No Strings Attached

In this heartfelt Wednesday Night Dharma Talk, Hoshi Chris Senko Perez weaves together his personal journey to Zen practice with reflections on the Prajnaparamita Sutra. Sharing the path that led him from a life of work addiction and alcoholism to finding a spiritual home at Upaya, Senko reveals how meditation practice created space for transformation even during his most challenging times. With remarkable honesty, he explores his experience of hitting bottom and the profound shift that occurred when he recognized his shared humanity with others in recovery. The talk culminates in a powerful question drawn from the wisdom of the Prajnaparamita: How do we want to live our lives? Senko invites us to consider whether we will continue fighting against the fluid, unfixed nature of reality, or release into it with grace and freedom. In his first public Dharma talk Senko offers both vulnerability and clarity as he shares how the perfection of wisdom manifests in everyday life.