No Where To Go

With palms together,
Good Morning Everyone,

On the Zen Living list, we have been discussing emotions, particularly anger, and there have been some particularly good comments made about it. One sangha member suggests Zen teaches that "true stillness is to be found only in action". I like that perspective and see its truth. It reminds us of the third pure precept, to bring about good for all beings.

Yet, Zen is, in a sense, really more about the stillness before the action. Emotions, thoughts, and actions are interconnected. Because this is so, they affect one another and are affected by one another. A change in one, therefore, affects a change in another. Because this is so, if we change an action, say, we are silent when provoked, escalation of ill-feeling is less possible. Moreover, our ability to be present during conflict increases. Our "enemies" are without sails to puff up.

Zazen is a skill that when practiced, acts like this. It is a practice of maintaining presence regardless of thoughts, feelings, or behaviors within us or outside of us. It precedes them.

When attacked, we parry with the least resistance, but practice not to return a blow.

First (like the Dalai Lama) we see the person attacking us as being in a state of wanting happiness, not wanting suffering. This person shares our human reality: we each want to be free from suffering and often see other's behavior as the cause of our suffering. In truth, we are the cause of our own suffering however, built through our ideas about how our lives (or others) "should" be. Yet, if we just do what is right and good to do, without drama, no issue.

Therefore, when we see a wrong, we right it without emotional attachment or investment in it. We do the right thing without thinking, "I'm doing the right thing". No worries, as my son is fond of saying.

I like to think of this as clarity in action. There is synchronicity between the event, the thought, the feeling, and the behavior and that synchronicity involves an open mind. It is here that our practice is so very helpful. "Thought arises, open mind, return to breath; feeling arises, open mind, return to breath; action happens, open mind, return to breath."

This "open mind" is the action of seeing the whole situation and deliberately letting go, This "return to breath" is the deliberate and complete mechanism for letting go.

No reason to pursue the rabbit down the hole and seek the causes of our feelings. Just notice, open, and breathe.

Now to practice.

Be well.