Articles
Read from our archive of written teachings by Jon Bernie.
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Reclaim Your Chicken – being present in the moment
By Jon Bernie
Being does not require thought. Be fully attentive, gently attentive. Trust the natural ease of awareness. Make no effort. No trying, no doing, no defensiveness. Just gazing and seeing without…
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Empowerment Through Soji, The Simple Zen Practice of Cleaning
By Jon Bernie
In the daily routine of a Zen monastery, there is time set aside for Soji, or cleaning. Soji is a ceremony, and as such, it is a practice of mindfulness.…
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The Dirt on Spiritual Teachers
By Jon Bernie
“Enlightened” teachers are perfect, right? You must be kidding! Do you believe that awakening to your true nature will somehow perfect your human nature? That awakening is like some kind…
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“Knowing” vs. Understanding
By Jon Bernie
Being with what is, is understanding. From the perspective of understanding—of being—we don’t project our conclusions or judgments onto whatever is happening. When we project our conclusions onto reality, it…
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The Question of Service
By Jon Bernie
I’d like to look at the idea—the concept—of “being of service.” From the perspective of separateness, we often desire to help, to fix, to ameliorate; and of course there’s nothing…
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The Role of the Mind
By Jon Bernie
What is the point of talking about the inexpressible? Since it can’t really be defined, explained or understood by the analytical mind, why bother? The thinking mind, as much trouble…
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The Menu of our Desires
By Jon Bernie
You’re at a restaurant, looking at the dessert menu. You read the ingredients: walnut carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, coconut ice cream and candied carrots. Your mouth is already…
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The Obsessive Mind
By Jon Bernie
The obsessive mind is addictive. It has a life of its own. It can’t be controlled or manipulated, and ultimately it cannot be satisfied. An example of this would be…
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Dissolving Into Light
By Jon Bernie
To awaken is to dissolve in one place and simultaneously appear everywhere. Awakening can also be called being presence, being energy. Karmic arisings, whatever their nature, are fuel for dissolving.…
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The Space of Listening
By Jon Bernie
Wanting other people to change is actually a very interesting realm of resistance. We think it’s about them, but it’s really a trip we lay on ourselves. When you eventually…
