Joko Beck Dharma Talk (1.2): "Stages of Practice".

Charlotte Joko Beck (1917-2011) established the Zen Center of San Diego in 1983 and the "Ordinary Mind Zen" lineage in 1995. This recording of a live Dharma talk offers one aspect of her perspective on Zen practice . . .

[@michaelchicchelly7522]

Thank you!

[@caiocaridade3540]

wow...this is real piece of wisdow..CEG..CEG...specially for those who have just become their meditation path, independently on the tradition choosen..thanks indeed to the good soul who recorded and uploaded..God bless you

[@gypsy4932]

I missed something- what was the CEG.. CEG bit about?

[@CaridadeCaio]

Hey Gypsy..she uses an analogy with learning how to play the piano...when she was a young apprentice, her teacher told her that to be a good pianist, she should play the sequence C-E-G (Do Mi Sol - a far basic chord sequence) 5 thousand times...yeap, 5 thousand times the same bloody basic sequence...and she did it,.without questioning...in meditation, we should go the same way....just come back to your focus, whatever it is - a mantra, the breathe, the open space (in her Zendo, the focus is "labeling the thoughts") 5 thousand times...bottomline: is much more a matter of consistency and discipline than intelectual comprehension....is that clear now? Good practice , my friend

[@gypsy4932]

Haha Piano-CEG. Got it. Thank you for the quick and detailed response. Good practice to you too. __/I\__

[@QED_]

25 years ago now . . . but seems to me like it was just yesterday. We all did what we could do, I guess. Hope it's worked out for as many as possible . . .

[@gypsy4932]

Wonderful. Thank you.

[@djmydlack]

Would anyone know what is the current situation with Joko's many dharma talk tapes? I bought some many years ago when I was in practice with her. I heard they were part of the later problems between individuals. Thank you.

[@jokobeckzen]

Yes, that's a good question. My guess is that the tapes are held by the Zen Center of San Diego -- probably 1000 or so of them. Since that center now teaches in a different direction than Joko did, there's not much incentive for them to transfer the talks to CD and make them available. There might also be rights issues. The only person who'd be in a position to possibly overcome that is Joko's daughter, Brenda. Do you remember her (?) I don't know what her perspective on it all might be. Best Dharma regards . . .