Investigations “What is this?” my first meditation teacher asked me almost twenty years ago as she held out a small brass bell in her hand. “What is this?” This was my first introduction to the koan... a Zen teaching question that is asked in everyday language, but must be answered with a deeper truth. After reflecting, I reached out, took the bell and gave it a quick ring. We both sat wordlessly for a few moments, listening to the sound resonate and then fade away. This style of Zen didn’t become the mainstay of my budding Buddhist practice, but my encounter with the koan made an impression that has stayed with me.... July 13, 2009By Deborah Ratner Helzer teachings