Desert Rain Zen
Listen to dharma talks by our teacher Tenney Nathanson Roshi and other teachers in our tradition. Desert Rain Zen is part of The Open Source, a branch of the Pacific Zen School founded by Joan Sutherland Roshi. Our practice centers on an innovative approach to koans and includes group koan conversations as well as individual koan work with Tenney.
Most of Desert Rain Zen's activities take place on Zoom. For more information you can:
email us at desertrainzen@gmail.com
find us at https://www.desertrainzen.org/
and on Facebook.
You can also find more teachings by Tenney at
https://tenneynathanson.com/ .
Other Open Source groups include Springs Mountain Sangha in Colorado Springs, led by Sarah Bender Roshi, and Crimson Gate Meditation Community in Oakland, CA, led by Megan Rundel Sensei. Desert Rain Zen podcasts will include talks by Sarah and Megan when they are part of shared Open Source retreats and other activities.
Desert Rain Zen
Desert Rain Zen Sunrise Retreat, March 2025: "The World of Dew," 2nd night talk: Tenney
Tenney gives the talk on the second evening of our retreat (the end of our first full day). Taking up three koans from The Blue Cliff Record that all concern the mysterious interweaving of the ephemeral and the eternal, he focuses on our mobile and multiple human responses to this intertwining of what’s poignant, painful, or tragic with a maybe unanticipated sense of radiance, timelessness, and serenity.
The Blue Cliff koans: case 82, “Dalong’s Flowers Like Brocade”; case 18, “Huizhong’s Seamless Monument”; and case 53, “Ancestor Ma’s Duck Flies Away.”
A group conversation follows Tenney’s talk.
(talk given March 5, 2025 at the Redemptorist Renewal Center at Picture Rocks in Tucson)
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About us:
Desert Rain Zen is located in Tucson, Arizona. But almost all our activities take place on Zoom or as hybrid events, so you don't need to live here to practice with us.
For more information you can email us at desertrainzen@gmail.com or find us at https://www.desertrainzen.org/ and on Facebook.
You can also find additional teachings and updated information about Tenney's various activities at tenneynathanson.com