Zen Wisdom for Your Everyday Life

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Whatever comes to us we turn into a problem and have to find the "answer" to it. One question about our situation comes after another. These questions take us away from our lives, tangle us up in conjecture, thinking, doubting predicting, trying to control all outcomes. And, all the while, the true wisdom we seek is right in front of our eyes. We don't pay attention to it, though, caught as we are in  figuring life out. However, as we leave the quagmire of our thoughts and settle in life as it comes to us, all our answers are right here to be lived. True wisdom waits at every turn.

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Years ago I had a zendo in my home for those who fell off the cushion and wanted to climb back on again. Let's try it again! Little did I realize then that it's impossible to fall off the cushion. Wherever we go we are practicing, if we look at life that way. Nor did I realize that there is no such thing as failure or success in practice, except what we impose upon it. Nor in life itself. Come listen to this podcast.

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All fear, stress and pressure arise from our concern about what is happening next. We must control it, make sure we will be happy and safe. In this process, the past interjects as well, causing us to fear that it will repeat itself again. Or we start to long for  past times to be here, once again. But as we learn the precious teaching of going back to the beginning, and staying there, the fierce thread of time no longer takes over. Each moment is complete unto itself. No longer fearing or searching for the next moment we are not pulled out to sea, over our heads, but planted in our true lives.

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It is so easy to get lost in dreams, fantasies and just plain confusion when we allow our attention to scatter and do not stay present to what is right here in front of our eyes. As our attention drifts from one thing to another, we cannot feel full and complete. We also cannot see the truth of what is here right now, right before our eyes. Zen practice guides us to become present to the bare truth of what is, to be available to it completely and call it by its true name. To see, honor and acknowledge the plain truth in front of our eyes.

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We all search for deep meaning in our lives, and the answer to endless questions about our true direction and how to live. When a student found a great Zen teacher and put these questions to him, the reply was quick and to the point. Pick up your coat from the floor and put it where it belongs. He was guiding the student to be aware of what was right in front of him that needed attention and care and to take care of it. That's all. Moment by moment. Not only pick up coats, but give the same attention to a person who has fallen down. Pick them up and put them where they belong. This brings joy.

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Usually we live our lives in division, unable to decide what to do, what is right and where to go next. Most of our time we regret past choices or are unable to make new ones. But there is another way to procede. The undivided mind and heart, take us where we belong without fail and without stress. It shows us life from a new vantage point, allows us to feel at home with ourselves and taste and see that life is good.!

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From the Zen point of view, all the suffering and struggling in life comes because we constantly strive to be different or better than we are. While who we are is already perfect, complete and valuable, we cannot taste the joy of that. Zen practice therefore is the road not to getting, learning or fulfilling a dream or some ideal. It is the road to let go of all unnecessary baggage and meeting ourselves just as we are. Living a life of wholeness and truth.

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It's so easy to go through life with our eyes closed, dreaming, hoping, planning for better days. Of course as we do so, we not only miss what's here right now, but have no idea how to greet the next day when it comes. Not only are our eyes shut, our arms are often closed as well. We use our arms to push things away, or make ourselves safe, holding on for dear life. Our arms are used to fight the world, not to welcome and embrace it. But, a combination of open eyes and open arms whatever comes, immediately transports us to a life that constantly surprises us and offers gifts of every kind.

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We cling to one moment and turn away from the next, wanting to hold onto what we consider desirable. Our wish is to keep things the same, feel stable ,as if we know what is coming and how to handle it. But life itself is nothing but change, including our very body. When we fight against this powerful truth, not only does it cause suffering, but we fail to realize that nothing lasts long, including hard moments. And we lose the precious joy of discovering new moments, again and again.

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In our lives one experience after another arises, some bitter, some sweet. And many experiences, naturally, contain both. Rather than pick and choose what we wish to have, the great Zen secret is to taste your life completely, eat it up, digest the nourishment from everything and discard the waste. Come find out how.

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