Limitations

With palms together,


Good Morning Everyone,



Yesterday evening I came to the Zendo to offer Zazen and chant a memorial service for a list member only to find the deadbolt in the front door of the Zendo was seriously stuck. So, I entered the Temple through the back door, tried to open the deadbolt from the inside to no avail. II then got out my Philip’s head and took the lock apart. I finally got the door open, but could not get the lock back together as it takes two hands.



All while this was happening, my cell phone’s mindfulness bell brought me back to the actual moment. I took the bell as an invitation to stop and breathe. That app is a delight.



So, this morning I called disciple Dai Shugyo to come and help me with the lock.



I am reminded, through all this, of one of Dirty Harry’s comments: “A man’s gotta know his limitations.” As in running, the thing about limitations is the boundaries are either constantly shifting or are permeable. So one must constantly push against them in order to first, locate them, and second. get into the best shape. It is the same in Zen: we push against the limits, sit upright, and find the absolute edge. It is there we chose to live, because it is there we find our True Nature.



Be well.