What is the greatest secret of all? A secret which cannot be told, cannot be expressed, nor hinted at. A secret that holds all keys to the human mystery. Religions have been calling it different names: Moksha, Nirvana, Kaivalya, Enlightenment or in layman terms complete and utter blissful freedom. Does the path towards this mystery lie in renunciation of the world and its pleasures? Do we need to travel to India or Tibet and sit under a tree or in a cave for these secrets to be revealed?

What does it mean to be a spiritual seeker, what does walking a spiritual path mean? what is the source of suffering? how do we overcome or transcend our desires?! -- We'll answer these questions by exploring the timeless illustrative drawings of Zen master Kakuan.

We're confronted with so many "spiritual" truths... intentions, attentions, invocations of mantras and mystical chants. How do we make sense of it all?! How do we relate these timeless truths to our own daily lives? Do I become a Yogi by going to a Yoga class? Am I a Zen monk if I meditate on my couch at home – or even chime on a gong?

In this session we will be exploring approaches and different teachings from the school of Zen. We'll be delving into mythical stories of the notorious methods of various Zen masters, explore Zen Koans as famous as the sound of a one handed clap, and even get to meditate in front of the wall. We will cover a recent Zen incident regarding a scholar, a Zen master and a bullfrog, and hopefully understand why a frog just won't do...

In this lecture we will be exploring the path of the mystics, their dilemmas, conflicts and moments of clarity. What does it mean to seek for truth? What does it mean to walk a spiritual path? Using the timeless illustrative Tomikichiro Tokuriki wood prints inspired by the original drawings of master Kakuan, we will go through the 10 steps on the path of a truth seeker. Drawing in, but not limited to, the timeless teachings of Zen, we shall try to expand our perspective on this exciting topic.