Zen practice can be challenging. It can take many years of letting go of ideas and attachments, overcoming obstacles and self-doubt, and opening our hearts over and over again to realize our true nature. And yet, it is also always available, right here, right now, regardless of circumstances. In this talk, Eon Zen Practice Leader Sam Sokyo draws parallels between themes of faith, perseverance, and freedom in the film “The Shawshank Redemption” and Zen Buddhist practice. Having faith in our Buddha Nature - the understanding that we are already free, even if we haven’t fully realized it yet - helps us to keep going on the Bodhisattva path of wisdom and compassion for the benefit of all beings.