Soten's Dharma Talk, “Riffs on Change,” June 22, 2025

The Village Zendo's virtual zendo is privileged to present, “Riffs on Change” a dharma talk in which senior student Soten considers the nature of change and why certain transformations are welcomed while others are not. He reflects on impermanence using his personal experience of retiring and moving from New York to Lisbon. Formal and informal koans help us explore several questions: Is change an unavoidable consequence of "emptiness"? What was LuoPu's ultimate message before his passing? What is "the thread" of poet William Stafford? ---------------------------- The Village Zendo is a community of people who come together to practice in the Soto Zen tradition. Based in downtown New York City, we offer zazen (sitting meditation), one-on-one instruction with a teacher, dharma talks, chanting services, retreats, workshops and study groups. Check out our website for daily schedules, teachers and other Zendo info, including audio Dharma talks. Support our work by donating at https://villagezendo.org/support-us/.