Written in 1970, this text is a classic introduction to Zen Buddhism.
If you want to discover a more peaceful way of living, one that allows you to overcome stress and anxiety through connection to the present moment, this book is for you.
More than just a set of meditative exercises, this wisdom distills a way of life that is profound in its simplicity.
Let’s take a look…<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Often we feel anxious through the sheer amount of obligations that fill our days.
Commitments and priorities overwhelm us.
But most of these prestige-earning activities may be misguided.
Instead, we can bring our attention back to the activities that fill our days and be content with them, with no external goals attached.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The meditation posture adopted by Zen Buddhists is much of what constitutes their practice and allows them to tune into the spiritual realm<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The lotus position is the embodiment of non-duality, which states that everything in the universe possesses the same essence.
For example, whereas we had two legs, they become one, flowing into one another, with no distinction between left and right.
In the same way, the separation between concepts like life and death dissolves. In Zen philosophy, you die, but you don’t die.
Such contradictions are the essence of Zen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many people remain unaware of their basic life giving processes.
Paying attention to our breathing permits insight into our true nature.
We discover that their are no boundaries between ‘us’ and the ‘external’ world. Rather, it’s a unified whole.
The breath become the bridge between what we perceive as internal and external, illuminating the recognition that there’s no ‘i’ or ‘other’.
Zen contends that all that exists is the flow of the breath, which comprises our Buddha, or true nature.
When focusing on the breath, time and space reveal themselves as arbitrary concepts, ceasing to exist.
The time on the clock and the place in which we meditate are illusory.
All that exists is the breath, here and now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Whatever it is, we should do it, even if it is not doing something. We should live in this moment.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many of us are control freaks, trying to order every aspect of our lives. Many of us can grow discouraged by the perceived negative thoughts and emotions we experience. In modern society, we tend to value effortless excellence above all else…
Along with ourselves, we even try to control other people.
This is bound for failure, however, when the Universe is inherently disordered and random.
Whereas in life, control creates problems, so too the same is true in meditation<\/a>.
We often try to control or block the thoughts arising in meditation, which simply doesn’t work.
Instead, we must cultivate the ability to observe them impartially<\/a>.
The only effort required is to bring our attention back to our breath.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAdversity<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
But such thoughts are actually fuel for our practice.
When we don’t want to do something [like an early-morning meditation session], these feelings are like waves in the mind, arising and receding.
Observing these waves diminishes their power over time, feeding our meditation.
In this way, some effort must be made in meditation, because we all have incredibly active minds.
Rather than aiming for a calm mind, however, proper effort involves returning our attention to our breath, a lifelong process.
Over time, this process will become less strained.<\/p>\n\n\n\nExcellence<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Those naturally gifted to excel in their chosen domain.
The opposite is true in Zen, where patient perseverance is the aim, as opposed to excellence.
While many of us want everything to be effortless, the intention in Zen is to simply practice<\/a> without worrying about how easy or difficult it is.
Those who start out more talented in a chosen domain are often unwilling to invest in their practice and apply the effort to further cultivate their abilities.
As a result, the worst Zen students normally become the best, because they are willing to overcome challenges and face greater adversity.
In this way, Zen teaches that failure is just as important as success.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAchievement<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n