Dharma Talks

Debra Seido Martin is Zen West's Guiding Teacher. She was transmitted in 2009 by Kyogen Carlson, late Abbott of Dharma Rain Zen Center. Seido is an organic farmer and psychotherapist devoted to the wild and giving space of practice and grace of the land. She carries forward her teacher’s directive to “ordain into your life.”

The Last Waves of Rohatsu

Seido reflects on Rohatsu sesshin by exploring the ocean as a metaphor for suchness or thusness. We are part of the ocean—whether riding the surface waves when we are tossed around by life or walking on the ocean floor when we rest in samadhi. Dogen’s insight is that we are already people of suchness. What we seek is what we already are. We are the ocean.

Dec 11, 2025

Rohatsu: Everyday Suchness

Dharma talks from Rohatsu session 2025, with "Innmo" by Dogen as the central text. December 2, 2025 December 3, 2025 December 4, 2025 December 5, 2025

Dec 7, 2025

Koan Summer 7: Counting Stars

Lie on your back. Gaze into the inky blackness and count the stars, all septillion of them. Or count weeds on the side of the highway,...

Jul 30, 2025