With palms together
Good Morning Everyone,
Last night I was so tired from an exhausting day that I could only manage the service chants and one period of zazen. We had one student at the Temple and I asked for her permission to cut the second period and set aside the Teisho period. She graciously agreed and we closed.
In the moment, I felt badly for depriving a student of a second period and withholding a teaching in order to take care of myself. It was a passing thought. We must take care of ourselves in order to take care of others.
This is a challenge for many and it seems that challenge is related to a need to be needed. When we cannot stop caring for another in order to care for ourselves we are in need of being needed and ironically, are not really caring at all. True care requires us not to need to care. Being in service to others is not about us, its’ about others. If I am caring for others, not for them but out of my need to care, then what is the true object of my care?
Be well.
There are many aspects to Zen practice. Least of which is the rituals. If they stressed as more important than the essential teaching of Zen, then there is no purpose for the rituals. A very good article about what Zen is without ritualistic habits is here..
ReplyDeletehttp://thedailystar.com/columns/x1099037684/Zen-bridging-ordinary-and-religious-life
be well.....
Dear Anon,
ReplyDeleteThere are some errors, serious ones I might add, in that article. First, Zen does indeed have chants, mantras, and all manner or ceremony. Second, god is not necessary for a religion to be a religon: that is a theistic defnition of religion. Thank you for the reference. I will try to offer a counter point soon.