seeds of infinite possibilty

When we release our preconceived ideas about how life is or what we think it should be, at that time we can experience what is actually happening – life as it really is.

Learning to see “how you do what you do while you’re doing it” isn’t a technique that can be imposed on every situation equally. It is remembering to notice and pause. At that time we can recognize the direction we need. This direction is not something we need to impose. The clarity comes from the recognizing, the awakening.

Life is constantly changing and rearranging, so we can only guess what will happen in the next moment. If we think we know, are too sure of the future, it is easy to get stuck in a certain mental/physical position and not have the flexibility to adjust to how things actually unfold. The flexibility to respond authentically and naturally in each moment is called “Beginner’s Mind.”

“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities…”

Let’s take the backward step and allow the hand of thought to open to al the possibilities of life.

This is freedom.

There is a path at Shogoji that leads to the top of the mountain. The Japanese monks can tell me the name of every mountain on the horizon, but not the name of the one we’re standing on. Every day after lunch, except when it’s raining, I make an attempt to climb the mountain path. It’s actually a road built for small trucks to carry shiitake and farming equipment, so it’s paved in some places and graveled in others. There is a steep slope at a curve in the road that is paved in concrete and so slippery and icy it is impossible to walk there. Some days I get pretty far past the third shiitake patch and over the little dam. Sometimes I get to the part where there is nothing but air and a hundred feet of down to my right and a a sheer wall of beige stone on my left. There is also a place where the road is partially washed away over the cliff - too narrow for a truck to make it by the rock face.

            Right there at this dangerous little piece of the path I can lean back against the rock and look out over the mountains and clouds for a second or two before my fear of heights takes hold. Seikan-san likes to use the term unsui (clouds and water) when he refers to us foreign monks. I try a few times to live up to the name, but fear jerks me back again to the rock. I think I am much too heavy for this life sometimes.

            On the way back down the mountain I always stop at the little dam. By the way, there is nothing natural on this mountain – man-made everywhere; fake rock faces made of concrete, pipes crisscrossing the forest floor, farm equipment and little sheds hidden in the brush. Even the tops of the distant mountains are crowded with giant telephone poles with black cables strung from one mountain to the next. All of the trees marching up the mountainside are about the same size and height – they are to be harvested and new trees will be planted. The Japanese must have wood, but they must also have mountains, and mountains would not be mountains without trees.

The effort to live mindfully helps us to keep re-finding a balance between taking responsibility for our own lives and recognizing the supportive relationship that we are within. The balance is always changing as life changes, so it requires continuous effort.

            When we get stuck in self-centeredness the effort is more rigorous. We can sometimes recognize our stuckness by seeing our resistance. If we look closely at resistance we can see the reality of it, whether it is a helpful warning for something which is potentially harmful, or a signal that we have over-indulged in what we perceive to be self-preservation.

            “Dogen Zenji said that those who recognize this self-centered basis of their practice are buddhas.” (Okumura) Within the recognition that everything is Buddha nature, to say that “ the act of truly seeing our self-centeredness is itself Buddha” means that when we see how we become pre-occupied with our personal desires, that very recognition allows us to see life in it’s bigness, beyond our understanding, but always available to us through insight. Then we can experience life as it really is.

            In Mahayana Buddhism, repentance helps us to access this. When we become aware that we have strayed, we simply return to the Bodhisattva path. In Buddhist repentance there is no implication of punishment, just awakening to the imbalance and making the effort to re-find the balance.

            It is difficult sometimes to admit to ourselves that our perceptions about life are a bit skewed. We might feel that such an admission makes us failures at life – if we’ve got it wrong there is something wrong with us.

Yet recognizing and admitting flaws in our understanding is actually an opportunity to awaken to the human condition of attachment and grasping, and at that time we become free of guilt because we see that the cause is conditions and there is no blame.

Everything is buddha nature says Dogen Zenji. This is life in its fullness, and though life is too big for us to comprehend with our minds, we can awaken to life by dropping our concepts and allowing life to manifest as it is. This is the point of shikantaza practice, just sitting. When we just sit we drop our concepts, life shows itself to us.

Buddha means “awakened being.” We awaken to what is clouding our awareness of how life is. We become aware of the stories we are telling ourselves. When we let loose of our beliefs even for a moment we experience the reality we are a part of.

Recognizing interdependence, that we live not only by our effort but are supported by all beings, all of life is very freeing. We are part of life, and if we try to live purely by our own efforts we eventually find that it is very difficult, actually impossible.

“… Dogen says that all beings are born within the network of interdependent origination that is itself great realization… Our practice is to realize great realization within this great realization; or perhaps it is better to say that great realization realizes great realization…it is important as practitioners of the bodhisattva path to keep awakening to the reality as it exists, before we fabricate any fantasy about it within our minds.” (Okumura)

Bodhisattvas take care of all beings because they recognize that we all exist together and interdependently. Everything in life is interdependent and everything we do should reflect our awareness of that big picture of life. It’s hard to not take things personally, feel a strong need to be independent and forget our inter-relationship within life. But this is a form of egocentricity and it does not help create harmony between beings – it puts all the focus in one place and the perception is that everything else is separate from what we call “me” or “my life.” We even sometimes consider our spiritual practice to be individualistic calling it “my practice.” This is not reality. We do not live alone.

Dogen Zenji recommends shikantaza, just sitting, to help us remember our relationship with all beings. He suggests that we “just sit.” As simple as it sounds, it’s not easy. Our minds keep secreting thoughts and it’s difficult for us to ignore what is happening in our heads. Yet, as we sit we begin to settle because the thoughts which at one time have a strong hold on us are impermanent just like everything else in life. All we have to do is sit and we will see them come and go. When we try to do something with our thoughts, consciously or unconsciously, we are putting up a wall which isolates us and causes us to lose sight of our true life which is lived not only by us, but by all beings. All beings contribute to our life, we do not live completely by our own effort. We do not live in isolation. Even if we become a hermit in the heart of the mountains we cannot escape the interdependence which keeps us alive.

         The reason for this practice is to learn to live in peace and harmony with all beings. First we have to get to know all beings. Let’s sit quietly and allow all beings to show themselves. 

My teacher always told us

“Just sit down and shut up!

That’s how you do this meditation practice.”

Come home.

Awakening is nothing but

Coming home

Come home to this moment

Come home to this place

Come home to this sangha.

You are life

And life is you

In each moment.

6,400,099,180 moments

in  a day

come home to this moment

and come home to the next

and the next and the next

then

come home.

And then you will know

That coming home

Is knowing you are home.

When we notice how we become pre-occupied with personal desires, that very recognition allows us to see life in it’s bigness, beyond our understanding but always available to us through insight. Then we can experience life as it really is, even if for only one moment. This is not easy to access. That’s why zazen is such a gift. When we sit quietly without an agenda, we very naturally experience life as it is.

But even in zazen we have to be willing to experience the struggle in order to see clearly how we get in our own way. In Realizing Genjōkōan Shohaku Okumura says, “If we are truly honest and sincere with ourselves, we will find that no matter how hard we practice, our motivation for practice is still based in some amount of self-centeredness.”

Self-centeredness is not something to feel guilty about. Self-centeredness is based on self-preservation, which is a very natural inclination. If we want to survive, we have to be a little centered on the self.

Self-centeredness is also a result of discriminating mind, which is part of being human. Problems develop when we lose sight of the relationship we are within, when we see ourselves in comparison to everything around us, rather than in relationship with everything. When we awaken to the interdependent nature of everything in life we simultaneously are participating in the mutual support of the life we are already a part of. Everything in life is always giving and receiving, visibly and invisibly.

The effort to live mindfully helps us to re-find the balance between taking responsibility for our life and recognizing the supportive relationship that we are within. The balance changes as life changes, so it requires effort.

In Shōbōgenzō Genjōkōan Dōgen Zenji says, “Those who greatly realize delusion are buddhas.” 

And Shohaku Okumura explains, “The act of truly seeing our self-centeredness is itself Buddha.”

Within stillness we awaken; and awakening elicits deep faith. It isn’t a matter of believing in someone or something separate from ourselves. The faith we have is in the process of awakening.

In Returning to Silence Katagiri Roshi says,

“Right faith is not waiting until we understand something and then doing it; faith is to do something even though our consciousness tells us we don’t have faith, and even though we don’t know what right faith is. Right faith is to do something because it is … the total manifestation of the ultimate nature of existence … “

It is through the expression of our faith that Truth is communicated. And it is through this transmission of Truth that we awaken again and again. Roshi goes on to say:

“ … to have faith is to do something, to do something is to live. But to live by ourselves and still know human life in a broad way is pretty hard, because each of us already has our own territory, preconceptions, egoistic sense, heredity, and characteristics. So it is pretty hard to know human life from a universal perspective. We have to get out of this small well. We always feel comfortable there, but even if it is only once, we have to get out, and for that we need guidance.”

We need guidance to remind us of what we believe in. Even though we don’t know exactly what we have faith in, we can be inspired by others when we see the manifestation of their faith in their actions. And we in turn can inspire others through our actions. Much of the time we cannot understand or explain what we experience very deeply. It is vast and constantly changing. But through our faith we can express it moment by moment by just continuing, just keeping our direction. We can do this through spiritual practice.

Spiritual practice can guide us by giving us a rhythm and framework. If we lose our way, all we have to do is return and catch the rhythm of the practice. And this returns us to the natural movement of life itself, the universal perspective. Because of the grasping nature of the human mind we can lose our way pretty easily. That’s why it’s important to have a spiritual practice. In order to sustain a universal perspective we have to find our faith.

This is why we sit quietly on the cushion – we return to silence again and again. And through this quiet sitting we can find the best way to live in peace and harmony with all beings.

May all beings obtain true peace and fulfillment!

May the earth be fertile and the seasons in order,

 and may all live in harmony with nature. 

May great spreading trees again shade our continents,

 and may mountains and hills be covered with wildflowers.

May the air we breathe be invigorating,

 and may lakes and rivers run clear and pure.

May the oceans be cleansed of pollutants,

 and may all sea creatures once more swim freely through clean waters.

May all beings of forest and field be safe from the hunter’s bow and gun.

May all creatures with whom we share this earth be treated with care and respect.

May all who suffer from hunger and starvation receive nourishment,

 and find the means to sustain themselves.

May those without homes, who face poverty and cold, be sheltered and warm.

May those who have lost their jobs find new and fulfilling work.

May every person lead an upright life for the good of all.   

May those who hold public office be true vehicles of service.

May we learn to embrace suffering with compassion and understanding.

May those who have endured abuse be healed. 

May the defenseless be protected, supported and loved. 

May people everywhere be released from the grip of addictions,

 and realize freedom and wholeness.

May those confined in prisons repent and find renewal.

May those unjustly accused  be patient and strong of heart. 

May they be freed of hatred toward their oppressors.

May violence and bloodshed cease.

May conflict give way to mutual respect and forgiveness,

 and may we all realize kinship within the human family.

May our hearts be cleansed of greed, hatred, and ignorance

 and may we learn to live and work together in communities of peace. 

May prejudice be cleansed from our hearts.

May the elderly be honored and well cared for,

 and may children everywhere be nourished with love and respect.

May fear and anxiety, frustration and bitterness dissolve,

 and may those who are self-doubting find clarity and strength.

May the Dharma circulate freely throughout the world, bringing sustenance to all. 

May all beings recognize truth, know it in their hearts, and practice it with joy.

May those who seek the Way find teachers of true Understanding. 

May all find refuge in Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.

May we all attain true liberation. 

Let us continue on this path—not for ourselves alone,

 but to dispel the darkness of the world.

At the beginning of this New Year, we earnestly pray that strife and dissension shall be no more, that Love shall radiate from the hearts of all people, and that together we shall attain Perfect Peace!

Below is an article by Ken McLeod which, among other things, addresses the question of teacher/student relationships in a very thoughtful way - another perspective on The MIddle Way!

Relationship 8: professional relationships       

In today’s world of complex interactions, we rely on many people for help in different areas of our lives — teachers (school teachers, meditation teachers, yoga teachers), doctors and nurses, accountants, therapists (physical therapists, massage therapists, marriage and family therapists), attorneys, ministers, consultants of all stripes… — the list goes on and on.

Because of the pervasiveness of money as a medium of exchange, most people regard these relationships as mutual benefit, i.e., the client pays the accountant, the patient pays the doctor, the student pays the teacher or the school, and both parties receive a benefit.

However, these are shared aim relationships, our welfare or well being in the area of expertise of the professional. Whether you are the professional or the client, you distort the relationship and diminish its value when you look at it solely in terms of money or exchange. What is the value when a doctor relieves a chronic pain or saves your life? What is the value to the teacher or the student when the student’s mind is opened to new possibilities and his or her life is changed forever? What is the value of a logo that captures your company’s message and inspires your staff? The results are priceless, in the true sense of that word — we cannot attach a price. Money is not the currency, and these relationships are not mere exchanges.

What makes these relationships work? These relationships work when both parties are actively engaged. In general, the professional contributes expertise and experience, the client or patient contributes knowledge of the particular situation in which the expertise will be applied. Together they work out a strategy, solution or treatment and then put it into action.  Communication is essential to this process. When communication breaks down, the relationship breaks down.

Consider, for example, the coaching relationship in basketball. If the coach is actively engaged, but the players are not, the team is not going to play well. The players may rely too much on the coach’s experience and not value their own. They may be intimidated by his knowledge. He may be too demanding or too directive. He may not listen well and the players see no reason to speak up. Whatever the reason, there will be problems, and the coach is likely to be held responsible even as he blames the players.

On the other hand, if the players are actively engaged but the coach is not, the team suffers. The status of a star player intimidates the coach and he is unable to establish discipline. The coach doesn’t tell his players how they are really doing, so they have to guess at their performance. The players work hard, but the coach leaves them on their own in crucial situations. He doesn’t establish a challenging practice regime and the players, despite their efforts, aren’t at their best and their playing is poorly coordinated. The result is a bad season and mutual recrimination.

If the players feel they are just working for the coach, they won’t put their heart into their game. If the coach feels he has to do what the players want, the team won’t benefit from his experience and expertise.

The team takes off when both coach and players are actively engaged. The coach brings his years of playing experience, knowledge of each player’s strengths and weaknesses, and an overview of the play on the court. Each player brings his own skills and intimate knowledge of what the opposing team is doing. When they put these two different kinds of information together, the team plays at its best.

Both parties have to listen to each other. Neither is completely in control. Sometimes the coach’s view is the answer, sometimes the players’, sometimes a combination. Both share in the victory. Neither takes all the blame for defeat.

Exactly the same dynamics apply in all professional relationships — the doctor and his patient, the accountant and her client, the teacher and her student, the consulting firm and the CEO. When both the professional and the client are actively engaged, good things happen. As the professional you listen to the client’s problems and propose strategies and solutions. As the client you then give detailed information on the situation and appraise which strategies are viable. Together you fashion a solution and then set about making it happen.

Take a look at the various professional relationships you have in your life, your accountant, attorney, yoga or meditation teacher, therapist, doctor, or any healthcare provider. Who is actively engaged? Who is passive? If you are in the passive role, what inhibits you from taking an active role? If the other is in the passive role, what might you be doing to keep them there? What can you do to bring them into an active role?

All the best,

Ken McLeod

So off the mat.

Marc & Vash from Mars Hill College