Not Really Separate At All

Not Really Separate At All

June 21, 2026 · 49 min

About this episode

Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi discusses the illusion of separation and how understanding our true nature can alleviate suffering.

Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi - ZMM - 6/21/26 - The sense of separation — from life, from happiness, from anything we feel apart from — lies at the root of what brings many of us to a spiritual path. The Buddha taught that suffering arises from the duality created by conceptual thinking. To truly end our troubles, and the troubles we create in the world, we must see into this directly. Shugen Sensei explores how we can deepen the practice of seeing the mind and experiencing our true nature. Through mindfulness, wisdom, and compassion, we can discover that we are not separate; we were never separate at all.

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Guest: Geoffrey Shugen Arnold

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Organizations: Zen Mountain Monastery

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