence. This idea, also known as emptiness, was clarified as the absence of something rather than the presence of something else. Sono further discussed how this concept relates to the impermanence of all things, as nothing truly exists independently. The group also discussed the confusion that can arise from this concept, particularly in relation to the concept of non-separation. Ultimately, Sono argued that this philosophy aims to liberate individuals from the habit of imputing independent existence...2024-05-1244 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: The Emptiness of SelfIn our Indian Buddhist Philosophy course, we have been discussing various ways of understanding the Buddhist concept of anatman, “no-self” using philosophical analysis. According to this analysis emptiness is defined as the lack of an inherent, independently existing permanent self. Even though we may understand intellectually that the self does not have a permanent, indivisible, and independent existence, it feels as if it does. In this guided meditation, we explore the self-illusion by turning towards our direct experience – that is we explore emptiness experientially.2024-04-2836 min
Nuanez NowNuanez Now April 15, 2024 - Hour 2 - Ryan TootellFormer host Ryan Tootell makes a special guest appearance to break down the Masters with Colter Nuanez. Plus: Colter and Andrew Houghton go back and forth on Brandon Whitney staying with Griz hoops and Clifton McDowell ending up at McNeese State.2024-04-1645 minAndrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastEverything is Empty of Inherent ExistenceFrom the Buddhist perspective, the understanding and realisation of emptiness is the key to liberation from suffering – because the roots of suffering stem from primordial confusion as to the nature of reality – to be free from suffering we need to eliminate ignorance – to eliminate ignorance is to understand emptiness – hence the realisation of emptiness is the ultimate medicine.
In this lecture series we are exploring some of the different ways of understanding emptiness found in Buddhism – today we will go into what is called the Madhymaka School or The Middle Way School which interprets the prajnaparamita sutras – such as the Heart Sutra...2024-04-1453 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: Romantic and Universal Love, by Jack WicksThe divine abodes are loving kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity. These are both fruits of a practice of meditation and can be doorways to the deepening of that practice. In this guided meditation we explore the connection between romantic love and loving kindness. Romantic love hints at the universal love we can experience and embody whether or not we are in love romantically with someone or not.
Both in love songs and romantic poetry we can get a taste of something that is beyond our individual selves, beyond existence in a certain place and time, beyond the usual way we...2024-04-0231 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastOpening the heart in close and intimate relationships, by ShinshoThis talk explores the benefits of these often tricky challenges and what Buddhism and relational science offer us in dealing with them. Idealised or romantic love is dualistic and relates to the other, Harmonic love relates with the other. Rather than being in love, we become love.2024-03-3133 minAndrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastThe empty self part twoThis session focuses on the meaning of Emptiness in the Pali Buddhist sutras and the Abhidharma philosophy school.2024-03-1752 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastOpening To Love, by Jack WicksOpening To Love, by Jack Wicks by Andrew Tootell2024-03-0543 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: Simple MindAwakened awareness is not about special experiences – it is about recognising the simplest form of conscious experience that is available to everyone. Joko called it “Simple Mind”, Shunryu Suzuki called it “Beginners Mind” or we could simply call it awareness of awareness or “Pure Awareness”.
We could say that the purpose of meditation, both silent and guided, is the process of dis-identifying from the suffering that is generated by identifying as a personal separate self with the flow of impermanent, interdependent phenomena and recognising and returning to our home base of Simple Mind.
By Sono.2024-03-0341 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastNaming our experiences by Louise ShinshoThis guided meditation offers a chance to gain clarity around our thoughts and emotions. Taking a few deep breaths, we can name our experiences. Then we gain an opportunity to fully experience them without being overwhelmed by them. We can then move on the investigate them if it feels safe to do so. Remembering to nurture ourselves by coming back to the awareness of the breath.2024-02-2031 minAndrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastThe empty self part oneThis session gives an introduction to the Buddha’s first discourse on Turning the Wheel of the Dharma. In this discussion we focus on the four truths or practices.2024-02-1841 minAndrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastYogacara part fiveYogacara part five by Andrew Tootell2024-02-1140 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastThe Precept of Non-Lying and the Gurdjieff Teachings, by Elisabeth BarrettSono asked me to talk on Gurdjieff and the zen Buddhist precepts.
Gurdjieff didn’t teach on things like the precepts e.g. do not kill, do not steal, do not lie, do not gossip etc. His teaching is about becoming conscious as opposed to the awake-sleep state in which we live almost all the time.
Consciousness will, by its very nature include all the “do nots” and will mean a life lived through our true natures. In awake-sleep we are like machines, automatically reacting to everything according to our individual experiences of life.2024-02-0913 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: Three Types Of ZazenIn this guided meditation Sono introduces three types of Zazen:
Mindfulness of a mental object;
Mindfulness of the field of all objects; and
Just-Sitting2024-01-2328 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastPhilosophy as practiceThis session gives an introduction to why it is important to study philosophy and an overview of the course.2024-01-2144 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastThe Voice From The Heart, and the backlash to reconciliationIn this talk I reflect on the “Voice from the Heart”, why the referendum lost and what has to happen next. It provides a brief historical background to the Voice and it includes some reflections on the One and the Many from a Zen perspective and applies the concept of “spiritual bypassing” at the collective level when a nation denies the truth of its history. It concludes with the following quote from James Baldwin: “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced”.
Caveat: There was some technical problem with the recording so the qual...2023-10-2236 min
Simplicity Zen PodcastSimplicity Zen Podcast Episode 87 - An Interview with Dr Sono Andrew Tootell (The Zen Lamp Series)An Interview with Zen Teacher Dr Sono Andrew TootellDr Sono Andrew Tootell is an Australian Zen teacher in the Ordinary Mind Zen School. He is the dharma heir of Barry Magid and is an accredited mental health social worker and maintains a private psychotherapy practice. He is the teacher for the OzZen sangha.More about Andrew:https://ordinarymind.com.au/More about Simplicity Zen Podcast:https://simplicityzen.com/2023-10-211h 23
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: Joyful EquanimityOur original nature can be described as Awareness or Heart-Mind. This Awareness that we are, which ultimately constitutes our original nature, has a number of essential qualities. As an introduction to this guided meditation, I discuss the four faces of Universal Love. In Buddhism they are called the Four Brahma Viharas (divine dwellings): In the language of the Buddha, these are metta, karuna, mudita, and upekkha. In English they are commonly known as loving-kindness, compassion or care, appreciative joy, and equanimity, peace or simply being. In order to support the transformation of attachment-based exclusive love into love and happiness that...2023-10-0842 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: Deep Listening, by Louise CrannyThis talk guides us through a journey of embodying the connections we have with our place here …the earth, the elements, and the beings we share life energy with. Exploring the fundamental Buddhist truths that everything is connected and everything is impermanent. Being present with the emotions that arise and coming to the spaciousness that allows anything to be possible.2023-10-0331 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: Meeting The Way, by Jack WicksThis meditation guides you from the experience of your breath to some old zen parables.
The first story is a re-telling of “A Parable” from Zen Flesh, Zen Bones by Paul Reps and Nyogen Senzaki.
Two koans are featured, both are from The Gateless Gate by Koun Yamada. These are, Case 30 “Mind is Buddha”, and Case 36 “Meeting a Man Who Has Accomplished the Way”.
Influences for this talk are also SN Goenka and Paul McKenna.2023-10-0328 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: I Am, by ElisabethThis guided meditation was taught by Gurdjieff to his students. Through each round of body sensing we are guided into self-remembering – the “I am” of awareness.2023-08-2236 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: Appreciate this life, by SonoThis guided meditation is all about finding or recognising and then stabilising in your essential nature, your inner “treasury”. I have titled the meditation “Appreciate this Life” after the book by the same title by Maezumi Roshi. Even though we cannot “see” our essential nature we can simply be, knowingly, our essential nature. We need to recognize our essential nature in this way. It doesn’t need to be a dramatic event. But it is always deeply wonderous2023-08-1333 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastYoga Nidra, by JoshuJoshu(Peter Thompson) founder of the Wombat Sangha in Sydney gives a introduction to the importance of Yoga Nidra practice and how it complements our Zen practice.2023-08-0835 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: Zazen Yoga NidraZAZEN YOGA NIDRA
This guided meditation integrates zazen and yoga nidra. Both zazen and yoga nidra are gateways into the subjective sense of the body and ultimately the realisation of self as nondual awareness.2023-07-2537 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastThe Evolution Of Zen, by JoshuJoshu (Peter Thompson) is a founding member of the Sydney Zen Centre and a founder of the Wombat Sangha based in Sydney. In this talk Joshu develops a founding narrative for contemporary Zen practice based upon Evolution. Joshu says, “An important part of the story and mystery of our evolution and being here is the existential reality of alienation and separation and anxiety seemingly caused by the emergence of the frontal neo cortex, bringing with it the human thinking mind ...This brought about The Fall from the graceful state of oneness ( The Garden Of Eden , Genesis ) ....In explaining this, I am...2023-07-1624 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastThe view from awarenessThis talk is continuing our conversation about nonduality. One of the core dualities we are trained into is subject and object duality. The theme of this talk – recognising our essential self as awareness – and some of the experiential exercises are taken from a book called “Standing as Awareness” by the nondual philosopher Greg Goode.
Last month I spoke about the Koan of the goose in the bottle. This represents “normal” experience of duality – the goose in the bottle is a description of the self-centred dream – we are trapped, or identified as, a separate body-mind self that is the activity of suffering.
Pra...2023-06-1839 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: Simply BeingThis guided meditation leads us into the non-duality of Simply Being through the gateless gate of silence.2023-05-3029 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastThe goose is out! Suffering and the end of suffering part 3This talk, based on an old koan, continues our exploration of psychological or mind-generated suffering and the ending of this suffering through seeing how psychological suffering is always synonymous with getting caught in conventional duality of “me” and “not me” and not seeing from the alternative perspective of unbounded awareness.
Here is the old koan. Lu Geng asked Nanquan:
If someone puts a gosling into a bottle and feeds it until it is full-grown, how can they get the goose out without killing it or breaking the bottle?
The Master kept silent for few moments and then clapped his hand. Lu Geng...2023-05-2137 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastTwo practices for ending sufferingThis talk continues with the theme suffering and the ending of suffering. It introduces two complementary practices for ending suffering: self-inquiry and nonseparation.2023-05-0643 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastJukai talk, by Louise CrannyIn our OzZen sangha, when receiving the precepts, recipients also give a Jukai talk, reflecting on their experience of studying the precepts in the monthly study group over the past year. Recipients are encouraged to personalise their experiences.2023-05-0518 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastTaking RefugeTonight, we will discuss the practice of “taking refuge” as it relates to the question of suffering and the ending of suffering. During discussion I want us to clarify the difference between psychological suffering and what we might describe as our natural emotional responses that arise from being creatures who become attached to each other. I don’t think that grief should necessarily be problematized, however, it can get complicated by the thinking mind.
So, in some ways, I want to suggest, that we can, at times at least, bring an end to psychological suffering but natural emotions such as grief...2023-05-0428 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: Ceaseless change turns the wheel of lifeHow do we find constancy amid constant change? When we let go of attachment to form: attachment and aversion, we find our freedom in the formless field of benefaction.2023-04-0436 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: Form and The FormlessIf we are attached to form: body, feelings, perceptions, personality, as night follows day, we are going to suffer. Liberation from suffering is found through the gateway into the formless.2023-04-0237 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: Practicing Non-Attachment to DesireThe middle way practice of non-attachment to desire is not to give-in to desire or to repress desire. We allow desire to naturally arise and pass away, without clinging. Sometimes can do this and sometimes we can’t. Yet this is our practice.2023-03-3130 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: Activating the seeds of mindfulness, by Louise CrannyLike a weed, suffering seems to grow regularly and crosses our paths frequently.
Often it is mildly annoying and occasionally it becomes troublesome and painful.
Although suffering is inevitable, it is possible to activate the seeds of awareness by practicing the first eight of the Buddha’s foundations of mindfulness. Here we prime the ground for suffering to be transformed. Developing the art of suffering we can grow lotus flowers from the mud.2023-03-2833 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: Can You Find Yourself?Bodhidarma sat facing the wall. The second patriarch [Shenguang, later called Huike], standing in the snow, cut off his arm and said, “Your disciple’s mind is not yet at peace. I beg you, Master, give it rest.”
Bodhidharma said, “Bring your mind to me; I will put it to rest.”
The patriarch said, “I have searched for the mind but have never been able to find it.”
Bodhidharma said, “I have finished putting it to rest for you.
From Case 41 of the Gateless Gate: Bodhidharma Puts the Mind to Rest.
In this meditation we go in search of the Mind (or Self...2023-03-1934 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastCore Beliefs and the Self-Centred DreamCore Beliefs and the Self-Centred Dream by Andrew Tootell2023-01-2239 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: The Three Self NaturesIn this guided meditation Andrew takes us on a tour round the practice triangle to demonstrate the experiential shift in the sense of self as we move through these different ways of experiencing self. The first position is “self-as-content” (often known as the ego-self); the second position is the “self-as-process”, which is the beginning of negating our identification with the ego-self as the “owner” of thoughts and feelings; the final position is “self-as-witnessing consciousness” where we are no longer identified with thoughts and feelings, allowing us to be present to them as the knowing container of all contents, leading to transformation.2022-01-2536 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: Transformations of ConsciousnessAll guided meditations take us on a journey to discover our true self. However, the map is not the territory but some maps can be more helpful than others. In this guided meditation, Andrew once again maps out the territory which points the way to our true self – even through consciousness is in a never ending process of transformation our true self has no beginning or ending.2021-12-1435 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastStages Of PracticeIn this talk Andrew seeks to clarify and de-mystify the traditional pathways of Zen practice. Starting as a seeker and moving to finding a teacher and sangha, formalising a relationship with a teacher and then receiving the precepts. The talk also includes a discussion of the three stages of transmission.2021-11-2149 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: WaterfallsAvalokiteshvara, clearly saw all five skandhas are empty, freeing us from all identification as a separate self and thereby releasing us from all anguish and distress. From the perspective of emptiness this body and mind is like a waterfall. A waterfall is not a thing but rather a name for a process of happening. Our name and date of birth are just conventions. Just like we cannot distinguish where the waterfall begins and ends we cannot distinguish when Andrew begins and ends. Andrew doesn’t appear and disappear, he is just a convenient fiction.2021-07-1836 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastFrom salvation to human flourishingIn this talk Andrew locates our on-going discussion about Buddhist ethics in the context of Buddhist modernism in the West. He makes a distinction between the traditional salvation model of Buddhism and contrasts that with the eudaimonic or Human Flourishing model, which he argues is more congruent with our culture in this time and place. Andrew also suggests that Zen Buddhism since its beginnings in China has always been a life affirming, emphasising awakening in this life. There is also a discussion how the four noble truths provide the framework for Buddhist ethics and the importance of how the truths...2021-02-2838 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastOzZen Way Study ProgramIn this talk Andrew gives an overview of the OzZen Way Study Program and answers questions on various aspects of the program. The written program can be found on the OzZen website.2021-02-1451 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation: Earth And SkyThis guided meditation OzZen teacher Andrew Tootell continues the project of developing a Zen-informed Guided Meditation practice. It begins by outlining the four principles that all Buddhist groups adhere to: Life is Dukkha (Suffering); Impermanence; Interdependence (no separate self); and Nirvana. Although all Buddhism agree on these “four seals” they interpret them differently. We will be exploring the following question: What makes a zen-informed guided meditation different to other Buddhist-informed guided meditations? Is it a sensibility, an aesthetic? It can be argued that the difference between Japanese (Zen Buddhism) and Indian Buddhism is in how these different cultures relate to this...2021-02-0241 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastBuddhism 101In this first talk for the year Andrew gives a general outline of Buddhism plus a discussion about the origins of Zen Buddhism. Andrew also answers some questions about what drew him to Zen Buddhism.2021-01-3147 min
Griz Greats: The Coaching TreeBonus: Andrew Strait + Jordan HasquetIn today’s always-on world, your business demands a simpler approach to network security. At Blackfoot Communications we deliver state-of-the-art security solutions – from the perimeter to end-point devices and remote data backup – for businesses across Montana. Ensure your company’s network is online. All the time.For more information, visit GoBlackfoot.com/GrizGreats.Ryan Tootell and Colter Nuanez sat down with Andrew Strait and Jordan Hasquet, who both played for Larry Krystkowiak and Wayne Tinkle at the University of Montana, to get a player's perspective on what it was like to play for both men. Strait a...2020-02-2941 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastThe Four SealsIn this talk Andrew gives his interpretation of the traditional “four seals” as discussed in the classic book by Uchiyama on Soto Zen: Opening the Hand of Thought. The four seals are:
1. Life is suffering.
2. Impermanence.
3. No substantial self (interdependence).
4. Nirvana (the end of suffering).
The four seals are the essentials for a teaching to be Buddhism. They are what differentiates Buddhism from other religions.2020-01-1922 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastFearDo you know your core fears? Fear can alert is to our patterns of attachment to the apparent separate self. In this talk I explore how we practice with our fears on the level of the mind (thoughts/core beliefs) and the body (the memory or residues of past fears that have accumulated over our lives).
Recorded 20.05.18.
If you found Andrew’s talks or meditations helpful, please consider donating to Ordinary Mind Zen Mid North Coast at https://www.ordinarymind.com.au/donate2019-01-2144 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastNon AttachmentIn Buddhism attachment is often seen as the root cause of suffering and non-attachment is seen as the solution. In classical Buddhism this took the form of monastic communities. Obviously, this is not the solution for lay practitioners. So, what is the understanding of non-attachment that is helpful for lay-practitioners? This talk discusses how dwelling in non-abiding awareness is the form of non-attachment that liberates us from attachment and therefore suffering. The core form of attachment is attachment to egoic self. The egoic self doesn’t have to die – only our attachment to the egoic self.
Recorded 15.04.18.
If you found Andr...2019-01-2145 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastThe Guest HouseIn inquiry practice we explore the barriers that get in the way of us waking up. In this talk we look at the need to make a descent down into the cellars of our “Guest House”. That which we resist, persists – and that which we lock away tends never to go away. So, we make our descent to recognise and acknowledge the prisoners that have been locked away, often in childhood. We then give them a voice and allow them to share their burden and then with our help release their burden – freeing up the life energy that previously had been fro...2019-01-2141 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastAvoidance And AcceptanceThe movement from avoidance to acceptance is an area in which both therapy and zen dovetail and overlap. The suffering we experience when invested in the separate self takes two basic forms: lack and resistance. In this talk we focus on the example of shame or personal inadequacy. Shame is an emotion we experience from a deep sense of lack – we will never be good enough and it is a painful feeling we want to get rid of. In our zen practice we welcome all feelings and thoughts, whether they be comfortable or uncomfortable. When we recognise our true nature as...2019-01-2129 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastWonder And BoredomThis talk begins with Wordsworth’s Intimations of Immortality – how as children and even as adolescents we are in touch with the wonder of being alive, but as we become adults, we tend to lose this wonder and it is obscured by the “realities” of family life and work. Then the “fall” happens, the loss of wonder. Life is taken for granted. We identify with our separate self and suffer. Then at a certain point, we start to seek again, that homesickness inside that yearns for paradise lost. On the spiritual path we again start to inquire into the question, who or what...2019-01-1844 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastThe Mystery Of Being“The mystery is never very far away – it is so close that sometimes we miss it!” This mystery or wonder at existence is often something we experience in childhood and adolescence, but when we arrive at adulthood, we often get disconnected from it as we become preoccupied with our busy lives. Retreat is an opportunity for us to re-connect with this mystery.
Recorded 13.04.18.
If you found Andrew’s talks or meditations helpful, please consider donating to Ordinary Mind Zen Mid North Coast at https://www.ordinarymind.com.au/donate2019-01-1625 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastEntrustmentEntrustment by Andrew Tootell2018-10-2144 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation on Four Bodhisattva Vows: Embracing Life (Just As It Is)The path of the Bodhisattva is to embrace life. To fully embrace life is to embrace the totality of life just as it is. We don’t get to pick and choose. To fully embrace both the joys and sorrows of life. We can’t have on without the other. To fully embrace life is the taste of nirvana - a life free of emotional reactions – an awakened life.
Recorded 07/10/18.
If you found Andrew’s talks or meditations helpful, please consider donating to Ordinary Mind Zen Mid North Coast at https://www.ordinarymind.com.au/donate2018-10-0727 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation on This Precious MomentWhen we sit together in a group, we all benefit from sharing in our mutual flow of loving energy. This creates a context for deep relaxation and letting go. We discover in our hearts, this here now is the only constant in our lives. This precious moment is who we truly are.
If you found Andrew’s talks or meditations helpful, please consider donating to Ordinary Mind Zen Mid North Coast at https://www.ordinarymind.com.au/donate2018-09-1135 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation on Be Here NowThis is a guided meditation on the classic exhortation ‘be here now!” first published as a book title by Ram Das in 1971. The now is not a now in a sequence of other now’s. It’s not a moment in linear time, stretching backwards to the past and forwards to the future. It’s hard to put it into words, but the now is more like the space in which everything appears; or Mind outside of time; timeless or presence. The now is also the knower or the witness of all that is appearing. So, another metaphor is we're sitting on...2018-07-2929 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation on Deepening AwarenessThis is a guided meditation on the art of “just-sitting”. In just sitting we enter the open awareness of the totality of body sensations, thoughts and the environment. One seamless field of phenomena.
Recorded 9/9/18.
If you found Andrew’s talks or meditations helpful, please consider donating to Ordinary Mind Zen Mid North Coast at https://www.ordinarymind.com.au/donate2018-07-0924 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastComing HomeComing Home by Andrew Tootell2018-07-0412 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation on The poem The Guest House by RumiThis is a guided meditation on the poem The Guest House, a poem by the 13th century Sufi, Rumi. The poem can be used as a guide for meditation. In this poem, Rumi takes quite a familiar metaphor, you find it in various Buddhist stories going back quite a long time before Rumi. You'll find it in the Sufi stories as well, this metaphor of a guest house, or a host, and the notion of visitors or guests arriving and leaving. So, it's a lovely metaphor of how the host, symbolising our true self or our true nature, or simply...2018-03-2735 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation on Contemplation on the BodyThis meditation guides you into an experience of the body as sensations and perceptions. The body is 99.99% space. My attending carefully to sensations arising within the spaciousness of our awareness we experience liberation from identification with the body as an object.
If you found Andrew’s talks or meditations helpful, please consider donating to Ordinary Mind Zen Mid North Coast at https://www.ordinarymind.com.au/donate2018-01-3030 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastThree Pillars of PracticeThree Pillars of Practice by Andrew Tootell2017-05-2126 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation on Emotional Hurt Part 1: AcceptanceThis guided meditation gently introduces the listener to the experience of being awareness. Being awareness is meditation, being awareness is our inherent nature, who we truly are. When we are being awareness we can meet and welcome all our sensations, feelings and thoughts and accept them just as they are. This includes the unpleasant or even painful sensations, feelings and thoughts that go together to constitute the object that we call emotional “hurt”.
If you found Andrew’s talks or meditations helpful, please consider donating to Ordinary Mind Zen Mid North Coast at www.ordinarymind.com.au/donate2017-04-0219 min
Andrew Tootell's OzZen PodcastMeditation on Emotional Hurt Part 2: ForgivenessThis guided meditation begins the same as part one, but then explores our experience of anger and the process of letting go of that anger.
If you found Andrew’s talks or meditations helpful, please consider donating to Ordinary Mind Zen Mid North Coast at https://www.ordinarymind.com.au/donate2017-02-2619 min