In October of 2019 I was ordained a Soto Zen Priest by Roshi Eran Junryu Vardi. As part of the ceremony, I pledged to live way of the Bodhisattva and the life of a priest as follows:
- To be a priest is to live as Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, to devote one’s life to manifesting a Buddha-field among all realms of creation.
- I will be a great tree, rooted deeply in practice, providing any and all with shade, shelter and the breath of life.
- I will know and care for the members of my communities. I will do my best to listen well, care deeply and provide wise council when asked.
- I will assist in developing and conducting the liturgy and ceremonies of each Community. I will manifest and maintain practice and places for practice.
- I will study the Dharma, embody the Dharma and share the Dharma.
- I will open the Gate of Enlightenment, stand just outside that threshold hearing the cries of existence, and help usher all creation through.
This experience was transformative in the sense that I was taken out of my individual spiritual practice and thrust into a larger practice focused on our collective condition. This is both a selfless and selfish transition. Having to focus on my relationship with other people has caused me to look at myself and examine where I am obstructed. What am I holding onto and what am I giving up.
I started Daibo Zen to explore this transition and share my insights with each of you and provide ideas and resources to help you on your own spiritual journey. The Daibo Zen Blog will focus on four main areas of coalescent exploration:
- Body – How does the state of our physical body effect our general well-being and happiness.
- Mind – How do our thoughts and preconceptions free us or obstruct us in the pursuit of our every-day lives.
- Spirit – How does our spiritual connection to each other and the universe at large effect our perception of our created reality.
- Passion – How does our emotional state effect the reality we create around us.
I hope you will all join me on this spiritual journey of exploring the different parts of ourselves. Please email me and share your embodiment journey.