With palms together,
Good Morning Everyone,
If I say, as characters in "Star Wars" did, "...there is a disturbance in the Force," I believe I am saying that the balances between the good and the bad are tilted, things are askew, if you will. At first, when the film first came out and I was a young man, I saw this as very Zen-like. But that is a poor understanding. The Force can have no "disturbance": Buddha-nature is what is, completely empty of substance, yet pervasive. Our unenlightened characters go about, then, attempting to restore balance to the Force. Much like proselytisers of any faith tradition, they go forth to straighten out those who are bent.
Yet, in the Judeo-Christian tradition, God (the Infinite) is quoted as saying, "I am the Lord and there is none else, I form light and create darkness, I make weal and create woe..." (Is. 45:6-7). The enlightened bodhisattva, Isaiah, is pointing out a foundational truth of the Universe: it contains everything. Hmmm, buddha-nature pervades everything, is everything, and this includes the dark side as well as the light side much like the Dao.
This is foundational, but really unimportant. Buddha-nature is what it is. What is important, actually essential and critical, is our response to it. If there is ever a "disturbance" it is interior and within us. It arises when we loose sight of the spacious mind that allows us to place in context the rumblings of narrow mind. A proper response is equanimity, a floating, gentle embracing of what is paired with an offer to learn the practices of serene reflection meditation.
An open hand is far more effective than a closed one. An open hand offers, but does not grasp or cling. A closed hand cannot accept and is often used to force open other closed, insecure hands. Let us each practice with this today.
For those in the Las Cruces, NM area, I will offer an opportunity to practice meditation at Temple Beth-El from 4:00 to 4:30. We follow meditation with yoga for beginners from 4:30 to 5:30. Everyone is welcome.
Be well.
Organ Mountain Zen
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Monday, August 31, 2009
Practice Realization
With palms together,
Good Morning Everyone,
Bowing practice is a key practice in Zen Buddhism. We place our palms together in "gassho" bend at the waist to about 45 degrees for an everyday bow, 90 degrees for a deep bow. We also do "san pai" or three bowing prostrations as part of our Zen services. Various practice centers do these at differing points in the liturgy. I see these as completely private relational practices of buddha nature regardless of when they are done.
What I mean by relational practices of buddha nature is practice that contains the realization of complete non-duality.
When I do sanpai, I am not bowing before Shakyamuni Buddha, I am releasing my self to the universe. This is an act of complete humility. All subsequent bowing is a sort of abbreviated version. All gassho practice is even more abbreviated.
Abbreviated does not mean lesser. We place our palms together with the same realization of unity. We bow 45 degrees with the same realization of release of self, 90 degrees with realization of release of self, and the whole enchilada with realization of release of self. Our lives as bodhisattvas is this release of self.
This means that at some point during our experience as Zen Buddhists we open our eyes to see every act, every breath, every moment is Zen: the realization of the release of self and the unity of all.
May you each be a blessing in the universe.
Good Morning Everyone,
Bowing practice is a key practice in Zen Buddhism. We place our palms together in "gassho" bend at the waist to about 45 degrees for an everyday bow, 90 degrees for a deep bow. We also do "san pai" or three bowing prostrations as part of our Zen services. Various practice centers do these at differing points in the liturgy. I see these as completely private relational practices of buddha nature regardless of when they are done.
What I mean by relational practices of buddha nature is practice that contains the realization of complete non-duality.
When I do sanpai, I am not bowing before Shakyamuni Buddha, I am releasing my self to the universe. This is an act of complete humility. All subsequent bowing is a sort of abbreviated version. All gassho practice is even more abbreviated.
Abbreviated does not mean lesser. We place our palms together with the same realization of unity. We bow 45 degrees with the same realization of release of self, 90 degrees with realization of release of self, and the whole enchilada with realization of release of self. Our lives as bodhisattvas is this release of self.
This means that at some point during our experience as Zen Buddhists we open our eyes to see every act, every breath, every moment is Zen: the realization of the release of self and the unity of all.
May you each be a blessing in the universe.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Notes
With palms together,
Good Morning Everyone,
The week is beginning with a wonderful cool breeze coming across the desert. I am listening as the washer and drier do their various activities. I can hear the fountain in the garden. Its soft, nearly melodic sound is eclipsed on occasion by the sudden re-filling of the tank of the clothes washer and the circling operation of the drier.
Reality. If I wished for silence I would suffer; in narrow mind, should and shouldn't. Accepting these sounds is not to suffer; in spacious mind, noise, no noise, just thusness.
Receiving what is before us in with equanimity is life's essential practice. Receiving ill-will, we use it to destroy our own animosity and offer back our love and willingness to be present with those who might dislike us.
Yesterday at steetZen there was a huge crowd. Some sort of chili festival of sorts was going on. I sat in my usual place joined by Rev. KoKyo. We burned incense and had small signs asking for peace. Many were generous and offered dana. Everyone was very respectful of our sitting except one young man who, as he walked by, said, "I say, bullshit."
As the word entered my heart, I noticed many first inclinations, let them drop away, and took his toxicity as poison to my own. Some of us, while desiring peace, distrust it and its processes. Its a narrow mind thing. True peace is the serenity of realizing both peace and war are man-made mental creations.
While sitting streetZen, many people took handouts which include zazen instruction, the Heart Sutra, and many other daily chants. Buddhas everywhere.
Be well.
Good Morning Everyone,
The week is beginning with a wonderful cool breeze coming across the desert. I am listening as the washer and drier do their various activities. I can hear the fountain in the garden. Its soft, nearly melodic sound is eclipsed on occasion by the sudden re-filling of the tank of the clothes washer and the circling operation of the drier.
Reality. If I wished for silence I would suffer; in narrow mind, should and shouldn't. Accepting these sounds is not to suffer; in spacious mind, noise, no noise, just thusness.
Receiving what is before us in with equanimity is life's essential practice. Receiving ill-will, we use it to destroy our own animosity and offer back our love and willingness to be present with those who might dislike us.
Yesterday at steetZen there was a huge crowd. Some sort of chili festival of sorts was going on. I sat in my usual place joined by Rev. KoKyo. We burned incense and had small signs asking for peace. Many were generous and offered dana. Everyone was very respectful of our sitting except one young man who, as he walked by, said, "I say, bullshit."
As the word entered my heart, I noticed many first inclinations, let them drop away, and took his toxicity as poison to my own. Some of us, while desiring peace, distrust it and its processes. Its a narrow mind thing. True peace is the serenity of realizing both peace and war are man-made mental creations.
While sitting streetZen, many people took handouts which include zazen instruction, the Heart Sutra, and many other daily chants. Buddhas everywhere.
Be well.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Appreciation
With palms together,
Good Morning Everyone,
Over the next three mornings we will host a garage sale at our home. Goodness. I don't look forward to this process. My Little Honey, however, has been working diligently to make this happen. She does so much for me and for "us". I pale in comparison, not that we should make comparisons.
Appreciation for those who are close to me and who love me is not a difficult challenge for me, expressing it is. I am awkward with warm, fuzzy expressions, choosing almost always to be silent when I feel overwhelmed by the help and love of others. The problem is, of course, that people need to feel appreciated and struggle when they are not.
For me, I think the issue involved is vulnerability to emotion. I feel vulnerable when I express a soft, warm, and fuzzy feeling. When I express gratitude to another human being its as though I must put up my guard. Their goodness opens me up to feelings.
Lately especially, I have noticed a rise in my anxiety. Vulnerability is problematic. Yet here it is: life.
Recognizing and being willing to express appreciation to those who care for us is critical to healthy relationships. I find it easy to appreciate the earth, the grocery store, farmers, cooks, and gas stations. I am working on expressing my appreciation to my family.
May this note be a first step.
Be well.
Good Morning Everyone,
Over the next three mornings we will host a garage sale at our home. Goodness. I don't look forward to this process. My Little Honey, however, has been working diligently to make this happen. She does so much for me and for "us". I pale in comparison, not that we should make comparisons.
Appreciation for those who are close to me and who love me is not a difficult challenge for me, expressing it is. I am awkward with warm, fuzzy expressions, choosing almost always to be silent when I feel overwhelmed by the help and love of others. The problem is, of course, that people need to feel appreciated and struggle when they are not.
For me, I think the issue involved is vulnerability to emotion. I feel vulnerable when I express a soft, warm, and fuzzy feeling. When I express gratitude to another human being its as though I must put up my guard. Their goodness opens me up to feelings.
Lately especially, I have noticed a rise in my anxiety. Vulnerability is problematic. Yet here it is: life.
Recognizing and being willing to express appreciation to those who care for us is critical to healthy relationships. I find it easy to appreciate the earth, the grocery store, farmers, cooks, and gas stations. I am working on expressing my appreciation to my family.
May this note be a first step.
Be well.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Recovery
With palms together,
Good Morning Everyone,
If we say we have the potential to be or that we strive to be, in effect we are saying we are becoming. These are the pleas of buddhas hooked on dualism. There is no becoming, no trying. These are the drugs of Small Mind. Quit! Get clean! Sober up!
What is left?
Everything as it is. No striving, no separation. Not perfect? What is perfection but a creation of a dualistic mind seeking non-dualism?
What is left?
Doing. Being. Buddha Nature.
The Six Perfections aren't goals; they are our reality. Trying to be our reality denies us that reality. Becoming is an obstacle to being.
The Infinite teaches us to be awake. Every stone in the road. Every sudden noise. Every rainbow. Every thunderclap. Every Other. A cacophony of mindfulness bells being invited to ring. We have but to listen.
Be well.
Good Morning Everyone,
If we say we have the potential to be or that we strive to be, in effect we are saying we are becoming. These are the pleas of buddhas hooked on dualism. There is no becoming, no trying. These are the drugs of Small Mind. Quit! Get clean! Sober up!
What is left?
Everything as it is. No striving, no separation. Not perfect? What is perfection but a creation of a dualistic mind seeking non-dualism?
What is left?
Doing. Being. Buddha Nature.
The Six Perfections aren't goals; they are our reality. Trying to be our reality denies us that reality. Becoming is an obstacle to being.
The Infinite teaches us to be awake. Every stone in the road. Every sudden noise. Every rainbow. Every thunderclap. Every Other. A cacophony of mindfulness bells being invited to ring. We have but to listen.
Be well.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Always
With palms together,
Good Morning Everyone,
The day, for me, is in full bloom, although it is overcast and the sun has barely shown itself. Rising early, getting things done, we appreciate moments to stop and just be present. I managed to do a 2 mile fast walk, a half mile run, and another 1.5 mile slow walk in the park this morning. Some time was spent with Jacob and My Little Honey, some Cheerios, and now here I am talking to you.
Today I will prepare for a lecture on "Kadosh" or Holiness. I will be presenting this lecture at Temple Beth El on Wednesday morning at 9:00 AM. Kadosh means many things, and holiness is not always the best way to understand it. As a contemplative Jewish practitioner and Zen Master, I practice to realize with, more often than not, what we call mochin d'gadlut, or "spacious mind". In Zen, the equivalent is "Big Mind". (A close friend and Social Work professor used to call this "Divergent Mind".) This is to say realizing the Infinite in me and the Infinite in you are One. Just so, the Infinite in me is the same as the Infinite in my coffee mug, or my carpet, or my dog. We are all one stuff manifesting is infinite process: one vast cosmic system.
To be holy is to be awake to this and to behave its truth. The commandments and stories in the Torah are fingers pointing to this Always Was/Always Am/Always Will Be moon. Just so, the sutras, the practices, and all the myriad dharma gates.
When we approach our moment to moment life this way, everything is divine avodah, everything is blessing, and everything is buddha-nature. The teaching? Touch your life in each of its moments with reverence.
Good Morning Everyone,
The day, for me, is in full bloom, although it is overcast and the sun has barely shown itself. Rising early, getting things done, we appreciate moments to stop and just be present. I managed to do a 2 mile fast walk, a half mile run, and another 1.5 mile slow walk in the park this morning. Some time was spent with Jacob and My Little Honey, some Cheerios, and now here I am talking to you.
Today I will prepare for a lecture on "Kadosh" or Holiness. I will be presenting this lecture at Temple Beth El on Wednesday morning at 9:00 AM. Kadosh means many things, and holiness is not always the best way to understand it. As a contemplative Jewish practitioner and Zen Master, I practice to realize with, more often than not, what we call mochin d'gadlut, or "spacious mind". In Zen, the equivalent is "Big Mind". (A close friend and Social Work professor used to call this "Divergent Mind".) This is to say realizing the Infinite in me and the Infinite in you are One. Just so, the Infinite in me is the same as the Infinite in my coffee mug, or my carpet, or my dog. We are all one stuff manifesting is infinite process: one vast cosmic system.
To be holy is to be awake to this and to behave its truth. The commandments and stories in the Torah are fingers pointing to this Always Was/Always Am/Always Will Be moon. Just so, the sutras, the practices, and all the myriad dharma gates.
When we approach our moment to moment life this way, everything is divine avodah, everything is blessing, and everything is buddha-nature. The teaching? Touch your life in each of its moments with reverence.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Stop
With palms together,
Good Morning Everyone,
Please take a moment
Just now...
Stop,
Listen,
Pay attention:
Crickets chirp
Dishwasher swishes
Cool morning air glides across my shoulders
My alarm says its time to dress for a run.
Be well,
Zazen at 9:00 AM Clear Mind Zendo.
Good Morning Everyone,
Please take a moment
Just now...
Stop,
Listen,
Pay attention:
Crickets chirp
Dishwasher swishes
Cool morning air glides across my shoulders
My alarm says its time to dress for a run.
Be well,
Zazen at 9:00 AM Clear Mind Zendo.
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