Norman reads his unedited poems from his trip to Japan in July 2010 with a number of Everyday Zen priests.

Norman speaks to the Poets House in New York "On the Lyric".

Fourth talk in a series on the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare.

Chris Fortin gives this third talk in a series on the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare.

Second talk in series on the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare.

First talk in series on the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare.

This is a discussion Norman has on Public Broadcasting Service local station KQED on their "Forum" series on his new book Sailing Home.

In this second discussion of Zen Mind/Beginner's Mind, Zoketsu discusses right attitude, appreciation of our practice and path, and our self-expression through practice. Also covered here are concepts of "not-knowing," Zen as compared to other traditions, making practice part of our lives and art, and conflict resolution and emotions.

Talk on Word Silence

Zoketsu discusses his own life story, poetry, being a priest, and the unknowable nature of our life.

"Trying to write about Buddhism is more difficult. It is something I mostly do not do. Mostly I wrote about immediate experience, and about writing, which is a kind of experience. People tell me that most of my writing sounds like it is about Buddhism, but I don’t really intend it to be that way."

"This is a difficult piece I wrote for "enough" a poetry journal published especially in protest of the bombing of Afghanistan. While its point is difficult, and maybe too extreme, I think it is an interesting piece and says some things that are important to me."

Norman explores the basic human need for expression. Through poetics, Dogen, Ginsberg, and Valery, he investigates what art is and the beauty of its instability.

I want to tell you about coming apart, wanting to die, and returning at last to myself, and about how my Buddhist practice both helped and hindered me in this zigzag journey.

Norman's eagerly awaited book about Homer's Odyssey and the metaphor of homecoming, from a Zen perspective. "Norman Fischer deftly incorporates Buddhist, Judaic, Christian, and popular thought, as well as his own unique and sympathetic understanding of life, in his reinterpretation of Odysseus's familiar wanderings as lessons that everyone can use. We see how to resist the seduction of the Sirens' song to stop sailing and give up; how to bide our time in a situation and wait for the right opportunity -- as Odysseus does when faced with the murderous, one-eyed Cyclops; and how to reassess our story and rediscover our purpose and identity if, like the Lotus-Eaters, we have forgotten the past."