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The journey of slow development is the way of transformation. Quoting Dögen, "It leads everywhere." From duty to freedom, the yamas to samadhi. Eight rungs, like the steps of a ladder; eight limbs, like the branches of a tree: This is raja yoga--the royal path.

There is no difference between cooking and the Buddha's way, says Jeong Kwan, a Zen Korean monk, a nun who is not a chef but prepares her temple meals like one. Her journey of freedom is contagious. Even better, she says it is available to all. Her story is a balm for the seeker's soul. It includes heartache and loss, human labor and boundless creativity. I learn that trust in the universe does not require certainty but presence. Curiosity and a playful awareness are essential to taking ownership of the phenomenal world. Jeong Kwan says this is freedom.

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