Only Don’t Know
Selected Teaching Letters of Zen Master Seung Sahn

By Zen Master Seung Sahn
Edited by Hyon Gak

You can find the book on shambhala.com/only-don-t-know-… - Here is the inimitable Zen Master Seung Sahn up close and personal—in selections from the correspondence that was one of his primary modes of teaching. Seung Sahn received hundreds of letters per month, each of which he answered personally, and some of the best of which are included here. His frank and funny style, familiar to readers of Dropping Ashes on the Buddha, is seen here in a most intimate form. The beloved Zen master not only answers questions on Zen teaching and practice, but applies an enlightened approach to problems with work, relationships, suffering, and the teacher-student relationship.

Here is the inimitable Zen Master Seung Sahn in action-in letters to students taken from the correspondence that is one of his primary modes of instruction. In his thirty years of teaching Zen in the West, he has responded by mail to literally thousands of students’ questions about Zen practice-and also about family, life, work, and relationships-applying wisdom, compassion, and his limitless energy to each interaction.

Whether illuminating koans, consoling the bereaved, or advising would-be monks, Zen Master Seung Sahn always offers advice that cuts through preconceived notions and offers the truth for each situation, uncomplicated and beautiful.

“Don’t worry-just try. Trying is better than a Zen Master, better than Buddha, better than God. It is already great love, great compassion, and the great bodhisattva way. …. anextraordinaryandordinarylife…

What is really happening to the sun?
By Alessandro Carosi
We have no idea what the sun is actually made of; we know that it illuminates the earth and nourishes the soil from which we obtain our food; for plants, the sun is food, a source of life. We have never had the chance to get close to this source of energy; the only information comes from scientists whom, now more than ever, we find hard to believe – scientists who do not tell us why the sun is now almost daily covered by trails left by mysterious aircraft, trails that remain stationary and slowly spread out, covering the sun and the rest of the sky. Why? The so-called scientists do not speak of it; the so-called politicians, who certainly do not have our lives at heart, do not speak of it.

For years now, in spiritual circles, people have been saying that we are in the Age of Aquarius and that the sun is emitting new frequencies that will elevate our souls. Perhaps this is true; I won’t deny it, but I won’t confirm it either, however, I cannot deny that since this rumour began to circulate, there has been a simultaneous increase – now out of all proportion – in the number of aircraft releasing contrails, also known as chemtrails. If you pay attention, you will notice that they are always released to obscure the sun, diminishing the intensity of the light, and not only that, the climate has been deliberately altered; these ‘false clouds’ act as a sort of frequency transmitter, capable of changing the weather. Who remembers whole weeks with a completely blue sky, without a single cloud? Who remembers a completely grey sky with weeks of uninterrupted rain? All of this happens only when these dark planes roam the sky releasing whatever only God knows. I don’t think it’s just about controlling the climate, but something more, something darker, something to do with our very own evolution. …. anextraordinaryandordinarylife…

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Liberty Investigates is an editorially independent team of journalists within the human rights organisation Liberty. It investigates human rights abuses in the UK and aims to uncover injustice, hold the powerful to account and empower others to defend and advance their rights. …. action.libertyhumanrights.org.…

Why don’t people in China drink the coffee they produce?
By Alessandro Carosi
I was travelling in China for a couple of weeks; I’d never been to this part of Asia before, but I was keen to learn a bit more about it and, whilst I was there, to explore its coffee scene. It’s still in its infancy, but interest in the drink is growing rapidly.

Tea culture is still very strong and tea remains the most widely consumed drink. In smaller towns or those less well-known internationally, finding a specialty coffee shop is a challenge, but in cities like Shanghai, there are coffee shops on every corner, including many high-end establishments where coffee is treated with great care. Coffee isn’t a drink to be grabbed and gone with, but something to be looked forward to with anticipation and joy, as if waiting for the woman you love on a first date. If not done properly, making coffee can take up to 20 minutes: the beans are selected, the best ones are chosen, and everything is prepared with care and attention to detail; every coffee granule must be the same size, and once it’s ready, it’s tasted; if it isn’t good, the whole process is started all over again. It was a pleasant surprise. … anextraordinaryandordinarylife…

What is really happening to the sun?
By Alessandro Carosi

We have no idea what the sun is actually made of; we know that it illuminates the earth and nourishes the soil from which we obtain our food; for plants, the sun is food, a source of life. We have never had the chance to get close to this source of energy; the only information comes from scientists whom, now more than ever, we find hard to believe – scientists who do not tell us why the sun is now almost daily covered by trails left by mysterious aircraft, trails that remain stationary and slowly spread out, covering the sun and the rest of the sky. Why? The so-called scientists do not speak of it; the so-called politicians, who certainly do not have our lives at heart, do not speak of it.

For years now, in spiritual circles, people have been saying that we are in the Age of Aquarius and that the sun is emitting new frequencies that will elevate our souls. Perhaps this is true; I won’t deny it, but I won’t confirm it either, however, I cannot deny that since this rumour began to circulate, there has been a simultaneous increase – now out of all proportion – in the number of aircraft releasing contrails, also known as chemtrails. If you pay attention, you will notice that they are always released to obscure the sun, diminishing the intensity of the light, and not only that, the climate has been deliberately altered; these ‘false clouds’ act as a sort of frequency transmitter, capable of changing the weather. Who remembers whole weeks with a completely blue sky, without a single cloud? Who remembers a completely grey sky with weeks of uninterrupted rain? All of this happens only when these dark planes roam the sky releasing whatever only God knows. I don’t think it’s just about controlling the climate, but something more, something darker, something to do with our very own evolution.

Something happened a month ago that has almost completely convinced me of this theory—which is probably not a theory at all. … anextraordinaryandordinarylife…

Che cosa sta realmente accadendo al sole?
Di Alessandro Carosi - Non abbiamo idea di cosa sia realmente fatto il sole, sappiamo che illumina la terra e nutre il terreno da dove ci procuriamo il cibo, per le piante il sole è cibo, fonte di vita. Non abbiamo mai avuto la possibilità di avvicinarci a questa fonte di energia, le uniche informazioni vengono da scienziati di cui ora più che mai si fa fatica a credere, scienziati che non ci raccontano perché il sole è ora quasi quotidiamente coperto da scie lasciate da oscuri aerei, scie che rimangono immobili e lentamente si allargano, coprendo il sole e il resto del cielo, perché? I cosiddetti scienziati non ne parlano, i cosiddetti politici, che sicuramente non hanno a cuore la nostra vita, non ne parlano.

Sono anni che nel mondo degli spiritualisti ci si racconta che siamo in un era, quella dell’acquario e che il sole sta emettendo nuove frequenze che andrà ad elevare la nostra Anima, può darsi, non lo nego, ma non lo confermo, però non posso negare che da quando è cominciata a circolare questa voce, allo stesso tempo sono aumentati … anextraordinaryandordinarylife…

Che cosa sta realmente accadendo al sole?
Di Alessandro Carosi

Non abbiamo idea di cosa sia realmente fatto il sole, sappiamo che illumina la terra e nutre il terreno da dove ci procuriamo il cibo, per le piante il sole è cibo, fonte di vita. Non abbiamo mai avuto la possibilità di avvicinarci a questa fonte di energia, le uniche informazioni vengono da scienziati di cui ora più che mai si fa fatica a credere, scienziati che non ci raccontano perché il sole è ora quasi quotidiamente coperto da scie lasciate da oscuri aerei, scie che rimangono immobili e lentamente si allargano, coprendo il sole e il resto del cielo, perché? I cosiddetti scienziati non ne parlano, i cosiddetti politici, che sicuramente non hanno a cuore la nostra vita, non ne parlano.

Sono anni che nel mondo degli spiritualisti ci si racconta che siamo in un era, quella dell’acquario e che il sole sta emettendo nuove frequenze che andrà ad elevare la nostra Anima, può darsi, non lo nego, ma non lo confermo, però non posso negare che da quando è cominciata a circolare questa voce, allo stesso tempo sono aumentati, e ora a dismisura, aerei che rilasciano scie, chiamate anche scie chimiche, se fate attenzione noterete che vengono rilasciate sempre e comunque a coprire il sole, diminuendo l’intensità della luce, e non solo, il clima è stato deliberatamente modificato, queste “false nuvole” si comportano come una specie di trasmettitore di frequenze, in grado di cambiare il tempo, chi si ricorda di settimane intere con un cielo completamente blu, senza una singola nuvola, chi si ricorda di un cielo completamente grigio con settimane ininterrotte di pioggia, tutto e solo quando questi oscuri aerei si aggirano nel cielo rilasciando quello che solo Dio lo sà. Non penso sia solo per controllare il clima, ma qualcosa di più, qualcosa di più oscuro, qualcosa che ha a che fare con la nostra propria evoluzione. …. anextraordinaryandordinarylife…

In this Newsletter:

Welcoming the renewing Spring Energy (in the Northern Hemisphere) - Letting go of the Old to birth the New

🐝🌼💗🙏🌷☀️💜🌹🌸💐😍

+

Exciting NEWS! .... drum roll 🥁 .... I have been learning and immersing myself in the world of FASCIA and am fusing this into my 1on1 and group sessions for more somatic release
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Hear the latest 1on1 testimonial incl. Fascia Maneuvers 👀⭐🕉️❤️

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Upcoming Online Retreat: Rebirth & Renewal with Meditation, Breathwork, Inner Child Connection, Fascia Release and more... on Easter Sunday 05.04.26
Are you in? 🤩

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Spring Special Offer on 1:1 Sessions - Limited Spaces - book yours and get the support you need to release, shift, heal and transform in 2026! 💞

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✨ We're literally in Upgrade Season -- and my "From Fear to Love" group coaching experience has received an upgrade too — reopening 14th April 2026
A deep, embodied 3-month weekly online group journey in a safe container
(Only 8 spaces · Early Bird Savings & Pay-in-full Bonus available)

In this Newsletter:

Welcoming the renewing Spring Energy (in the Northern Hemisphere) - Letting go of the Old to birth the New

🐝🌼💗🙏🌷☀️💜🌹🌸💐😍

+

Exciting NEWS! .... drum roll 🥁 .... I have been learning and immersing myself in the world of FASCIA and am fusing this into my 1on1 and group sessions for more somatic release
+

Hear the latest 1on1 testimonial incl. Fascia Maneuvers 👀⭐🕉️❤️

+

Upcoming Online Retreat: Rebirth & Renewal with Meditation, Breathwork, Inner Child Connection, Fascia Release and more... on Easter Sunday 05.04.26
Are you in? 🤩

+

Spring Special Offer on 1:1 Sessions - Limited Spaces - book yours and get the support you need to release, shift, heal and transform in 2026! 💞

+

✨ We're literally in Upgrade Season -- and my "From Fear to Love" group coaching experience has received an upgrade too — reopening 14th April 2026
A deep, embodied 3-month weekly online group journey in a safe container
(Only 8 spaces · Early Bird Savings & Pay-in-full Bonus available)
theholisticsolution.net/so/59P…

Fantasmi, dispacci dalla Cambogia
Di Tiziano Terzani

Con uno scritto di Angela Terzani Staude
‘Non erano due figure diverse, il Terzani giornalista, corrispondente di guerra, e quello forse oggi più conosciuto, dell’Himalaya, della sua meditazione, della ricerca spirituale. Il suo è stato un unico viaggio, partito nel ’72 proprio dalla Cambogia. ANGELA TERZANI STAUDE LA DENUNCIA DELLA MISERIA DI UNA GUERRA, IL DISINGANNO NEI CONFRONTI DELLE IDEOLOGIE TOTALITARIE IL CORAGGIO DI UN CAMMINO PERSONALE ‘Tiziano all’inizio sta visibilmente dalla parte dei khmer rossi, i guerriglieri comunisti che cercano di spodestare l’usurpatore sostenuto dagli Usa. Questi si avvicinano progressivamente alla capitale, che conquistano nella primavera del 1975. Terzani li vede come liberatori, capaci di riportare il Paese alla pace. Da lì comincia, invece, la stagione più terribile, l’autogenocidio imposto dalla dirigenza khmer, capeggiata da Pol Pot, laureato a Parigi, che per riportare la Cambogia alla sua originaria cultura programmò di eliminare fisicamente tutti coloro che dal modo di pensare occidentale fossero stati «inquinati». Un milione e mezzo, due milioni di morti su una popolazione di circa sette milioni. […] Spinto dalla curiosità e dal dubbio, e sempre disposto a rivedere le sue convinzioni, [Terzani] arrivò a capire del tutto cosa fosse successo e lo fece sapere ai lettori… anextraordinaryandordinarylife…

Why don’t people in China drink the coffee they produce?
By Alessandro Carosi - I was travelling in China for a couple of weeks; I’d never been to this part of Asia before, but I was keen to learn a bit more about it and, whilst I was there, to explore its coffee scene. It’s still in its infancy, but interest in the drink is growing rapidly.

Tea culture is still very strong and tea remains the most widely consumed drink. In smaller towns or those less well-known internationally, finding a specialty coffee shop is a challenge, but in cities like Shanghai, there are coffee shops on every corner, including many high-end establishments where coffee is treated with great care. Coffee isn’t a drink to be grabbed and gone with, but something to be looked forward to with anticipation and joy, as if waiting for the woman you love on a first date. If not done properly, making coffee can take up to 20 minutes: the beans are selected, the best ones are chosen, and everything is prepared with care and attention to detail; every coffee granule must be the same size, and once it’s ready, it’s tasted; if it isn’t good, the whole process is started all over again. It was a pleasant surprise.

One thing struck me as very odd, though: none of the coffee shops I visited – not even the one owned by the 2024 World Roasting Champion – uses Chinese coffee. It’s been over ten years now since the plantations in the Yunnan region have been producing beans of a certain quality; it’s becoming easier and easier to find them in London, but nowhere in China. Why is that? I asked around a bit and the answer was always the same: the Chinese don’t like the coffee they produce. But it sounds a bit like a lie to me. In London and Paris, I’ve bought several very good anaerobic coffees, even though I’ve had enough of fermented coffees that all taste the same. And that’s exactly what I found in specialty Chinese coffee shops: Ethiopian or Colombian coffees with experimental processing methods that have practically the same flavours … anextraordinaryandordinarylife…

Why don’t people in China drink the coffee they produce?
By Alessandro Carosi - I was travelling in China for a couple of weeks; I’d never been to this part of Asia before, but I was keen to learn a bit more about it and, whilst I was there, to explore its coffee scene. It’s still in its infancy, but interest in the drink is growing rapidly.

Tea culture is still very strong and tea remains the most widely consumed drink. In smaller towns or those less well-known internationally, finding a specialty coffee shop is a challenge, but in cities like Shanghai, there are coffee shops on every corner, including many high-end establishments where coffee is treated with great care. Coffee isn’t a drink to be grabbed and gone with, but something to be looked forward to with anticipation and joy, as if waiting for the woman you love on a first date. If not done properly, making coffee can take up to 20 minutes: the beans are selected, the best ones are chosen, and everything is prepared with care and attention to detail; every coffee granule must be the same size, and once it’s ready, it’s tasted; if it isn’t good, the whole process is started all over again. It was a pleasant surprise. … anextraordinaryandordinarylife…

Why don’t people in China drink the coffee they produce?
By Alessandro Carosi

I was travelling in China for a couple of weeks; I’d never been to this part of Asia before, but I was keen to learn a bit more about it and, whilst I was there, to explore its coffee scene. It’s still in its infancy, but interest in the drink is growing rapidly.

Tea culture is still very strong and tea remains the most widely consumed drink. In smaller towns or those less well-known internationally, finding a specialty coffee shop is a challenge, but in cities like Shanghai, there are coffee shops on every corner, including many high-end establishments where coffee is treated with kid gloves. Coffee isn’t a drink to be grabbed and gone with, but something to be looked forward to with anticipation and joy, as if waiting for the woman you love on a first date. If not done properly, making coffee can take up to 20 minutes: the beans are selected, the best ones are chosen, and everything is prepared with care and attention to detail; every coffee granule must be the same size, and once it’s ready, it’s tasted; if it isn’t good, the whole process is started all over again. It was a pleasant surprise. … anextraordinaryandordinarylife…