Radical Acceptance: Loving All Parts of Ourselves in the Journey to Liberation

ByUmi Dan Rotnem

The talk you shared from September 8, 2024, delves into the concept of split personalities and disassociative phenomena within Zen practice. It encourages practitioners to embrace and integrate all aspects of themselves, even the ones that might not align with their ideal self-image. This approach highlights the importance of radical acceptance and love for all parts of oneself, facilitating the journey toward becoming a whole and skillful bodhisattva.

What is Buddha?

ByUmi Dan Rotnem

Buddha is the fundamental aliveness of the universe. To touch divinity is to touch the very quality of our creative, self-sustaining awareness of life, right?

And that’s kind of hard to understand, in the sense that there’s lots of things that we don’t like about life.

Changing Gears

ByUmi Dan Rotnem

In this dharma talk, we explore the intricate relationship between pure awareness, wisdom, compassion, and skillful means within Zen practice. Umi emphasizes that in every moment, practitioners simultaneously experience their normal feelings and thoughts alongside a field of pure awareness. The talk discusses the concept of choice in practice, arguing that while wisdom and compassion arise naturally from pure awareness, the application of skillful means remains a deliberate choice. Umi illustrates how karmic law influences our actions and the importance of taking responsibility for our karma. Through this lens, they address the complexities of enlightenment and awakening, proposing that enlightenment is a dynamic process akin to a dimmer switch rather than a static state. The discussion includes practical examples and reflections on personal and collective practice, ultimately encouraging practitioners to embody and spread light and compassion in their lives.