11. On Surrender, Generosity, and How to be of Service (#81)

Claude AnShin Thomas - Zen Buddhist monk, combat veteran, and author - responds to questions in an inspiring manner based on his Zen practice and life experiences. He reminds the listener how to stay awake to life and understand more deeply the traps of a deluded mind. This episode was recorded during a weekly online meeting of questions & responses. For more information: https://www.zaltho.org If you want to ask Claude AnShin Thomas a question, please feel free to write to [email protected]. Book recommendations:https://www.zaltho.org/books/ To support, donate. If you are interested in a specific question, this is the list of questions that Claude AnShin responded to and the time stamps for those questions so that you can go directly to the topic that is of most interest to you. Questions and Time Stamps: 1:20 — What does it mean to be of maximum service, and how do you avoid exhaustion? 5:04 — At what point does something become political? 6:32 — In reference to Question 1, do you have few or many "no's" in your head? 12:12 — How much time would you invest in a flat you will only be in for two years? 16:30 — Is it difficult for you to rely on others' generosity? 23:11 — How does surrendering manifest itself today? 27:25 — Were you disciplined in elementary school? 31:25 — If a person upsets me, what should I do? 34:05 — Have you ever confessed to a priest?

Claude AnShin Thomas - Zen Buddhist monk, combat veteran, and author - responds to questions in an inspiring manner based on his Zen practice and life experiences. He reminds the listener how to stay awake to life and understand more deeply the traps of a deluded mind. This episode was recorded during a weekly online meeting of questions & responses. For more information: https://www.zaltho.org If you want to ask Claude AnShin Thomas a question, please feel free to write to [email protected]. Book recommendations:https://www.zaltho.org/books/ To support, please donate. If you are interested in a specific question, this is the list of questions that Claude AnShin responded to and the time stamps for those questions so that you can go directly to the topic that is of most interest to you. Questions and Time Stamps: 02:50  How do you know if you are in self-pity or just feeling bad? 07:47  How do you respond to someone who is crying but it seems out of context? 10:40  How does one take responsibility for one's own privileges? 21:55  When you first came to Buddhist practice, did you have a goal? 23:20  I experience great resistance. Why is this? 27:15  What are privileges for you? 34:27  What do you think when hearing the term "white privilege"?  37:00  What do you think is the root cause of defensiveness? 38:36  How does your finger (injury) react to cold weather? 40:30  Do you follow the progress of the Buddhist "Walk for Peace" in the USA? 45:20 Is suffering mostly self-created?

Claude AnShin Thomas - Zen Buddhist monk, combat veteran, and author - responds to questions in an inspiring manner based on his Zen practice and life experiences. He reminds the listener how to stay awake to life and understand more deeply the traps of a deluded mind. This episode was recorded during a weekly online meeting of questions & responses. For more information: https://www.zaltho.org If you want to ask Claude AnShin Thomas a question, please feel free to write to [email protected]. Book recommendations: - AT HELL'S GATE - A Soldier's Journey from War to Peace (Shambhala Publications 2003, also as ebook and audiobook)  - Bringing Meditation to Life - 108 Teachings on the Path of Zen Practice (Oakwood Publishing 2021, also as ebook and audiobook) - On the Edges of Sleep: Poems of War and Memory (Oakwood Publishing 2024, also as ebook) - Applied Zen- A Short Guide to an Active Meditation Practice (Oakwood Publishing 2025, also as ebook)  https://www.zaltho.org/books/ To support, donate. If you are interested in a specific question, this is the list of questions that Claude AnShin responded to and the time stamps for those questions so that you can go directly to the topic that is of most interest to you. Questions and Time Stamps: 1:05 Do you believe it is important to live in solidarity with others? 2:50 Is it ever appropriate to break contact with a person? 6:05 In the Heart Sutra, it states that "Nirvana is already here." How is this true in the midst of war and violence? 9:20 What is the difference between compassion and enabling? 14:40 Do you ever find yourself at odds with people who are ideological? 17:35 Do you ever get stuck on an "idea" of a person? 27:45 If people commit unspeakable acts of violence, do you write them off? 29:30 Do we live in a bubble that we can break through with practice? 31:05 Do you think it's useful for German schools to prepare students for a shooting? 33:59 How can I create a connection with someone who has killed others? 39:12 Is it possible to be a police officer without a gun? 39:55 What is the value of life?

Claude AnShin Thomas - Zen Buddhist monk, combat veteran, and author - responds to questions in an inspiring manner based on his Zen practice and life experiences. He reminds the listener how to stay awake to life and understand more deeply the traps of a deluded mind. This episode was recorded during a weekly online meeting of questions & responses. For more information: https://www.zaltho.org If you want to ask Claude AnShin Thomas a question, please feel free to write to [email protected]. Book recommendations:  https://www.zaltho.org/books/ To support, donate. If you are interested in a specific question, this is the list of questions that Claude AnShin responded to and the time stamps for those questions so that you can go directly to the topic that is of most interest to you. Questions and Time Stamps: 2:15 – Do you take refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha? If so, how do you practice this? 5:59 – How is the current weather where you are? 7:40 – If you were speaking to a group of kindergartners, how would you explain the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha? 9:15 – What gives you hope? 13:07 – I am concerned about honoring someone who may not have wanted me to do the Ceremony for the Dead for them. What would you advise? 17:03 – Is there still space in the pet cemetery, and do you offer or recommend cremation? 18:32 – In cases of injustice, do you believe reparations are appropriate? 22:57 – Do you have any recommended readings? 26:50 – Do you think crises in families, partnerships, countries, or the world are necessary for growth or development? 35:40 – Do insights gained through meditation have lasting consequences? 37:28 – Could you speak about the precept of non-killing in relation to the euthanizing of animals?

Claude AnShin Thomas - Zen Buddhist monk, combat veteran, and author - responds to questions in an inspiring manner based on his Zen practice and life experiences. He reminds the listener how to stay awake to life and understand more deeply the traps of a deluded mind. This episode was recorded during a weekly online meeting of questions & responses. For more information: https://www.zaltho.org If you want to ask Claude AnShin Thomas a question, please feel free to write to [email protected]. Book recommendations:https://www.zaltho.org/books/ To support us, please donate. If you are interested in a specific question, this is the list of questions that Claude AnShin responded to and the time stamps for those questions so that you can go directly to the topic that is of most interest to you. Questions and Time Stamps: 1:06 – How have you dealt with someone who holds resentment toward you? 2:22 – If you discovered that someone you know had been convicted of sexual assault, would it change how you view them? 4:16 – How do you work with judgment? 5:30 – Could you speak about obsession? 10:50 – Since becoming a monk and maintaining sobriety over that time, how has your relationship to your military service changed? 15:50 – What do you do when you feel low energy or negativity? 19:10 – Does discomfort ever feel overwhelming to you? 23:04 – Why did you decide to leave the monastery after three years? 24:18 – How does your practice show up when you feel the urge to hide? 24:52 – Was it easy for you to leave the monastery? 25:40 – On the path of healing and transformation, who inspires you? 29:50 – Would you say that leaving the monastery was part of your path to awakening? 33:50 – When receiving information, can you say, "That is none of my business"? 34:45 – Do you mind when others find you inspirational? 38:15 – In your journey toward awakening, what has been the greatest challenge? 43:30 – How do you support people who don't want to wake up?

Claude AnShin Thomas - Zen Buddhist monk, combat veteran, and author - responds to questions in an inspiring manner based on his Zen practice and life experiences. He reminds the listener how to stay awake to life and understand more deeply the traps of a deluded mind. This episode was recorded during a weekly online meeting of questions & responses. For more information: https://www.zaltho.org If you want to ask Claude AnShin Thomas a question, please feel free to write to [email protected]. Book recommendations: - AT HELL'S GATE - A Soldier's Journey from War to Peace (Shambhala Publications 2003, also as ebook and audiobook)  - Bringing Meditation to Life - 108 Teachings on the Path of Zen Practice (Oakwood Publishing 2021, also as ebook and audiobook) - On the Edges of Sleep: Poems of War and Memory (Oakwood Publishing 2024, also as ebook) - Applied Zen- A Short Guide to an Active Meditation Practice (Oakwood Publishing 2025, also as ebook)  https://www.zaltho.org/books/ To support, donate. If you are interested in a specific question, this is the list of questions that Claude AnShin responded to and the time stamps for those questions so that you can go directly to the topic that is of most interest to you. Questions and Time Stamps: 01:20 — How do we practice sleeping meditation? 03:04 — Is there a point at which you would refuse to enjoy the art of an immoral artist? 06:50 — Will you watch the football playoffs? 09:19 — What does "dharma transition" mean to you? 11:00 — What does it mean to be human? 16:18 — Are you aware of any unhealthy behaviors you engage in? 17:45 — Because we are always thinking, is this why we need to wake up? 27:00 — What draws you to areas of war and conflict? 29:46 — Do you believe it is possible to overcome one's conditioning by spending time with others whose conditioning is different? 31:12 — Is being busy a way of avoiding presence? 32:56 — Is there a reason not to follow the breath in and out during sitting meditation? 36:53 — Is emptiness the same as impermanence? 38:35 — What facilitates awakening? 40:40 — If we educate children about uncertainty, how can we do so without creating fear?

Claude AnShin Thomas - Zen Buddhist monk, combat veteran, and author - responds to questions in an inspiring manner based on his Zen practice and life experiences. He reminds the listener how to stay awake to life and understand more deeply the traps of a deluded mind. This episode was recorded during a weekly online meeting of questions & responses. For more information: https://www.zaltho.org If you want to ask Claude AnShin Thomas a question, please feel free to write to [email protected]. Book recommendations:https://www.zaltho.org/books/ To support our efforts, please donate. If you are interested in a specific question, this is the list of questions that Claude AnShin responded to and the time stamps for those questions so that you can go directly to the topic that is of most interest to you. Questions and Time Stamps: 1:15 In what way is it important for you not to take yourself too seriously? 5:39 When I am deeply concentrated, I sometimes lose awareness of my body. How can I best work with this 8:28 Would you recommend preparing for war or a breakdown of infrastructure? If so, what would you suggest doing? 12:22 Have you ever researched near-death experiences 14:09 Would you share your perspective on parenting 18:22 I once heard from someone working in hospice that life is never more vibrant than in places where people are dying. What has been your experience? 20:40 Have you ever had a supernatural experience? 22:03 My previous question referred to your experience accompanying others while they were dying. Could you speak more about that? 25:43 What can I do with this feeling of pain in my chest when facing disease, decay, death, and ultimately saying goodbye? 30:48 How do you work with feelings of resentment and cultivate compassion for those who cause suffering and destruction on a large scale? 35:37 In the Heart Sutra it states, "no suffering, no cause, and no end to suffering." Does this contradict the Four Noble Truths? 40:42 In your experience, is it easier to live your commitments openly as you grow older than it was when you were younger?

Claude AnShin Thomas - Zen Buddhist monk, combat veteran, and author - responds to questions in an inspiring manner based on his Zen practice and life experiences. He reminds the listener how to stay awake to life and understand more deeply the traps of a deluded mind. This episode was recorded during a weekly online meeting of questions & responses. For more information: https://www.zaltho.org If you want to ask Claude AnShin Thomas a question, please feel free to write to [email protected]. Book recommendations: - AT HELL'S GATE - A Soldier's Journey from War to Peace (Shambhala Publications 2003, also as ebook and audiobook)  - Bringing Meditation to Life - 108 Teachings on the Path of Zen Practice (Oakwood Publishing 2021, also as ebook and audiobook) - On the Edges of Sleep: Poems of War and Memory (Oakwood Publishing 2024, also as ebook) - Applied Zen- A Short Guide to an Active Meditation Practice (Oakwood Publishing 2025, also as ebook)  https://www.zaltho.org/books/ To support, donate. If you are interested in a specific question, this is the list of questions that Claude AnShin responded to and the time stamps for those questions so that you can go directly to the topic that is of most interest to you. Questions and Time Stamps: 1:18 What impact has telling your war trauma story over and over had on you? 8:28 What has made the past days where you are currently staying feel powerful? 11:17 How do you ensure that you have access to the conditioning from your early childhood? 13:43 Do you find spiritual value in photos from the past? 18:11 Would you share what you mean by "skillful means"? 21:23 In that example of skillful means, how are you not being entirely truthful? 22:58 For KenShin: What has it been like to host a teenager at the Center? 26:24 I have a good friend who is Jewish and feels unsafe in Germany due to increased antisemitism. I sometimes feel selfish just sitting and observing my breath in response to my sense of helplessness. Are you familiar with these feelings, and how do you work with them? 31:48 When you give instructions on sitting meditation, do you follow a set sequence, or do you present the information differently each time? 34:51 When you are traveling, what does it mean to have a place to return to, such as the Magnolia Zen Center? Does it feel like home? 38:18 When you were in the Ukraine, did you sense anger, victimhood, or blame in the people you interacted with?

Claude AnShin Thomas - Zen Buddhist monk, combat veteran, and author - responds to questions in an inspiring manner based on his Zen practice and life experiences. He reminds the listener how to stay awake to life and understand more deeply the traps of a deluded mind. This episode was recorded during a weekly online meeting of questions & responses.  For more information: https://www.zaltho.org If you want to ask Claude AnShin Thomas a question, please feel free to write to [email protected]. Book recommendations: - AT HELL'S GATE - A Soldier's Journey from War to Peace (Shambhala Publications 2003, also as ebook and audiobook)  - Bringing Meditation to Life - 108 Teachings on the Path of Zen Practice (Oakwood Publishing 2021, also as ebook and audiobook) - On the Edges of Sleep: Poems of War and Memory (Oakwood Publishing 2024, also as ebook) - Applied Zen- A Short Guide to an Active Meditation Practice (Oakwood Publishing 2025, also as ebook)  https://www.zaltho.org/books/ To support, donate. If you are interested in a specific question, this is the list of questions that Claude AnShin responded to and the time stamps for those questions so that you can go directly to the topic that is of most interest to you. Questions and Time Stamps: 1:19 What positive qualities did you receive from your parents? 3:58 Do you ever play board games in a group setting? 5:28 How do you work with the more uncomfortable parts of yourself that you inherited from your father? 7:30 Do you also lead recitations during the Saturday online sitting meditation? 9:54 Living in my country feels demanding and challenging, especially as a sensitive person. Do you have any suggestions for working with this reality? 20:13 When your heart is broken, how do you work with that? 30:27 I was stung by a bee, and now the bee is suffering and will likely die. I don't know what to do—how would you respond in this situation? 32:48 Would you be willing to share about your time in Hamburg? 36:00 When you live your principles out loud, do others sometimes experience it as an attempt to convince them? 37:23 Where did the "not-nice person" you once referred to yourself as go? 39:48 Do you think aggressive and violent behavior is an issue related to the male gender?

Claude AnShin Thomas - Zen Buddhist monk, combat veteran, and author - responds to questions in an inspiring manner based on his Zen practice and life experiences. He reminds the listener how to stay awake to life and understand more deeply the traps of a deluded mind. This episode was recorded during a weekly online meeting of questions & responses. For more information: https://www.zaltho.org If you want to ask Claude AnShin Thomas a question, please feel free to write to [email protected]. Book recommendations: - AT HELL'S GATE - A Soldier's Journey from War to Peace (Shambhala Publications 2003, also as ebook and audiobook)  - Bringing Meditation to Life - 108 Teachings on the Path of Zen Practice (Oakwood Publishing 2021, also as ebook and audiobook) - On the Edges of Sleep: Poems of War and Memory (Oakwood Publishing 2024, also as ebook) - Applied Zen- A Short Guide to an Active Meditation Practice (Oakwood Publishing 2025, also as ebook)   https://www.zaltho.org/books/ To support, donate. If you are interested in a specific question, this is the list of questions that Claude AnShin responded to and the time stamps for those questions so that you can go directly to the topic that is of most interest to you. Questions and Time Stamps: 1:26 – In past instructions, you've said to "notice how thoughts and feelings come together to form perceptions." Why do you emphasize this less lately? 2:52 – I heard you suggest to someone that sitting practice may help with sports. Do you think it's beneficial to emphasize goals or results? 5:23 – Do you think the same applies to sitting practice? (continuation of 2:52) 5:57 – What helps you avoid overusing the idea of "taking it easy"? 8:46 – How can I stop being overly critical? 10:37 – How can I avoid being superficial? 15:26 – What are your thoughts on marriage? 18:58 – What is the background of breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth, and when—if at all—would you recommend transitioning from nose to mouth breathing? 21:40 – Is there a reason meditation groups tend to be made up mostly of older people? 24:01 – Are your sitting instructions the same for a child as for an adult? 28:07 – How can I repair the hurt I have caused someone? 29:58 – How has your transition back to the U.S. been after your trip to Europe? 35:40 – How is your unexplained desire to go to the grocery store similar to a heroin addiction? 38:06 – How do you decide whether to buy something more expensive that may last longer versus a cheaper option?