The Zen Art Center

12/27/2025

Does life actually have meaning—or is everything already decided?

Questions like free will, determinism, and consciousness aren’t just philosophical.
They quietly shape how we live, how we suffer, and how free we feel.

This short talk explores why the conflict itself may be the real trap—and how clarity opens something much deeper.

🎥 Watch the full video →

Does life have inherent meaning, or is every action predetermined by the laws of physics? In this talk, we explore the "Hard Problem" of consciousness and wh...

12/25/2025

How can you tell if someone is enlightened?

And does it even matter?

A short reflection on compassion, karma, and why waiting for insight may not be the point.

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Is enlightenment a prerequisite for a meaningful life? In this follow-up session, we discuss why compassion should be your "default mode" regardless of your ...

12/24/2025

Sixteen years in a temple taught me this: Moving meditation is as vital as sitting. Engage fully, give full attention, stop the wandering mind—unite with every experience.

https://youtube.com/shorts/fKtpd-7hRzc

12/23/2025

Silence has a way of revealing what’s steady in us—and what’s not.
When we notice these patterns clearly, we can respond with wisdom instead of habit.

This holiday season, pay attention not only to compassion,
but also to what’s quietly arising within.

🎥 Watch the short here →
https://youtube.com/shorts/SPzjD3NzFT4

Silence reveals our inner stability and unsettlement. Awareness of these patterns helps us respond appropriately. Pay attention to both compassion and arisin...

12/22/2025

Martial arts is one form of moving meditation, but it could be anything. Art, walks, music, washing dishes, even conversation—anything demanding your full attention can become a meditative practice.

https://youtube.com/shorts/a4bEcEt1Gac

12/21/2025

As winter stills the world, air softens, sounds fade. Life slows, offering a chance to reflect. Want more mindful moments? Shed your thoughts, see your world anew.

As winter stills the world, air softens, sounds fade. Life slows, offering a chance to reflect. Shed thoughts, see your world anew. Want more mindful moments...

12/20/2025

As winter quiets the world, it reveals something subtle and important.
When the air stills and the noise settles, clarity appears on its own.

This talk explores how winter mirrors the mind—how stillness gathers potential, how clarity isn’t created but revealed, and why a true new beginning doesn’t belong to a date on the calendar.

If you’ve been feeling the pull to slow down, reflect, or begin again—this is for you.

🎥 Watch here:

As nature turns inward for winter, we are given a unique opportunity to see the nature of our own minds more clearly. In this Dharma talk, we explore how the...

12/19/2025

During the holidays, generosity blooms. We're driven to support loved ones and communities. This caring instinct mirrors nature itself—like the sun offering light and warmth. It's the Bodhisattva's path: easing suffering, revealing our true nature. Help others bloom!

https://youtube.com/shorts/RJn08euifQA

During the holidays, generosity blooms. We're driven to support loved ones and communities. This caring instinct mirrors nature itself—like the sun offering ...

12/17/2025

Dharma Talk 36 — Winter Mind: Light, Stillness, and Beginning Again
�12/19/25 at 7 PM ET (Livestream or In-Person)�

Winter shows us something essential about Zen: when the world becomes quiet, the mind becomes clear.�Join me for a guided meditation, mantra practice, and a teaching on winter, awareness, karma, and beginning again.�
🪷 All are welcome.

📍In-person: 86 Joy st. studio 5R, Somerville, MA�
🌐Live on The Zen Art Center YouTube Channel:

Dharma Talk 36 | Winter Mind: Zen, Stillness, Awareness & Beginning AgainJoin Zen Master Sebastian Rizzon for a winter-themed exploration of Zen, awareness, ...

12/04/2025

Thursday, 12/4/25 • 7 PM ET
Join us for a powerful Guided Koan Meditation designed to quiet the mind, clear inner noise, and bring you into direct experience.

We’ll begin with breathing practice and a crystal bowl sound meditation, followed by a sequence of Zen koans that help dissolve thought and open awareness.

Livestream on The Zen Art Center YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jffAPkAxiA

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or scattered—this practice is a beautiful way to reset.

Join Zen Master Sebastian Rizzon for a deeply immersive koan-based guided meditation designed to quiet the mind, dissolve boundaries of thought, and bring yo...

12/02/2025

This , we invite you to help keep the Mind Light Way shining. 🌕

Through your support, our community has offered over 118 hours of free classes and workshops, reaching more than 400 people in person and 3,000 worldwide—all sustained by volunteer teachers and the generosity of those who believe in compassion and awakening.

Your gift today supports our 2026 mission: to make Zen, meditation, and creative practice freely available to all, regardless of means. Together, we can continue to share clarity, compassion, and love in a world that needs it most.

🪷 Give today → mindlightway.org/take-action

11/20/2025

What does it really mean to be a Zen Master?

Tomorrow at 7 PM ET, we’ll explore:�
• What is Zen?
�• What is a master?�
• How do we master the mind?

Includes meditation, mantra practice, and a story from my own Zen training.
Livestream on The Zen Art Center YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y95PgY0iKh0

Dharma Talk 35 — The Path to MasteryZen Master Sebastian Rizzon guides you through the core of Zen training: understanding the nature of mind, the function o...