The Dewdrop Dialogues

Gaylon Ferguson and Vanessa Able discuss Gaylon's new book, Welcoming Beginner's Mind: Zen and Tibetan Wisdom on Experiencing Our True Nature. The conversation explores the ten images of the ox herding sequence and their progression from seeking the ox to returning to the world. Gaylon also introduces Welcoming Practice and talks about the influence of Zen on the Shambhala

In this podcast episode, Vanessa chats with Susan Murphy, the author of "A Fire Runs Through All Things, Zen Koans for Facing the Climate Crisis." Susan discusses the inspiration behind her book, stemming from her experiences during the devastating 2019-2020 Australian wildfires. She relates these experiences to Zen teachings and practice with koans, illustrating how thes

In this episode of the Dewdrop Dialogues podcast, Vanessa Able engages with Tim Burkett, Zen Buddhist priest and author of "Enlightenment is an Accident." Burkett shares his journey into Zen Buddhism, which began in San Francisco in 1964 under the guidance of Shunryu Suzuki. He discusses the evolution and personalization of Zen practice in America, emphasizing the balance

Vanessa Able in conversation with Pastoral Counsellor, Chaplain and Dharma Community Leader, Pamela Ayo Yetunde about spirituality, creative writing, interconnectedness, and the need to foster understanding and compassion in today's world. Indra's Net is a metaphor from ancient Vedic tradition that symbolizes interconnectedness and interdependence. In her new book, "C

Norman Fischer is a poet and a writer, a zen teacher and director of the Everyday Zen Foundation; he is also the co-founder of a Jewish meditation center in San Francisco, as well as a husband and a father. His latest book, When You Greet Me I Bow, is a collection of essays on Buddhism written over the last 30 years that were brought together and edited by Cynthia Schrager. The Dew

In this very first episode of the Dewdrop Dialogues podcast, Vanessa Able talks with Hosan Alan Senauke, Abbot of the Berkeley Zen Center in California and author of the new book ‘Turning Words.’ In Zen tradition, ‘turning words’ are words that can help one turn towards awakening or change a person’s direction. Alan shares various examples of turning words he has encounte