A conversation from ancient China opens up for us a question about the relationship between the world in our mind that grapples with global issues and the world of our hands that do small useful tasks. Do we ignore the small when thinking big and ignore the big when doing small?’ Can we find a way to bring the two together in our lives?

Rev. O’Connor was ordained as a priest in the Soto Zen tradition of Buddhism in 1994 and received dharma transmission from Tozen Akiyama in 1999, after training extensively in both Japan and the US. She is currently Priest Emerita at the Milwaukee Zen Center. Rev. O’Connor spent 17 years leading Buddhist programs within the state prison system and continues to work with inmates in correspondence seminars as well as being active in interfaith activities. She has two sons, four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.