Upaya Zen Center's Dharma Podcast

Becoming Yourself

6 snips
Aug 4, 2025
In this conversation, Jiryu Rachman, Co-abbot of the San Francisco Zen Center, dives deep into the essence of Zen practice—becoming truly ourselves. He shares insights from Suzuki Roshi and other Zen masters, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and letting go of attachments. Personal anecdotes highlight the delicate balance between individuality and community, while exploring how embracing our true selves fosters deeper connections. Jiryu also touches on the integration of ethics in practice, grounding listeners in compassion and interconnectedness.
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INSIGHT

Be Fully Who You Are

  • Becoming yourself means being fully who you are in the relative, karmic world.
  • Trust that your embodied story already contains practice and love, not just problems.
ANECDOTE

From Cosmic Longing To Grounded Practice

  • Jiryu describes moving from New Mexico child to Zen practitioner in California and Japan.
  • His story shows how embodiment and daily tasks grounded his earlier spiritual expansiveness.
INSIGHT

Two Faces Of Self

  • Zen reveals two complementary senses of self: the karmic person and the immediate 'who am' or life itself.
  • In Zazen the conceptual 'I' fades and what remains is direct, ungraspable presence.
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