A cool wind, bright green spring leaves blowing, a cloudless sky. Seeing this, feeling this, I am all of it. This alive world is joy!
Life reveals life.
Sitting, being present, we may see and sense this interconnected life we are.
At times we are sure that what we encounter is not us! 'I do not want this', 'This hurts', 'This is unacceptable, intolerable'. Memories of past mistakes or misdeeds are not welcome. Naturally I want to avoid suffering. When suffering occurs I think I should change something, the circumstance or cause, try to fix it or get away.
We like feeling good. It is great. Since we often connect 'feeling good' to particular conditions and circumstances, either external or internal, inevitably there are times we do not feel good.When this is 'not good', or feeling good does not arise, then what? When something is lacking, then what? We try to do what will change the feelings. We try to distance our self from what we don't like - doing all sorts of things to get away.
Fortunately, right here is the opportunity of opening. Simple and straightforward being this moment as it is , is being this body-mind world. Of itself, life is naturally revealed, naturally seen. In fact, right now, body-mind world are not separate, are certainly not three things. Our encounter is always right now. Considerations of so-called past or future can turn this encounter into something else, and then we miss this, this which is nothing but our self. Past and future, as well as present, are right now. This is our practice opportunity; nothing lacking, nothing extra. Zazen is a way to do this. Zazen is being what is - inhabiting this moment life.
Everything we encounter is exactly our self. So, our life is serving everything we encounter and is being served by everything we encounter. If we limit serving, limit self, to what 'I like' or 'dislike', then there are difficulties. Ongoing practice is inhabiting this moment. Serving is inhabiting this moment, giving self away to self. Serving - whether I want to or not, whether it suits me or not. Serving what does not feel good, what feels uncomfortable and painful. Respond appropriately to what is needed. Needed by what? By life - not as an extra or special effort but as exactly what is required by the whole of this moment, this universe which is exactly our life. This life as it is exactly this wonderful opportunity.
Honey and nectar are wonderful, but only a bee lives on this; you can not live on only honey and nectar. Yes, enjoy honey. However, attempting to stick to a life of honey will keep us from the life we are. A life limited to only the comfortable and the luxurious does not sustain. A practice that is too comfortable, a 'country club Zen' that cushions us from cirucumstances and avoids fear, does not nurture life. Practice is not a mens to be safe and comfortable. A good practice is sustained in the midst of life, including life's inevitable discomforts and disappointments. We do not require only what is likable, only a diet of honey. The varied diet of arising circumstances, which are our life, is the nurturing of the joy we are. The varied tastes and flavors, sweet and bitter, all the arising circumstances are the present moment diet which sustains us, sustains this great joy. Inhabiting this moment is being sustained. The many forms are the reality of our life, this great joy is seeing and being who we are. This great joy is our life as it is right now. So, being this joyful life, enjoy.
By/Elihu Genmyo Smith
Salam,
Cherine
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