9. On Community, Self Esteem, Problem Solving, and Walking on Pilgrimage

Claude AnShin Thomas - Zen Buddhist monk, combat veteran, and author - responds to questions from students in an inspiring manner based on his Zen practice and life experiences. He reminds the listener how to stay awake to life and understand more deeply the traps of a deluded mind. This episode was recorded during a weekly online meeting of questions & responses. For more information: https://www.zaltho.org If you want to ask Claude AnShin Thomas a question, please feel free to write to [email protected]. Book recommendations: -       Bringing Meditation to Life - 108 Teachings on the Path of Zen Practice (Oakwood Publishing 2021, also as audiobook) -       AT HELL'S GATE - A Soldier's Journey from War to Peace (Shambhala Publications 2003, also as audiobook) -       On the Edges of Sleep: Poems of War and Memory (Oakwood Publishing 2024) https://www.zaltho.org/zen-books-by-zen-monk-claude-anshin-thomas/  To support, donate.  If you are interested in a specific question, this is the list of questions that Claude AnShin responded to and the time stamps for those questions so that you can go directly to the topic that is of most interest to you. Questions and Time Stamps: 1:11 Are you initiating a new lineage? 2:14 During your pilgrimage from Auschwitz to Vietnam, did you encounter any teachers who were especially meaningful to you? 3:33 How do you sustain your curiosity about everything? 5:32 From your perspective, what makes a community truly meaningful or healthy? 7:04 How do you define self-esteem? 7:38 Do you believe that with heightened awareness, one can sense the movement of the planet? 8:36 Are there aspects of your conditioning that actually support your practice? 19:15 How do you care for yourself while also meeting the demands of others? 21:30 When I face an obstacle, should I focus on solving it directly, or shift to doing something different? 25:31 How do you recognize when your practice has weakened? 27:46 What is the current situation with COVID-19 in the U.S.? 32:46 Do you allow your practice to guide how you navigate your feelings? 36:55 While walking in Bosnia, were you aware you might be crossing a minefield? 46:18 Did your experience of living on the street help prepare you for being on pilgrimage?