With palms together,
Good Morning Everyone,
The day has dawned in a wonderful way as it does each and every morning. How could it not? The sun rises with such power seemingly chasing darkness away, and things that were awake go to sleep as things asleep, wake. Being awake is not the same. Knowing there is sleep. Knowing there is awake. These are dualistic notions.
Being awake comes before it.
As U2 chants, its the "street with no name."
I wish to stop this incessant naming of things. Pointless deviancy, it is. To live without names, live without assumptions, live here, now, that's the thing!
But then, along comes a bee. ZZZZzzzzzzzzz. What is the sound of one bee stinging?
Awake!
Be well.
Organ Mountain Zen
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Morning
With palms together,
Good Morning Everyone,
Soft as a whisper, the morning opens itself in my mind. "All of my past and harmful karma, born from beginningless greed, hate, and delusion, through body, speech, and mind, I now fully avow." This morning I vow with all beings, to see the world clearly as it is, to end violence, and bring compassion to all beings.
We sit zazen in the morning and consider no thing. Thoughts and feelings come and go; the sun rises; the dog curls up; the cat wanders. We do what is next to do.
Yesterday at Ft. Bliss, I heard many angry young men. They were not angry, as much as deeply hurt. They are suffering because things were not supposed to be the way they experienced them. Conditions arose within which killing and injury happened. Conditions condition. So they walk with they eyes alert, respond as if they are in a combat zone, and suffer. When the war is over and home isn't home anymore, what do we do?
In Zen we leave home. In life, to be wise, we leave home. This means we drop our bags, those collections of history, assumptions, and the like, which are familiar to us, but which also either distort our vision or hinder our expression of our true selves. We practice to live in a clear mind.
May we each see the sun this morning as it is, not as it was yesterday, or that it might be tomorrow,
Be well.
Good Morning Everyone,
Soft as a whisper, the morning opens itself in my mind. "All of my past and harmful karma, born from beginningless greed, hate, and delusion, through body, speech, and mind, I now fully avow." This morning I vow with all beings, to see the world clearly as it is, to end violence, and bring compassion to all beings.
We sit zazen in the morning and consider no thing. Thoughts and feelings come and go; the sun rises; the dog curls up; the cat wanders. We do what is next to do.
Yesterday at Ft. Bliss, I heard many angry young men. They were not angry, as much as deeply hurt. They are suffering because things were not supposed to be the way they experienced them. Conditions arose within which killing and injury happened. Conditions condition. So they walk with they eyes alert, respond as if they are in a combat zone, and suffer. When the war is over and home isn't home anymore, what do we do?
In Zen we leave home. In life, to be wise, we leave home. This means we drop our bags, those collections of history, assumptions, and the like, which are familiar to us, but which also either distort our vision or hinder our expression of our true selves. We practice to live in a clear mind.
May we each see the sun this morning as it is, not as it was yesterday, or that it might be tomorrow,
Be well.
Friday, July 31, 2009
The Great Matter
With palms together,
Good Morning Everyone,
This morning I have the privilege of addressing active duty soldiers who are combat veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan in a military hospital which is devoted to their care. I am being asked to address them as a fellow recipient of the Purple Heart and as a Zen Teacher. I am being asked to talk to them about being awake, Zen, and the path of meditation. It is an awesome and humbling task.
From the Shushogi we learn that the most important task for all Buddhists is the clarification of life and death. The Shushogi says:
"...if the buddha is within birth and death, there is no birth and death. Simply understand that birth and death are in themselves nirvana; there is no birth and death to be hated nor nirvana to be desired. Then, for the first time, we will be freed from birth and death. To master this problem is of supreme importance."
Soldiers encounter such opportunities potentially in every moment. Are they prepared? Are any of us truly prepared?
Zen practice offers us an opportunity to prepare to address the Great Matter. As we practice we look deeply into ourselves and the nature of things. We develop a sense of presence. We develop a sense of interconnectedness. Finally we develop a view that allows a crack in the whole way we see the universe and thins body we call a self.
If we can begin to see buddha in all of life, in all of its processes, then what?
I am reminded of a comment I made to another practitioner once who was approaching Buddhism from a dualistic view. She was saying that God, the Father, was the universe and when we became one with the Father, we were one with everything. OK.
When we are one with the Father or the Universe, then what is the father? What is the Universe? We ask, 'show me a piece of paper with only one side!' I say, when we enter the paper and are one, what is paper?
So, to begin, sit still, face a wall, and study what comes up.
Be well.
Good Morning Everyone,
This morning I have the privilege of addressing active duty soldiers who are combat veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan in a military hospital which is devoted to their care. I am being asked to address them as a fellow recipient of the Purple Heart and as a Zen Teacher. I am being asked to talk to them about being awake, Zen, and the path of meditation. It is an awesome and humbling task.
From the Shushogi we learn that the most important task for all Buddhists is the clarification of life and death. The Shushogi says:
"...if the buddha is within birth and death, there is no birth and death. Simply understand that birth and death are in themselves nirvana; there is no birth and death to be hated nor nirvana to be desired. Then, for the first time, we will be freed from birth and death. To master this problem is of supreme importance."
Soldiers encounter such opportunities potentially in every moment. Are they prepared? Are any of us truly prepared?
Zen practice offers us an opportunity to prepare to address the Great Matter. As we practice we look deeply into ourselves and the nature of things. We develop a sense of presence. We develop a sense of interconnectedness. Finally we develop a view that allows a crack in the whole way we see the universe and thins body we call a self.
If we can begin to see buddha in all of life, in all of its processes, then what?
I am reminded of a comment I made to another practitioner once who was approaching Buddhism from a dualistic view. She was saying that God, the Father, was the universe and when we became one with the Father, we were one with everything. OK.
When we are one with the Father or the Universe, then what is the father? What is the Universe? We ask, 'show me a piece of paper with only one side!' I say, when we enter the paper and are one, what is paper?
So, to begin, sit still, face a wall, and study what comes up.
Be well.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Wednesday
With palms together,
Good Morning Everyone,
Today is Wednesday: I will attend the Breakfast Discussion at Temple Beth-El, followed by Torah Class; I will practice streetZen at the Veteran's Park at 4:00 PM, I will sit in meditation at Temple Beth-El at 6:00 PM, and we have a special Erev Tisha B'Av Remembrance this evening.
I ran a 1.6 mile set of hills this morning. I was by myself as Eve and Allen got in late and Judy was sleeping so soundly I did not want to wake her. It was good to get out there and do that. It relieves much stress, as if I had a lot of that. But it does allow a time for meditation in motion. Something I have actually missed since I stopped marathon and half marathon training. Zen in motion is what I would call a runner's high, though not quite the same. There is no euphoria involved, just the simple presence of feet on earth and breath entering and leaving and sweat pouring out and flies buzzing around. Just being alive and in motion. Its a very good thing.
If one day I am able to bring myself back to distance running, I am sure it will be a delight. In the meantime, running over hills, doing short interval repeats, and casual walks in the park with wife and friends is perfect.
May we each be a blessing today.
Good Morning Everyone,
Today is Wednesday: I will attend the Breakfast Discussion at Temple Beth-El, followed by Torah Class; I will practice streetZen at the Veteran's Park at 4:00 PM, I will sit in meditation at Temple Beth-El at 6:00 PM, and we have a special Erev Tisha B'Av Remembrance this evening.
I ran a 1.6 mile set of hills this morning. I was by myself as Eve and Allen got in late and Judy was sleeping so soundly I did not want to wake her. It was good to get out there and do that. It relieves much stress, as if I had a lot of that. But it does allow a time for meditation in motion. Something I have actually missed since I stopped marathon and half marathon training. Zen in motion is what I would call a runner's high, though not quite the same. There is no euphoria involved, just the simple presence of feet on earth and breath entering and leaving and sweat pouring out and flies buzzing around. Just being alive and in motion. Its a very good thing.
If one day I am able to bring myself back to distance running, I am sure it will be a delight. In the meantime, running over hills, doing short interval repeats, and casual walks in the park with wife and friends is perfect.
May we each be a blessing today.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Constancy
With palms together,
Good Morning Everyone,
The sound of the dishwasher creates a certain rhythm in the morning. A night of family, dinner, video games, running around the house, leaves quite a mess in the morning. I wake to it and begin by reheating last night's coffee as I empty out the dishwasher in order to reload it with a fresh batch of dirty bowls, pans, and plates. The plants needed water: water the plants. The dogs needed water; water the dogs.
The occasional question creeps into mind, 'why such a mess?' I set it aside and enjoy scrubbing out the pot, feel the hot water on the back of my hand. Drop that thought. 'And that stove? Does Jacob always have to coat the stove with whatever he's cooking?' Set it aside, wipe down the stove and appreciate its smooth, cool surface. Drop that thought.
Practice is constant: notice, let go. Notice, let go.
At a point, 'notice' and 'let go' are one in the same. This is the point of no-self.
I like to think of it as similar to beginning a run. 'Yuk! This is no good! I don't feel like it!' And, as the run progresses, feet, arms, legs, lungs, heart, head, road, all seem to come together. Miles seem to slide away in perfect presence. Thusness.
May you be a blessing today.
Good Morning Everyone,
The sound of the dishwasher creates a certain rhythm in the morning. A night of family, dinner, video games, running around the house, leaves quite a mess in the morning. I wake to it and begin by reheating last night's coffee as I empty out the dishwasher in order to reload it with a fresh batch of dirty bowls, pans, and plates. The plants needed water: water the plants. The dogs needed water; water the dogs.
The occasional question creeps into mind, 'why such a mess?' I set it aside and enjoy scrubbing out the pot, feel the hot water on the back of my hand. Drop that thought. 'And that stove? Does Jacob always have to coat the stove with whatever he's cooking?' Set it aside, wipe down the stove and appreciate its smooth, cool surface. Drop that thought.
Practice is constant: notice, let go. Notice, let go.
At a point, 'notice' and 'let go' are one in the same. This is the point of no-self.
I like to think of it as similar to beginning a run. 'Yuk! This is no good! I don't feel like it!' And, as the run progresses, feet, arms, legs, lungs, heart, head, road, all seem to come together. Miles seem to slide away in perfect presence. Thusness.
May you be a blessing today.
Monday, July 27, 2009
To Toe or Not to Toe
With palms together,
Good Morning Everyone,
This past weekend just before it rained, I walked our property line at the Refuge. The air was delicious climbing the mountain side through alligator pine and oak. Small blue, yellow, and occasional orange flowers were there under the yarrow and would peak out once in awhile. I tripped over a fallen branch hidden in the grass. Dharmas are everywhere.
In Case 23, Think Neither Good, Nor Not-Good, we read the story of the Sixth Patriarch and his being chased down for the Dharma. "Think neither good nor not-good at this very moment, what is your true nature?" asks Hui Neng of Myo.
We often say everything changes and believe this "everything changes" to be apart from 'everything changes.' My bleeding toe, once whole, is dharma. My whole toe is dharma. Tripping is dharma. What is my true nature?
Both process and non-process are empty. Creator and creation are one: suchness and thusness, teaches Senzaki, on this point (Senzaki, Nyogen, Eloquent Silence, pp.119-120). Both are neither good or not-good. Both are.
Whole toe,
bleeding toe:
stars falling
from the sky
do not.
Be well.
Good Morning Everyone,
This past weekend just before it rained, I walked our property line at the Refuge. The air was delicious climbing the mountain side through alligator pine and oak. Small blue, yellow, and occasional orange flowers were there under the yarrow and would peak out once in awhile. I tripped over a fallen branch hidden in the grass. Dharmas are everywhere.
In Case 23, Think Neither Good, Nor Not-Good, we read the story of the Sixth Patriarch and his being chased down for the Dharma. "Think neither good nor not-good at this very moment, what is your true nature?" asks Hui Neng of Myo.
We often say everything changes and believe this "everything changes" to be apart from 'everything changes.' My bleeding toe, once whole, is dharma. My whole toe is dharma. Tripping is dharma. What is my true nature?
Both process and non-process are empty. Creator and creation are one: suchness and thusness, teaches Senzaki, on this point (Senzaki, Nyogen, Eloquent Silence, pp.119-120). Both are neither good or not-good. Both are.
Whole toe,
bleeding toe:
stars falling
from the sky
do not.
Be well.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Stellar Jays
With palms together,
Back at my residence, down from the mountains, the air is different. Just a little thicker, although it did rain at the refuge yesterday afternoon. Having a refuge is a great gift. I am periodically able to get away from the desert, enjoy some silence, or at least noise of a different kind. Stellar Jays squawk, hummers blitz by with shrill, high pitched tones of territorial aggression, and the flag of our deck, flips a beat in the breeze.
Son Jacob and I discussed this classic koan while on the deck with the flag. The wind moves, no, the flag moves: no, it is your mind that moves. We trailed off into wonderful tunnels of space-time. Folding space, time itself, and the role of the perceiver. Does anything move? What is movement if not something defined by relative relationships? All very heady. Not very Zen.
Feeding the birds when the feeder was empty; this is it.
Yet, the moment of self reference assumed in that statement, suggests I might as well be a rank amateur. Good. Let's sit down and abide in the universe together.
Be well.
Back at my residence, down from the mountains, the air is different. Just a little thicker, although it did rain at the refuge yesterday afternoon. Having a refuge is a great gift. I am periodically able to get away from the desert, enjoy some silence, or at least noise of a different kind. Stellar Jays squawk, hummers blitz by with shrill, high pitched tones of territorial aggression, and the flag of our deck, flips a beat in the breeze.
Son Jacob and I discussed this classic koan while on the deck with the flag. The wind moves, no, the flag moves: no, it is your mind that moves. We trailed off into wonderful tunnels of space-time. Folding space, time itself, and the role of the perceiver. Does anything move? What is movement if not something defined by relative relationships? All very heady. Not very Zen.
Feeding the birds when the feeder was empty; this is it.
Yet, the moment of self reference assumed in that statement, suggests I might as well be a rank amateur. Good. Let's sit down and abide in the universe together.
Be well.
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