Clear Mountain Monastery Project Deathless Zen: Sati, Satori, & the Koan of Cessation | Stephen Mugen Snyder, Roshi Q&A
Dec 4, 2025
Stephen Mugen Snyder, Roshi, is a Zen meditation teacher and founder of Awakening Dharma, with a rich background in multiple Buddhist traditions. He shares insights from his transformative Pau Auk retreat, detailing practical techniques for deepening jhāna and the essence of Cessation and Awakening. Mugen emphasizes the value of innate goodness, outlines the interplay of different meditation practices, and explores the relationship between Zen and Theravāda traditions, including the nuances of awakening qualities and the 'accordion effect' of personal growth.
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Two‑Month Pau Auk Retreat And Cessation
- Stephen Mugen Snyder, Roshi recounts a two-month Pau Auk retreat where he trained jhanas and briefly entered cessation.
- He reports being confident enough then to set a three-hour cessation resolve, which he no longer recommends.
Innate Goodness As A Prep Object
- Innate goodness can be used as a preliminary meditation object to create buoyancy and fill psychological deficits of worthlessness.
- Stephen Mugen Snyder, Roshi found it easy for students to maintain off-cushion and daily practice.
Begin Brahma Viharas With Acceptance
- Start brahmavihara practice with upekkha (acceptance) to lower resistance and ground perception.
- Repeat 'acceptance' internally to let energy drop and accurately perceive the present moment.
