Eastern Forest Meditation

I am not a teacher, priest, monk, or guru, but a student like any other. I am not an official representative of any religious institution, and my views may not reflect the positions of any group I may reference. To quote my teacher, “Don’t quote me!”.

This blog is intended to be a repository of helpful information for those who might form and maintain a habitual home practice for meditation, with Zazen (Zen meditation) and Christian contemplation in mind. The purpose is to provide resources and insights that can invigorate and inspire others’ personal meditation practices, based on the ongoing journey of maintaining my own practice. This is not a blog about my direct experiences but rather a curated collection of resources that have influenced my understanding and approach to meditation.

Located between the northern Appalachian mountain range, the Cuyahoga Valley National Parks, and the Great Lake Erie, along the eastern half of the Cuyahoga River, those of us in my Kent, Ohio cohort of initiates to the Soto Zen community in the tradition of Kobun Chino Otogawa began a meditation group in “Tree City, U.S.A.” (nicknamed after the lumber-based economy that sustained its growth). When the COVID-19 global pandemic swept through our area, we concluded it was best to close our doors. During that time, my practice became ever more important to me. I began to explore on my own, and found myself returning to some practices from my family’s Catholic tradition, such as Rosary prayer and devotionals.

The blog will focus on what has influenced my practice and understanding, particularly the Dharma lineage of my teacher’s teacher, Kobun Chino Otogawa, and his Dharma community. This includes his dharma heirs, the resources they have created, and influencers from Otogawa’s wider satellite community who worked together to form early American Soto Zen, such as Shunryu Suzuki, Kosho Uchiyama, Shohaku Okumura, and Chogyam Trungpa. It will focus on “householder” or lay practice, and will sometimes cover Christian practices and writings.