My Preaching

After working in the gardens, pulling weeds for a few hours, the monks all break for tea. It is hot, so we have iced tea. Very civilized.

As light fades, we head back to the zendo for evening zazen.

The Ozesshion begins! The center of the Osession is time spent in zazen meditation in the zendo, pictured here.

Tonight our OSesshion retreat starts, so today we wait. We prepare as well, but mostly we wait.

While we wait, there are hundreds of visitors to the Sogen-ji monastery to attend the annual formal tea ceremony today.

Downtown Shibuya, Tokyo. "Bustle" doesn't quite capture it. Everywhere you look, you could look more and see more.

My first day in Japan. Tthe Dominicans took me to visit a local Shinto shrine, Meiji Jingu.

This is my nephew Kyle in the back of his father's Chevy Suburban. Kyle is 15. He is learning to play the guitar, and is fiddling around with my road guitar as we drive.

I have been given many gifts in my life. Gift-giving is an impulse we all share, wanting those whom we love to receive the blessings we are able to give.

Sor Lucia Roge Nutritional Center. Not a very exciting name? "nutritional center"? , but an incredible place.

I'm on tour in Guatemala with Food For the Poor, seeing our work.

The last day of my retreat, and the desert is in bloom.