Heart of Compassion Zen Sangha

Heart of Compassion Zen Sangha

By: Ando Jaune Evans

Language: en-us

Categories: Religion, Spirituality, Buddhism

The Heart of Compassion Zen Sangha is a member-community of Everyday Zen and Branching Streams, West Marin, CA. Donations: westmarincommunityservices.org/donate. Please scroll down to "Where can we designate your gift?" and indicate HOC sangha. 

Episodes

HOC - December 12, 2025 - "Practicing Patience With All Beings" - Wendy Johnson
Dec 14, 2025

Source book: 'The World Could Be Otherwise' by Norman Fischer

Duration: 00:37:03
HOC - December 5, 2025 - "Buddha's Day of Awakening 2025" - Jaune Evans
Dec 07, 2025

Duration: 00:12:49
HOC - November 21, 2025 - "Beyond Ethical Conduct" - Jaune Evans
Nov 26, 2025

Source book: 'The World Could Be Otherwise' by Norman Fischer

Duration: 00:14:34
HOC - November 14, 2025 - "Ethical Conduct and Peacekeeping" - Wendy Johnson
Nov 15, 2025

Source book: 'The World Could Be Otherwise' by Norman Fischer

Duration: 00:27:56
HOC - November 7, 2025 - "The Perfection of Ethical Conduct" - Jaune Evans
Nov 09, 2025

Source book: 'The World Could Be Otherwise'  by Norman Fischer

Duration: 00:17:53
HOC - October 31, 2025 - "The Skillful Means of Generosity" - Wendy Johnson, Jaune Evans
Nov 01, 2025

Source book: 'The World Could Be Otherwise' by Norman Fischer

Please note that around the 6 minute mark and again at the 23 minute mark there are interruptions in the recording. Yet, nothing is really lost. Apologies for the loss of flow.

Duration: 00:40:30
HOC - October 24, 2025 - "Generosity Sets Things in Motion" - Barbara Bernier and Irene Borger
Oct 25, 2025

Source book: 'The World Could Be Otherwise' by Norman Fischer

Duration: 00:43:49
HOC - October 17, 2025 - "The Perfection of Generosity" - Jaune Evans, Wendy Johnson, and Sangha
Oct 20, 2025

Source book: 'The World Could Be Otherwise'  by Norman Fischer

Duration: 00:28:47
HOC - October 10, 2025 -"Sending and Receiving Imagination" - special guest: Norman Fischer
Oct 12, 2025

Sangha is reading: 'The World Could Be Otherwise'  by Norman Fischer

Note: the recording has a glitchy patch from minute 7:46 through to 9:12  and at 9:05 it is silent until 9:12. (The recorders internet connection was unstable.)

During the glitchy time, Norman is speaking about the philosopher John Sallis and refers to Sallis' book: Force of Imagination: The Sense of the Elemental   (Studies in Continental Thought)

Duration: 00:53:23
HOC - October 3, 2025 - "Finding Your Standing Stone" - Wendy Johnson, Harmony Grisman
Oct 06, 2025

Duration: 00:30:46
HOC - September 26, 2025 - "A Pocket Book of Paramitas" - Jaune Evans and Sangha
Sep 28, 2025

Source book: The World Could Be Otherwise by Norman Fischer

Duration: 00:38:34
HOC - September 19, 2025 - "Seeing With Dark-Adjusted Eyes" - Wendy Johnson
Sep 20, 2025

Source book: The World Could Be Otherwise by Norman Fischer

Duration: 00:35:22
HOC - September 12, 2025 - "Imagination is a Key Site of Spiritual Practice" - Jaune Evans
Sep 14, 2025

Duration: 00:40:48
HOC - September 5, 2025 - "Our Heart of Compassion Circle of Belongingness" - Jaune Evans and Sangha
Sep 08, 2025

Please note that at the 40:15 min mark there was a mysterious interruption and the beginning portion of Larry's share is not in this recording.

Duration: 01:21:44
HOC - August 28, 2025 - Green Gulch Retreat - "Into the Tangle; Gardening at the Dragon's Gate" - Wendy Johnson and Sangha
Sep 04, 2025

Duration: 01:05:23
HOC - August 29, 2025 - Green Gulch Retreat - "Soil Kinship" Jaune Evans and Sangha
Sep 04, 2025

Duration: 00:43:38
HOC - August 22, 2025 - "Ryokan's Path to Freedom" Part 2 - Jaune Evans and Wendy Johnson
Aug 24, 2025

Duration: 00:51:32
HOC - August 15, 2025 - "Ryokan's Path to Freedom" Part 1 - Jaune Evans
Aug 16, 2025

Duration: 00:31:49
HOC - June 20, 2025 - "Sangha Reflections On the 14 Tiep Hein Precepts" - Jaune Evans, Wendy Johnson, and Sangha
Jun 22, 2025

Source: Thich Nhat Hanh, Tiep Hein Precepts, 1966

Duration: 00:55:41
HOC - June 13, 2025 -"Precept 14: 'Stepping Off Into the Unknown, Being Wonderfully Together'" - Jaune Evans
Jun 14, 2025

Source: Thich Nhat Hanh, Tiep Hein Precepts, 1966

Precept 14: Do not mistreat your body. Learn to handle it with respect, preserve vital energies (sexual, breath, spirit) for the realization of the Way. Be fully aware of the responsibility of bringing new lives into the world. Meditate on the world into which you are bringing new beings.

Duration: 00:42:08
HOC - June 6, 2025 - "Precept 13: 'Possess Nothing That Should Belong to Others'"- Wendy Johnson, Marty Frankel, and Sangha
Jun 09, 2025

Source: Thich Nhat Hanh, Tiep Hein Precepts, 1966

Precept 13: Possess nothing that should belong to others. Respect the property of others, but prevent others from profiting from human suffering or the suffering of other species on Earth.

Duration: 00:55:58
HOC - May 30, 2025 - "Precept 12: 'Do Not Kill'" - Jaune Evans, Nora Burnett
May 31, 2025

Source: Thich Nhat Hanh, Tiep Hein Precepts, 1966

12. Do not kill. Do not let others kill. Find whatever means possible to protect life and prevent war. 

Note: This recording begins with Jaune reading the 14 Precepts. It completes at the 12:50 mark.

Duration: 00:29:37
HOC - May 25, 2025 - "Precept 11: 'Do Not Live with a Vocation that is Harmful to Humans and Nature....'" - Jaune Evans, Jane Flint
May 24, 2025

Source: Thich Nhat Hanh, Tiep Hein Precepts, 1966

11. Do not live with a vocation that is harmful to humans and nature. Do not invest in companies that deprive others of their chance to live. Select a vocation that helps realize your ideal of compassion.

Duration: 00:19:50
HOC - May 16, 2025 - "Precept 10: 'Not Using Our Spiritual Community for Personal or Political Gain'" - Jaune Evans, Wendy Johnson
May 17, 2025

Source: Thich Nhat Hanh, Tiep Hein Precepts, 1966

10. Do not use the Buddhist community for personal gain or profit, or transform your community into a political party. A religious community, however, should take a clear stand against oppression and injustice and should strive to change the situation without engaging in partisan conflicts.

Duration: 00:37:15
HOC - May 9, 2025 - "Precept 9: '...Have Courage to Speak Out About Situations of Injustice...'" Ruth White and Jaune Evans
May 11, 2025

Source: Thich Nhat Hanh, Tiep Hein Precepts, 1966

9th Precept:

Do not say untruthful things for the sake of Personal interest or to impress people. Do not utter words that cause division and hatred. Do not spread news that you do not know to be certain. Do not criticize or condemn things of which you are not sure. Always speak truthfully and constructively. Have the courage to speak out about situations of injustice, even when doing so may threaten your own safety.

Duration: 00:26:21
HOC - May 2, 2025 - "Precept 8: 'Do not utter words that can create discord....'" Wendy Johnson and Patricia Starr
May 03, 2025

Source: Thich Nhat Hanh, Toep Hein Precepts, 1966

Recommended: 'Beginning a New' by Sister Chan Chong

Precept 8:

Do not utter words that can create discord and cause the community to break. Make every effort to reconcile and resolve all conflicts, however small.

Duration: 00:33:04
HOC - April 25, 2025 - "Precept 7: 'Do Not Lose Yourself In Dispersion....'" - Wendy Johnson and Barbara Bernier
Apr 26, 2025

Source: Thich Nhat Hanh, Tiep Hein Precepts, 1966

Precept 7:

Do not lose yourself in dispersion and in your surroundings. Practice mindful breathing to come back to what is happening in the present moment. Be in touch with what is wondrous, refreshing, and healing both inside and around you. Plant seeds of joy, peace, and understanding in yourself in order to facilitate the work of transformation in the depths of your consciousness.

Duration: 00:33:24
HOC - April 18, 2025 - "Precept 6: 'Do Not Maintain Anger or Hatred...'" - Jaune Evans, Irene Borger
Apr 20, 2025

Source: Thich Nhat Hanh, Tiep Hien Precepts, 1966

Included in the talk were a dozen or so slides depicting paintings and photos that show anger throughout time in various expressions.

Precept 6:

Do not maintain anger or hatred. Learn to penetrate and transform them when they are still seeds in your consciousness. As soon as they arise, turn your attention to your breath in order to see and understand the nature of your anger and hatred and the nature of the persons who have caused your anger and hatred.

Duration: 00:20:01
HOC - April 11, 2025 - "Precept 5: 'Do Not Accumulate Wealth...'" - Jaune Evans, Wendy Johnson, and Steve Costa
Apr 12, 2025

Source: Thich Nhat Hanh, Tiep Hien Precepts, 1966

5. Do not accumulate wealth while millions are hungry. Do not take as the aim of your life fame, profit, wealth, or sensual pleasure. Live simply and share time, energy, and material resources with those who are in need.

Duration: 00:19:38
HOC - April 4, 2025 - "Precept 4: 'Do Not Avoid Contact with Suffering'" - Wendy Johnson, Mary Christy-Cirillo
Apr 07, 2025

Source: Thich Nhat Hanh, Tiep Hien Precepts, 1966

4. Do not avoid contact with suffering or close your eyes before suffering. Do not lose awareness of the existence of suffering in the life of the world. Find ways to be with those who are suffering, including personal contact, images, and sound. By such means, awaken yourself and others to the reality of suffering in the world.

Duration: 00:35:35
HOC - March 28, 2025 - "Precept 3: 'Do Not Force Others to Adopt Your Views' " - Wendy Johnson, Patricia Starr
Mar 30, 2025

Source: Thich Nhat Hanh, Tiep Hien Precepts, 1966

3. Do not force others, including children, by any means whatsoever, to adopt your views, whether by authority, threat, money, propaganda, or even education. However, through compassionate dialogue, help others renounce fanaticism and narrowness.

Duration: 00:33:08
HOC - March 21, 2025 - "Precept 2: 'Practicing Non-attachment to Views'" - Jaune Evans, Wendy Johnson, Audrey Meinertzhagen
Mar 22, 2025

Source: Thich Nhat Hanh, Tiep Hien Precepts, 1966

2. Do not think the knowledge you presently possess is changeless, absolute truth. Avoid being narrow-minded and bound to present views. Learn and practice nonattachment from views in order to be open to receive others' viewpoints. Truth is found in life and not merely in conceptual knowledge. Be ready to learn throughout your entire life and to observe reality in yourself and in the world at all times.

Duration: 00:20:32
HOC - March 14, 2025 - "Tiep Hien Precepts: Precept 1 'Do Not Be Idolatrous' " - Wendy Johnson, Eden Clearbrook
Mar 16, 2025

Source: Thich Nhat Hanh, Tiep Hien Precepts, 1966

1. Do not be idolatrous about or bound to any doctrine, theory, or ideology, even Buddhist ones. Buddhist systems of thought are guiding means; they are not absolute truth.

Duration: 00:21:25
HOC - March 7, 2025 - "Welcoming the 14 Precepts of the Order of Interbeing" - Wendy Johnson
Mar 08, 2025

References: 

Interbeing by Thich Nhat HanhFor A Future To Be Possible by Thich Nhat Hanh


Duration: 00:41:56
HOC - February 28, 2025 - "Serving Others as a Bridge" - Jaune Evans
Mar 02, 2025

Reference: Zen Seeds by Shundo Aoyama

Duration: 00:31:00
HOC - February 21, 2025 - "The World of Mutual Sympathy" - Wendy Johnson
Feb 22, 2025

Book referenced: 'Zen Seeds" by Shundo Aoyama

Duration: 00:23:27
HOC - February 14, 2025 - "Finding Courage/Knowing When it's Time to Wait, Gather, Act" - Jane Flint
Feb 17, 2025

Book referenced: 'Zen Seeds', chapter: 'Plum Blossoms Open the Early Spring' by Shundo Aoyama

Duration: 00:18:13
HOC - February 7, 2025 - "Parental Mind" - Jaune Evans, Wendy Johnson, and Anlor Delvin
Feb 10, 2025

Book referenced: 'Zen Seeds' by Shundo Aoyama

Duration: 00:32:25
HOC - January 31, 2025 - "Looking for a Good Teacher" - Jane Flint and Jaune Evans
Feb 02, 2025

Book referenced: "Zen Seeds" Shundo Aoyama 

Duration: 00:15:03
HOC - January 24, 2025 - "Embracing the Wanted and the Unwanted" - Jaune Evans
Jan 27, 2025

Reading from 'Zen Seeds' by Shundo Aoyama

Duration: 00:28:10
HOC - January 17, 2025 - "An Eye-Opening" - Jaune Evans
Jan 18, 2025

The reading is from ' Zen Seeds' by Shundo Aoyama.

Duration: 00:29:16
HOC - January 10, 2025 - "The Blessing Way" - Jaune Evans
Jan 13, 2025

Duration: 00:28:20
HOC - December 20, 2024 - "Zen Seeds - Faces and Bodies Reveal Everything" - Jaune Evans, Wendy Johnson, and Sangha
Dec 24, 2024

Duration: 00:54:18
HOC - December 13, 2024 - "Zen Seeds" - Jaune Evans and Wendy Johnson
Dec 15, 2024

Duration: 00:31:12
HOC - December 7, 2024 - "Bodhi Day Celebration" - Jaune Evans and Wendy Johnson
Dec 08, 2024

Duration: 00:38:48
HOC - November 22, 2024 - "This Next Great Turning" - Jaune Evans, Wendy Johnson, and Sangha
Nov 28, 2024

Duration: 00:43:57
HOC - November 15, 2024 - "What Do We Really Care About?" Part 2 - Jaune Evans and Wendy Johnson
Nov 18, 2024

Please note, this recording does not include shared thoughts from the sangha members.

Duration: 00:07:10
HOC - November 8, 2024 - "What Do We Really Care About?" - Jaune Evans, Wendy Johnson, and Sangha
Nov 11, 2024

Duration: 01:00:29
HOC - November 8, 2024 - "What Do We Really Care About?" Jaune Evans, Wendy Johnson, and Sangha
Nov 10, 2024

Duration: 01:21:04
HOC - November 1, 2024 - "Stretching Your Well-Disciplined Strengths" - Wendy Johnson and Irene Borger
Nov 02, 2024

Duration: 01:03:07
HOC - October 25, 2024 - "Trees as Dharma Gates" - Wendy Johnson and Barbara Bernier
Oct 27, 2024

Duration: 01:05:28
HOC - October 18, 2024 - "Facing the Trauma of Our Times" - Wendy Johnson and Colin Farish
Oct 21, 2024

Duration: 00:35:40
HOC - October 11, 2024 - "Homage to Indigenous People's Day" - Jaune Evans and Wendy Johnson
Oct 17, 2024

Duration: 00:18:43
HOC - October 4, 2024 - "Engaged Wisdom, Action and Lovingkindness" - Jaune Evans and Wendy Johnson
Oct 04, 2024

Duration: 00:26:40
HOC - September 27, 2024 - "Gateway of Despair, 'World as Lover...' 3" - Jaune Evans, Wendy Johnson
Sep 30, 2024

Chapter 3 of 'World As Lover, World As Self'
Book references cited by Wendy : 'Walking with the Wind' by John Lewis and 'Just Mercy' by Brian Stevenson

Duration: 00:27:26
HOC - September 6, 2024 - "8th Anniversary Heart of Compassion Zen Sangha Musings" - Jaune Evans, Wendy Johnson, and Sangha
Sep 20, 2024

Duration: 00:54:51
HOC - September 20, 2024 - "Gratitude and Climate Change" - Jane Flint and Ruth White
Sep 20, 2024

Duration: 00:22:54
HOC - September 13, 2024 - "World as Lover, World as Self 1" - Jaune Evans and Wendy Johnson
Sep 18, 2024


References: 
Book: World as Lover, World as Self : Courage for Global Justice and Planetary Awakening  - Joanna Macy, Edited by Stephanie Kaza - 30th Anniversary Edition 

Bioneers clip on YouTube of Joanna Macy speaking: https://youtu.be/mrCPVtf0bWA?si=b_EZ_Cnn0I92w9rMF

Duration: 00:25:51
HOC - August 30, 2024 - "Love Letters to the Earth 4" - Jaune Evans, Wendy Johnson, and Sangha
Aug 30, 2024

Duration: 00:56:23
HOC - August 23, 2024 - "Love Letter to Earth 3" - Jaune Evans, Wendy Johnson, and Sangha
Aug 24, 2024

References

Primary study text: Love Letter to the Earth, Thich Nat HangArticle: The San Francisco Standard, August 22, 2024 -"Redwood forest with Sonoma County's most famous tree is now protected forever"Poets: Pattiann Rogers, Dorianne Laux, Khalil Gibran

Duration: 00:58:37
HOC - August 16, 2024 -"Love Letter to Earth 2" - Jaune Evans, Wendy Johnson, and Sangha
Aug 18, 2024

Continued study and explorations based on Thich Nhat Hanh's "Love Letter to the Earth".

Duration: 00:57:14
HOC - August 9, 2024 - "Love Letter to Earth 1"- Jaune Evans and Wendy Johnson
Aug 12, 2024

Duration: 00:19:36
HOC - June 28, 2024 - "Climate Repentance Ceremony" - Jaune Evans and Wendy Johnson
Jun 29, 2024

In acknowledgement of the wonder and love we have for our planet, the sangha gathered for a day-long retreat and began the day with this ceremony.

Duration: 00:43:08
HOC - June 21, 2024 - “We Wonder If…..” - Wendy Johnson and Jaune Evans
Jun 21, 2024

Duration: 00:27:03
HOC - June 14, 2024 - "It Takes As Long As It Takes" - Irene Borger
Jun 14, 2024

Duration: 00:31:54
HOC - June 7, 2024 - "Finding the meaning of enough" - Barbara Bernier
Jun 07, 2024

Duration: 00:32:46
HOC - May 31, 2024 - “Life is a daily training ground” - HOCZ Sangha
May 31, 2024

Duration: 00:32:40
HOC - May 24, 2024 - "Asking Kwan Yin For Help" - Jaune Evans
May 24, 2024

Duration: 00:17:14
HOC - May 17, 2024 - "Celebrating Spiritual Friendship" - Dan Gudgel
May 17, 2024

Duration: 00:32:46
HOC - May 10, 2024 - "Sangha Haiku Practice" - (Everyone)
May 10, 2024

Duration: 00:48:18
HOC - May 3, 2024 - "We Belong to This World" - Jaune Evans
May 06, 2024

Duration: 00:31:39
HOC - April 26, 2024 - "What can we do" - Ty Cashman
Apr 26, 2024

Duration: 00:32:59
HOC - April 19, 2024 - "Honoring Love and Impermanence"
Apr 19, 2024

Duration: 01:11:20
HOC - April 12, 2024 - "What is the Self" - Colin Farish
Apr 12, 2024

Duration: 00:23:00
HOC - April 5, 2024 - "Seeing a Solitary Brightness" - Wendy Johnson
Apr 05, 2024

Duration: 00:18:12
HOC - March 22, 2024 - "Randomly Wandering With Relatives" - Jaune Evans
Mar 22, 2024

Duration: 00:27:46
HOC - March 15, 2024 - "Rematriating Our Practice Lands" - Wendy Johnson
Mar 15, 2024

Duration: 00:31:34
HOC - March 8, 2024 - "Heart of Compassion Praction" - Jaune Evans
Mar 11, 2024

Duration: 00:29:24
HOC - March 1, 2024 - “Facing Into The Fire” - Wendy Johnson and Jaune Evans
Mar 01, 2024

Duration: 00:39:39
HOC - February 23, 2024 - “Everything We Do, Contemplate, Say and Offer Matters In The World” - HOCZ Sangha
Feb 23, 2024

Duration: 00:15:04
HOC - February 16, 2024 - "No 84th Problem" - Jaune Evans
Feb 16, 2024

Duration: 00:32:14
HOC - February 9, 2024 - "Practicing the Four Noble Truths" - Wendy Johnson
Feb 09, 2024

Duration: 00:35:34
HOC - February 2, 2024 - "Right Effort" - Jane Flint
Feb 02, 2024

Duration: 00:26:56
HOC - January 26, 2024 - Steve Gross on "Right Action" & Christopher Dumbleton on "Right Mindfulness"
Jan 26, 2024

Duration: 00:37:36
HOC - January 19, 2024 - “Right Livelihood” - Christopher Dumbleton
Jan 19, 2024

Duration: 00:19:00
HOC - January 12, 2024 - Reflections on The Noble Eightfold Path - “Right Thought” by Steve Gross “Right Speech” by Jane Flint
Jan 12, 2024

Duration: 00:35:54
HOC - January 5, 2023 - “Right Understanding: Opening The Dharma Gate of The Noble Eightfold Path.” - Steve Gross, Christopher Dumbleton and Jane Flint
Jan 05, 2024

Duration: 00:43:57
HOC - December 15, 2023 - "Reflections on 2023 and Dreams for 2024" - Jaune Evans & Wendy Johnson
Dec 15, 2023

Duration: 00:35:30
HOC - December 8, 2023 - "Buddha's Awakening 2023" - Jaune Evans
Dec 08, 2023

Duration: 00:29:06
HOC - December 8, 2023 - "Breaking Through" - Wendy Johnson
Dec 08, 2023

Duration: 00:24:52
HOC - December 1, 2023 - Kinship of Mycelium" Audrey Meinertzhagen
Dec 02, 2023

Duration: 00:33:09
HOC - November 17, 2023 - "We Gather Together Through Space and Time" - Jaune Evans
Nov 17, 2023

Duration: 00:24:22
HOC - October 27, 2023 - “Intimacy Is” - Ty Cashman
Oct 27, 2023

Duration: 00:25:13
HOC - October 20, 2023 - "Strengthening the Warp Threads of Our Practice" - Wendy Johnson
Oct 20, 2023

Duration: 00:45:52
HOC - October 13, 2023 - "Facing Stone Cold Beauty' - Wendy Johnson
Oct 13, 2023

Duration: 00:52:38
October 6, 2023 - “We Are Kinship, Kinship Is Us” - Heart of Compassion Sangha Kin
Oct 06, 2023

Duration: 00:43:43
HOC - September 29, 2023 - "Continuous Practice of Equanimity" - Geoff O’Keeffe, Zen Peacemakers Order
Sep 29, 2023

Duration: 00:41:56
HOC - September 23, 2023 - "Togetherness Dharma Practice" - Ruth White
Sep 22, 2023

Duration: 00:34:35
HOC - September 15, 2023 -"A Celebration of Wild Kinship" - Jaune Evans & Wendy Johnson
Sep 15, 2023

Duration: 00:21:51
HOC - September 8, 2023 - "Togetherness" - Jaune Evans & Wendy Johnson
Sep 08, 2023

Duration: 00:20:37