Pandemic Zen https://pandemiczen.podbean.com An experimental podcast exploring the healing and life-sustaining potential of Zen insight, meditation and mindfulness in a modern world of existential challenges to health, happiness and our very survival. The author has over 50 years training in Zen practice, studying under roshis Philip Kapleau, Joshu Sasaki, and Richard Clarke, his root teacher whom he succeeded in 2013. He is a medical doctor specializing in Emergency Medicine and Addiction Medicine. Recorded by: Paul Gerstein Sat, 13 Sep 2025 15:36:01 -0400 https://podbean.com/?v=5.5 en us Copyright 2020 All rights reserved. Religion & Spirituality:Buddhism 1440 episodic An experimental podcast exploring the healing and life-sustaining potential of Zen insight, meditation and mindfulness in a modern world of existential challenges to health, happiness and our very survival. The author has over 50 years training in Zen practice, studying under roshis Philip Kapleau, Joshu Sasaki and Richard Clarke, his root teacher whom he succeeded in 2013. He is a medical doctor specializing in Emergency Medicine and Addiction Medicine. Credits: Recorded by: Paul Gerstein, MD Podcast channel creation and website design: James Kieffer, Kieffer Consulting, LLC Intro music: Dancing for the Answers, Nick Mulvey Paul Gerstein Paul Gerstein No false https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/8848492/pandemic-zen-podcast.png Pandemic Zen https://pandemiczen.podbean.com 144 144 Losing Your Body and Your Life Losing Your Body and Your Life https://pandemiczen.podbean.com/e/losing-your-body-and-your-life/ https://pandemiczen.podbean.com/e/losing-your-body-and-your-life/#comments Sat, 13 Sep 2025 15:36:01 -0400 pandemiczen.podbean.com/2694e6c2-a677-38a8-bd56-de5d5f371a2c Paul takes us on a deep dive into the 22nd koan in the Hekigan Roku: "Seppo's Turtle-Nosed Snake". Dealing with living, dying and Reality, this abstruse yet powerful koan can be penetrated by a close and careful look at the code-language and strange events depicted therein. Through this process, we learn how to work with the more puzzling Zen teaching stories and uncover their profound implications.

This talk was presented by Paul Gerstein at the September 14, 2025 Living Dharma Center virtual zazenkai.

]]> Paul takes us on a deep dive into the 22nd koan in the Hekigan Roku: "Seppo's Turtle-Nosed Snake". Dealing with living, dying and Reality, this abstruse yet powerful koan can be penetrated by a close and careful look at the code-language and strange events depicted therein. Through this process, we learn how to work with the more puzzling Zen teaching stories and uncover their profound implications.

This talk was presented by Paul Gerstein at the September 14, 2025 Living Dharma Center virtual zazenkai.

]]> Paul Gerstein false No 2443 14 full Where the Rubber Meets the Road Where the Rubber Meets the Road https://pandemiczen.podbean.com/e/where-the-rubber-meets-the-road/ https://pandemiczen.podbean.com/e/where-the-rubber-meets-the-road/#comments Tue, 17 Dec 2024 07:17:03 -0500 pandemiczen.podbean.com/5c432541-89f9-36e8-a0d0-8932c306222d How can Zen practice precisely meet the moment when things go "wrong"? We place the election of Trump in a larger context with the help of a shocking koan from the Mumonkan collection. 

]]> How can Zen practice precisely meet the moment when things go "wrong"? We place the election of Trump in a larger context with the help of a shocking koan from the Mumonkan collection. 

]]> Paul Gerstein, MD false No 2483 13 full The Substance of 'Me' The Substance of 'Me' https://pandemiczen.podbean.com/e/the-substance-of-me/ https://pandemiczen.podbean.com/e/the-substance-of-me/#comments Mon, 28 Oct 2024 09:13:07 -0400 pandemiczen.podbean.com/5d9336d9-752b-3ecd-a038-b5131e39e7f8 Lecture (teisho) to a Zen retreat by Paul Gerstein on 10/27/2024 in which he presents the 7th koan from the Hekigan Roku (Blue Cliff Record): "You Are Eh-Cho!"

To help elucidate this terse and penetrating koan, Paul discusses a famous line from The Diamond Sutra and goes on to explore an incorrect approach to mindfulness practice that can contribute to a kind of meditation illness or "Zen sickness". Paul describes a video presentation on the origins of the universe entitled, "Everything and Nothing" and how a specific understanding of cosmology points to a profound truth at the core of what we call, "Me".

 

]]> Lecture (teisho) to a Zen retreat by Paul Gerstein on 10/27/2024 in which he presents the 7th koan from the Hekigan Roku (Blue Cliff Record): "You Are Eh-Cho!"

To help elucidate this terse and penetrating koan, Paul discusses a famous line from The Diamond Sutra and goes on to explore an incorrect approach to mindfulness practice that can contribute to a kind of meditation illness or "Zen sickness". Paul describes a video presentation on the origins of the universe entitled, "Everything and Nothing" and how a specific understanding of cosmology points to a profound truth at the core of what we call, "Me".

 

]]> Paul Gerstein, MD false No 2800 12 full Stuck in a Moment Stuck in a Moment https://pandemiczen.podbean.com/e/stuck-in-a-moment/ https://pandemiczen.podbean.com/e/stuck-in-a-moment/#comments Sun, 11 Aug 2024 12:22:22 -0400 pandemiczen.podbean.com/4f7c14f7-7e2f-3bd3-8d2e-826dd876aa71 Zen talk given to a morning Zen retreat (Zazenkai) on August 11, 2024. We start with a poem titled, "My Catastrophe", highlighting the doneness of each present moment and the freedom to shine one's truth. We go on to discuss the importance of "attentive desisting"; then read and comment on an excerpt on Zen practice, Easiness for Beginners, from the great 20th century Ch'an master, Hsu Yun. We finish with the initial parts of a song by U2 performed live at Slane Castle, Ireland: Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of [released 2000].

]]> Zen talk given to a morning Zen retreat (Zazenkai) on August 11, 2024. We start with a poem titled, "My Catastrophe", highlighting the doneness of each present moment and the freedom to shine one's truth. We go on to discuss the importance of "attentive desisting"; then read and comment on an excerpt on Zen practice, Easiness for Beginners, from the great 20th century Ch'an master, Hsu Yun. We finish with the initial parts of a song by U2 performed live at Slane Castle, Ireland: Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of [released 2000].

]]> Paul Gerstein, MD false No 1986 11 full At the End of Time At the End of Time https://pandemiczen.podbean.com/e/at-the-end-of-time/ https://pandemiczen.podbean.com/e/at-the-end-of-time/#comments Wed, 24 Apr 2024 13:46:07 -0400 pandemiczen.podbean.com/7d518554-6b2f-33c6-b0b1-e059a44000e1 Talk to Zen retreat group on how to approach the "end" of everything. We discuss koan #29 from the Hekigan Roku: "It will be gone with the other."

]]> Talk to Zen retreat group on how to approach the "end" of everything. We discuss koan #29 from the Hekigan Roku: "It will be gone with the other."

]]> Paul Gerstein, MD false No 1193 10 full An Invisible Shield An Invisible Shield https://pandemiczen.podbean.com/e/an-invisible-shield/ https://pandemiczen.podbean.com/e/an-invisible-shield/#comments Sun, 03 Mar 2024 09:45:08 -0500 pandemiczen.podbean.com/56b9a42e-a211-3627-8d34-eb9a0cd636e9 This is a Zen lecture (teisho) to a virtual retreat group. We start with a TV commercial from the 1950s and progress to the strange "preliminary koan" called, The Duck in the Bottle.

]]> This is a Zen lecture (teisho) to a virtual retreat group. We start with a TV commercial from the 1950s and progress to the strange "preliminary koan" called, The Duck in the Bottle.

]]> Paul Gerstein, MD false No 1388 9 full Zen lecture: ”Lotus Leaves” Zen lecture: ”Lotus Leaves” https://pandemiczen.podbean.com/e/zen-lecture-lotus-leaves/ https://pandemiczen.podbean.com/e/zen-lecture-lotus-leaves/#comments Mon, 11 Oct 2021 10:40:22 -0400 pandemiczen.podbean.com/de63a3d1-4c41-33a3-8df9-86c40edd8791 In this episode, Paul gives a teisho (Zen lecture) on a koan from The Blue Cliff Record (a Tang and Sung dynasty collection of 100 teaching stories).

Recorded by: Paul Gerstein, MD

Intro music: Dancing for the Answers by Nick Mulvey

Ending music: Kerosene Hat by Cracker

 

]]> In this episode, Paul gives a teisho (Zen lecture) on a koan from The Blue Cliff Record (a Tang and Sung dynasty collection of 100 teaching stories).

Recorded by: Paul Gerstein, MD

Intro music: Dancing for the Answers by Nick Mulvey

Ending music: Kerosene Hat by Cracker

 

]]> Paul Gerstein, MD false No 1984 8 full Hopeless and Fearless Hopeless and Fearless https://pandemiczen.podbean.com/e/hopeless-and-fearless/ https://pandemiczen.podbean.com/e/hopeless-and-fearless/#comments Sat, 08 Aug 2020 11:08:21 -0400 pandemiczen.podbean.com/2754042a-33c0-3f81-a475-cca90d1f68e2 In this episode, we discuss the rapidly worsening pandemic in the U.S. and the troubling opposition by many to proven mitigation efforts. We examine the famous statement by Milarepa, an 11th century Tibetan master: “Abandon hope and fear.” Finally, a teaching story from The Blue Cliff Record points to a way out of struggling against painful difficulties of everyday life.

Recorded by Paul Gerstein, MD

Intro music: Dancing for the Answers, Nick Mulvey

Ending music: Fearless, The Neville Brothers

]]> In this episode, we discuss the rapidly worsening pandemic in the U.S. and the troubling opposition by many to proven mitigation efforts. We examine the famous statement by Milarepa, an 11th century Tibetan master: “Abandon hope and fear.” Finally, a teaching story from The Blue Cliff Record points to a way out of struggling against painful difficulties of everyday life.

Recorded by Paul Gerstein, MD

Intro music: Dancing for the Answers, Nick Mulvey

Ending music: Fearless, The Neville Brothers

]]> In this episode, we discuss the rapidly worsening pandemic in the U.S. and the troubling opposition by many to proven mitigation efforts. We examine the famous statement by Milarepa, an 11th century Tibetan master: “Abandon hope and fear.” Finally, a teaching story from The Blue Cliff Record points to a way out of struggling against painful difficulties of everyday life. Paul Gerstein, MD false No 63720 1 7 full Observation vs Belief Observation vs Belief https://pandemiczen.podbean.com/e/observation-vs-belief/ https://pandemiczen.podbean.com/e/observation-vs-belief/#comments Wed, 15 Jul 2020 08:39:53 -0400 pandemiczen.podbean.com/7dadee10-ff66-5d2c-a859-3ce34da32155 In this episode, Paul starts with a brief bio of his training in both medicine and Zen followed by a deep dive into facts and fictions regarding COVID-19. The contrast between blind beliefs and careful observation highlights how the scientific method and mindfulness practice counters the false narratives of anti-science, political propaganda in the setting of an alarmingly worsening pandemic.

Recorded by: Paul Gerstein, MD Podcast channel creation and website design: James Kieffer – Kieffer Consulting, LLC Intro music: Dancing for the Answers, Nick Mulvey Ending music: Look At Miss Ohio, Gillian Welch

]]> In this episode, Paul starts with a brief bio of his training in both medicine and Zen followed by a deep dive into facts and fictions regarding COVID-19. The contrast between blind beliefs and careful observation highlights how the scientific method and mindfulness practice counters the false narratives of anti-science, political propaganda in the setting of an alarmingly worsening pandemic.

Recorded by: Paul Gerstein, MD

Podcast channel creation and website design: James Kieffer – Kieffer Consulting, LLC

Intro music: Dancing for the Answers, Nick Mulvey

Ending music: Look At Miss Ohio, Gillian Welch

]]> In this episode, Paul starts with a brief bio of his training in both medicine and Zen followed by a deep dive into facts and fictions regarding COVID-19. The contrast between blind beliefs and careful observation highlights how the scientific method and mindfulness practice counters the false narratives of anti-science, political propaganda in the setting of an alarmingly worsening pandemic. Paul Gerstein, MD Paul Gerstein, MD false No 1510 1 6 full Something's Happening Here Something's Happening Here https://pandemiczen.podbean.com/e/podcast-5-%e2%80%93-somethings-happening-here/ https://pandemiczen.podbean.com/e/podcast-5-%e2%80%93-somethings-happening-here/#comments Tue, 30 Jun 2020 11:27:25 -0400 pandemiczen.podbean.com/eb146195-4938-58fe-8842-9565b792a860 The release of a cellphone video of the killing of an African American jogger, followed by one of a Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd, leads to a world-wide explosion of outrage over racism and police brutality. Added to the trauma of the pandemic and its associated economic collapse, we connect the failure of president Donald Trump to inspire and lead Americans and the world to a higher moral ground against an array of unprecedented challenges. The role of mindfulness is further explored as a prime coping mechanism when the whole world seems to be falling apart. How ‘noticing’ is a stepping-back without withdrawing. Zen master Rinzai’s famous quote regarding the Dharmakaya (the ‘body’ of absolute Truth) gets a close look. We investigate developing the facility and appreciation of noticing that things, most fundamentally, appear (before any other meaning we might ascribe to them). Dharmakaya koans are presented and placed into context with today’s global crises. Paul Gerstein, MD Website:  pandemic-zen.com In print:  Form Is Emptiness: An Insider’s Guide to the Heart of Zen Buddhism, P. Gerstein, 2013,  www.levellerspress.com/?s=form+is+emptiness

Recorded by: Paul Gerstein

Channel and website design: James Kieffer – kiefferconsulting.com Intro music: Dancing for the Answers, Nick Mulvey Ending music: For What It’s Worth, Buffalo Springfield

]]> The release of a cellphone video of the killing of an African American jogger, followed by one of a Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd, leads to a world-wide explosion of outrage over racism and police brutality. Added to the trauma of the pandemic and its associated economic collapse, we connect the failure of president Donald Trump to inspire and lead Americans and the world to a higher moral ground against an array of unprecedented challenges. The role of mindfulness is further explored as a prime coping mechanism when the whole world seems to be falling apart. How ‘noticing’ is a stepping-back without withdrawing. Zen master Rinzai’s famous quote regarding the Dharmakaya (the ‘body’ of absolute Truth) gets a close look. We investigate developing the facility and appreciation of noticing that things, most fundamentally, appear (before any other meaning we might ascribe to them). Dharmakaya koans are presented and placed into context with today’s global crises.

Paul Gerstein, MD

Website:  pandemic-zen.com

In print:  Form Is Emptiness: An Insider’s Guide to the Heart of Zen Buddhism, P. Gerstein, 2013,  www.levellerspress.com/?s=form+is+emptiness

Recorded by: Paul Gerstein

Channel and website design: James Kieffer – kiefferconsulting.com

Intro music:
Dancing for the Answers, Nick Mulvey

Ending music:
For What It’s Worth, Buffalo Springfield

]]> The release of a cellphone video of the killing of an African American jogger, followed by one of a Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd, leads to a world-wide explosion of outrage over racism and police brutality. Pandemic Zen false No 1712 1 5 full Freeze Frame Freeze Frame https://pandemiczen.podbean.com/e/podcast-4-freeze-frame/ https://pandemiczen.podbean.com/e/podcast-4-freeze-frame/#comments Tue, 30 Jun 2020 11:22:02 -0400 pandemiczen.podbean.com/b0f41056-aed3-5ade-ad5b-da77a38b28f1 Paul discusses the ongoing pandemic and its effects on our psyches and everyday lives. Taking an even deeper dive into the “Stopping…” koan, Paul associates insights from quantum physics’ theories of time and reality with the Zen approach of directly experiencing the elements of one’s actual life with openness, attentiveness and the letting go of story-making. 

 

Credits:

 

Recorded by: Paul Gerstein, MD

 

Podcast channel creation and website design: James Kieffer – kiefferconsulting.com

 

Intro music: Dancing for the Answers, Nick Mulvey

 

Ending music: Time Has Come Today, The Chamber Brothers

]]> Paul discusses the ongoing pandemic and its effects on our psyches and everyday lives. Taking an even deeper dive into the “Stopping…” koan, Paul associates insights from quantum physics’ theories of time and reality with the Zen approach of directly experiencing the elements of one’s actual life with openness, attentiveness and the letting go of story-making. 

 

Credits:

 

Recorded by:
Paul Gerstein, MD

 

Podcast channel creation and website design:
James Kieffer – kiefferconsulting.com

 

Intro music:
Dancing for the Answers, Nick Mulvey

 

Ending music:
Time Has Come Today, The Chamber Brothers

]]> Paul discusses the ongoing pandemic and its effects on our psyches and everyday lives. Pandemic Zen false No 1303 1 4 full Jumping on the Horse Thief’s Horse Jumping on the Horse Thief’s Horse https://pandemiczen.podbean.com/e/podcast-3-%e2%80%93-jumping-on-the-horse-thief-s-horse/ https://pandemiczen.podbean.com/e/podcast-3-%e2%80%93-jumping-on-the-horse-thief-s-horse/#comments Mon, 29 Jun 2020 18:35:13 -0400 pandemiczen.podbean.com/ff887462-e280-58a2-a472-1a8a8a8ac44b Podcast channel is given the name, “Pandemic Zen” and the general theme of using mindfulness to deal with real-life adversity. Paul explains the Zen phrase, “Jumping on the back of the horse thief’s horse” to describe methods of intentionally turning the concept of meaning to one’s advantage in exploring an underlying truth.

 

Credits:

 

Recorded by: Paul Gerstein, MD

 

Podcast channel creation and website design: James Kieffer – kiefferconsulting.com

 

Intro music: Dancing for the Answers, Nick Mulvey

 

Ending music: Riders On The Storm, The Doors

]]> Podcast channel is given the name, “Pandemic Zen” and the general theme of using mindfulness to deal with real-life adversity. Paul explains the Zen phrase, “Jumping on the back of the horse thief’s horse” to describe methods of intentionally turning the concept of meaning to one’s advantage in exploring an underlying truth.

 

Credits:

 

Recorded by:
Paul Gerstein, MD

 

Podcast channel creation and website design:
James Kieffer – kiefferconsulting.com

 

Intro music:
Dancing for the Answers, Nick Mulvey

 

Ending music:
Riders On The Storm, The Doors

]]> Podcast channel is given the name, “Pandemic Zen” and the general theme of using mindfulness to deal with real-life adversity. Pandemic Zen false No 1084 1 3 full That I Am That I Am https://pandemiczen.podbean.com/e/podcast-2-that-i-am/ https://pandemiczen.podbean.com/e/podcast-2-that-i-am/#comments Mon, 29 Jun 2020 18:11:24 -0400 pandemiczen.podbean.com/f8aa747d-b114-5076-8dff-67f17719e70a Going further into “Stopping” and the reliance on intellectual meaning vs. the “meaning” of the sheer experience of sensory actuality. Paul discusses the insight of “What it means is that it is (and nothing more).” We look into the non-interference of naming with directly-experiencing. Awakening and enlightenment are explored in a fresh way. “Awakening is waking up the fact that things appear.” 

 

Credits:

Recorded by: Paul Gerstein, MD

Podcast channel creation and website design: James Kieffer – kiefferconsulting.com

Intro music: Dancing for the Answers, Nick Mulvey

 

Ending music: The Lantern, The Rolling Stones

]]> Going further into “Stopping” and the reliance on intellectual meaning vs. the “meaning” of the sheer experience of sensory actuality. Paul discusses the insight of “What it means is that it is (and nothing more).” We look into the non-interference of naming with directly-experiencing. Awakening and enlightenment are explored in a fresh way. “Awakening is waking up the fact that things appear.” 

 

Credits:

Recorded by:
Paul Gerstein, MD

Podcast channel creation and website design:
James Kieffer – kiefferconsulting.com


Intro music:
Dancing for the Answers, Nick Mulvey

 

Ending music:
The Lantern, The Rolling Stones

]]> Going further into “Stopping” and the reliance on intellectual meaning vs. the “meaning” of the sheer experience of sensory actuality. Pandemic Zen false No 1608 1 2 full Pandemic Zen Pandemic Zen https://pandemiczen.podbean.com/e/pandemic-zen-1593465209/ https://pandemiczen.podbean.com/e/pandemic-zen-1593465209/#comments Mon, 29 Jun 2020 17:13:29 -0400 pandemiczen.podbean.com/0a4369c2-403e-5b9a-a9fe-7b51e3ba126b In this first episode, Paul discusses the implications of the global COVID-19 pandemic and how attending to one’s sensations can be a doorway to a fresh relationship with the challenges of everyday life. Using the koan, “Stop the sound of the distant temple bell”, we explore a method of looking both through and behind the world of form to contact the ‘Source’ of reality.

 

Credits:

 

Recorded by: Paul Gerstein, MD

 

Podcast channel creation and website design: James Kieffer – kiefferconsulting.com

 

Intro music: Dancing for the Answers, Nick Mulvey

 

Ending music: Who’ll Stop The Rain, Creedence Clearwater Revival

]]> In this first episode, Paul discusses the implications of the global COVID-19 pandemic and how attending to one’s sensations can be a doorway to a fresh relationship with the challenges of everyday life. Using the koan, “Stop the sound of the distant temple bell”, we explore a method of looking both through and behind the world of form to contact the ‘Source’ of reality.

 

Credits:

 

Recorded by:
Paul Gerstein, MD

 

Podcast channel creation and website design:
James Kieffer – kiefferconsulting.com

 

Intro music:
Dancing for the Answers, Nick Mulvey

 

Ending music:
Who’ll Stop The Rain, Creedence Clearwater Revival

]]> In this first episode, Paul discusses the implications of the global COVID-19 pandemic and how attending to one’s sensations can be a doorway to a fresh relationship with the challenges of everyday life. Pandemic Zen false No 1986 1 1 full