Sep 2, 2026 · 16 min · 5 segments
When we sit in the early morning we sit with all of the ancestors in our tradition, reaching all the way back to Shakyamuni Buddha himself. This talk was given at the conclusion of 108 days of…
Kynan SutherlandHost
And to sit in an ancient way over these 108 days is to begin to lose count of days.
when we're truly sitting and truly present to each other, there is only this moment, this one breath moment, that we are blessed to be, blessed to realise, blessed to make clear for each other, And I love that we mark this continuity of time with this humble-seeming number 108.
What does 108 mean, people often ask me? What does it represent? What is its significance? How can I wrap my fingers or even my mind around it? Well, luckily you can't.
Because when we reflect on our lives, is it dictated by number? Did it take us 108 days to be here? Or are we once again just simply here in this breath moment, completely here as this breath moment, not dependent on any kind of category, not reliant on any kind of name, shape or form, at least any name, shape or form that has some kind of enduring presence.
We can't say where this practice begins or ends, just like you can't say where a life begins or ends.
Does life begin at birth? Did it begin with our parents? Did it begin with their parents? Did it begin with the first amoebas in the ocean? Did it begin with the first split cell? Did it begin with the Big Bang? Where did it begin? Can't say.
So what is this zazen? What is it that we are realizing in this moment? What is the great gift of an open, clear heart-mind? Well, this is of course what Shakyamuni Buddha set out to discover for himself.
And to sit in an ancient way over these 108 days is to begin to lose count of days.
when we're truly sitting and truly present to each other, there is only this moment, this one breath moment, that we are blessed to be, blessed to realise, blessed to make clear for each other, And I love that we mark this continuity of time with this humble-seeming number 108.
What does 108 mean, people often ask me? What does it represent? What is its significance? How can I wrap my fingers or even my mind around it? Well, luckily you can't.
Because when we reflect on our lives, is it dictated by number? Did it take us 108 days to be here? Or are we once again just simply here in this breath moment, completely here as this breath moment, not dependent on any kind of category, not reliant on any kind of name, shape or form, at least any name, shape or form that has some kind of enduring presence.
We can't say where this practice begins or ends, just like you can't say where a life begins or ends.
Does life begin at birth? Did it begin with our parents? Did it begin with their parents? Did it begin with the first amoebas in the ocean? Did it begin with the first split cell? Did it begin with the Big Bang? Where did it begin? Can't say.
So what is this zazen? What is it that we are realizing in this moment? What is the great gift of an open, clear heart-mind? Well, this is of course what Shakyamuni Buddha set out to discover for himself.
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