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Modern Zen Study
How to keep your mind from making things feel worse than they may really be.
We can't avoid the actual ups and downs of life, but we can reduce our tendency to amplify things way out of proportion. This false amplification of our perceived life circumstances is what the Buddha meant when he talked about human suffering. To respond to life by seeing and understanding things as they really are is to achieve equanimity. To live life fully with equanimity is to have what is called "Busy Life...Quiet Mind."
Group Sessions
Every Monday night from 7:30pm to 9:00pm Mountain Time I hold an open class on Zoom for anyone who wants to find out in plain English about Zen, what it really is and how it is completely compatible with modern life, regardless of your current religion or faith. These classes are $10 per week.
The classes are not straight lectures. I normally begin each class with a Zen story or commentary and then move to question and answer, and lively discussion. I connect the dots between the various Zen teachings and the day to day reality of life that we all have to deal with, here, and now, in America. All are welcome and people can join in anytime.
Every Monday morning I send out the Zoom links to everyone registered for this class.
Individual Sessions
Many people come to me for advice and help with their personal struggles with stress and anxiety. To serve this need I offer one on one sessions over Zoom by appointment for $45 per hour.
Zen principles and practices have been studied and used for many centuries to address this problem. In these sessions my Zen background is more directly focused on this issue rather than a wider study of Zen Buddhism. I'm not going to tell you what to think or who you should be. I simply share the teachings, wisdom and tools passed down to me and show you how to bring them into your life.
Contact me here to arrange a free conversation. We will get to know each other a bit and decide whether and how to proceed.
What is Zen Study?
A very famous Zen Master, Dogen Zenji, once said, "To study the Buddha way is to study the self."
His simple statement is simply true. Zen is a thorough, deep and honest examination of the fundamental truths of the everyday reality of life. Realizing and applying these truths will set you free.
Zen is not a religion. It's not a philosophy. It's not hypnosis or mental trickery. It's not spiritual, metaphysical or airy-fairy. It's not an escape from reality or a cure all for psychological issues or a quick fix for life's problems.
It's about seeing the world and your self clearly and honestly, and then dropping the delusions, mistaken views and superstitions that cause so much pain and misunderstanding. When those are gone, your true self shines through.
It's also not rocket science. Anyone can get it. It just requires a willingness to be open minded, and a desire to see life and the world from the Zen perspectives that have been taught for over 2500 years.
Bruce Hogen Lambson
I was born and raised in Seattle. I worked for companies there in the areas of industrial machinery and engineering and then had my own related businesses. I became interested in and began my Buddhist studies in 1994, primarily in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. In my extensive business travels around the West Coast I was able to visit many different Buddhist centers. In 1996 I met Genpo Merzel Roshi, the Abbot and resident Zen Master of the Kanzeon Zen Center in Salt Lake City.
I began attending retreats there over the next few years until, in 2003, I moved to Salt Lake City and entered training under Genpo Roshi as a full time student/resident of the Zen Center. I was ordained a Monk in 2005 and also served as Executive Director for Kanzeon Zen Center until 2010. During that time I traveled extensively throughout the United State and Europe with Genpo Roshi as he conducted Retreats, Workshops and Seminars for literally thousands of people and experienced the benefits of Zen firsthand.
I currently live in Sandy, Utah with my wife Jenny, and daughter Celeste. I have continued my training with Genpo Roshi and have his permission to teach others. I founded All Rivers Zen Study in 2008 as a way to gratefully carry on the tradition and do my part to pass along my experience to others. It's my hope that I can be of benefit to my community this way.
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