Grace Schireson on Practical Zen

Jun 4, 2021

Grace Schireson, President of Shogaku Zen and a clinical psychologist, shares her insights from her book, "Naked in the Zendo." She delves into the concept of recognizing one’s ego and the formula for suffering known as WITBOW (Wishing It To Be Otherwise). Grace emphasizes the importance of awareness in connecting with our true selves and the universe. From the transformative power of mindfulness to the value of making mistakes, she offers practical Zen lessons to enhance resilience and authenticity in everyday life.

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ADVICE

Know Your Wolves

Honestly watch your mind and emotions.
Recognize your "wolves" to choose which ones to feed.

INSIGHT

Ego's Disguises

Exposing the ego's disguises is a key task in spiritual practice.
The ego can hijack even spiritual practices, like wanting to be the "best" meditator.

INSIGHT

Bigger Perspective

Spiritual practice helps us see ourselves within a larger context.
A broader perspective creates space for change and prevents the ego from dominating.

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Grace Schireson is president of Shogaku Zen and received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the Wright Institute in Berkeley, California. She founded two practice centers and a retreat center under the Central Valley Zen Foundation.

In this episode, Eric and Grace discuss her book, Naked in the Zendo: Stories of Uptight Zen, Wild-Ass Zen, and Enlightenment Wherever You Are

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In This Interview, Grace Schireson and I Discuss Practical Zen and …

Her book, Naked in the Zendo: Stories of Uptight Zen, Wild-Ass Zen, and Enlightenment Wherever You Are
How we need to recognize our ego
The importance of seeing our existence within the large space of awareness
“WITBOW” (Wishing It To Be Otherwise) is a formula for suffering
The essential koan “When nothing will do, what will you do?
Awareness is recognizing your true self and your connection to the entire universe
Mindlessness is just pure awareness and no ownership
The 4 stages of developing awareness
The important lesson of making mistakes often and publicly

Grace Schireson Links:

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