Norman Fischer reflects on the importance of practice in the context of everyday life. He encourages us to embrace the ordinary, explaining how the most profound teachings often come through simple, daily experiences. By bringing our attention to the present moment, we open ourselves to understanding life more deeply. Norman emphasizes that practice isn’t about achieving some future state but about being fully engaged with what is happening now.

He highlights the importance of:

• Patience: Practicing patience with ourselves and others is a key element of the path.
• Trust in the process: Even when things seem unclear, we must trust that our efforts will bear fruit over time.
• Letting go of expectations: Releasing our attachment to outcomes helps us stay grounded in the present.
• Community (Sangha): Norman highlights the support we find in practicing with others and how it strengthens our resolve.

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Zoketsu Norman Fischer is an American poet, writer, and Soto Zen priest, teaching and practicing in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki. He is a Dharma heir of Sojun Mel Weitsman, from whom he received Dharma transmission in 1988.

Norman served as co-abbot of the San Francisco Zen Center from 1995–2000, after which he founded the Everyday Zen Foundation in 2000, a network of Buddhist practice group and related projects in Canada, the United States and Mexico.

He has published more than twenty-five books of poetry and non-fiction, as well as numerous poems, essays and articles in Buddhist magazines and poetry journals.