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I have been reading a book about a modern Japanese Soto Zen Master who is excellent in arousing in students a profound experience of "mindfulness" and "being in the moment," doing "one thing at one time" without other thought or concern for past and future. One secret he has is to have all the students do every action extra-slowly, to really look at the thing they are seeing as they take their time, and to always keep their mind on their breath. He does so at multi-day retreats at his temple. I am not sure if the Master can induce such experiences in every student who practices at his temple, but he has in at least some, a few of whom together wrote a diary recounting these experiences. Truly, such profound Samadhi concentration, and dropping of thought, is an excellent and vital aspect of our practice sometimes. Our "little self," and all its mental tangles, frictions, judgements and longings, drops away as one devotes one's attention fully to just the moment in front of one. Excellent. In my students too, I hope that sittings of Zazen, undertaking 'Samu' work, Chanting or Bowing or any moment can be so sometimes, for such is a profound and penetrating lesson in "dropping bodymind."
But I am not going to link to the Japanese Master's book, because I am also going to be a little critical. The students in the book recount such deep mindfulness as arising in 'Sesshin' retreat environments, during which they sit Zazen and engage in temple work tasks for days at a time removed from their worldly lives. However, the Master encourages them to stay such way ALL the time, even after they leave the temple, in their ordinary jobs and relationships with their families. This is where the book is very interesting, because the diaries are very honest about the disaster that happens to several of the students where they suddenly are tying to be "mindful" and "do one thing at one time" in jobs (such as accountant, school teacher) that require frequent "multi-tasking." They try day after day to be free of thoughts and judgements in various worldly tasks that require thought and judgement, and to remain non-attached and in unbroken "Zen mind" all the time (really, all the time) when dealing with the wife and kids (who now find their spouse or father suddenly very detached and strangely numb, too focused on maintaining such mind, almost leading to divorce in one case.) It seems to have driven one of the fellows almost to a nervous breakdown. They cannot always slow down, look intently at everything, always focus just on the breath while being out in the world. They return to the temple, and Sesshin, to try to get better at being mindful, feeling that the problem was just their weakness of mind and poor ability as Zen students and that they have somehow failed. I feel that this is an example of trying to be TOO mindful!
I blame the teacher, and an overly idealized and romantic, life-depriving view of Zen practice which wrongly emphasizes our needing to be in "Zen Mind," Samadhi and states of being "mindful" all the time ... timeless 24/7/365. I feel that such a view is not only not necessary, it misses one of the great lessons of the Soto Zen path.
Better, there are times to be "mindful" and in profound concentration, doing one thing in the moment ... and there are times just to be multi-tasking, thinking and judging, killing time, being silly or lazy, being a worker, a spouse and father, dealing with life's big and little problems and frictions, being ordinary and human.
However, even while "being ordinary and human," up to one's neck in the muck, one can also be free.
It is a little tricky to explain but is something like sometimes "multi-tasking" and being bound by the clock, while also having a subtle presence in one's heart of the timeless, the "nothing in need of attaining" of Zazen ... all at once, as if not two. One can know both at once, as if experiencing life simultaneously with goals and absolutely no goals at once, in the same instant. Sometimes the "one thing to do" is just this mess in front of us. When needing to "Multi-task" and madly rush with deadlines pending ... JUST MULTI-TASK AND MADLY RUSH as the "one things" to do in that moment.
Also, we have times of need to think through things, are confused or torn on choices sometimes, have opinions, ordinary likes and dislikes, feel very human frictions, fears and disappointments sometimes when life demands. We might be a spouse and parent, with all the joys and troubles that sometimes involves.
However, while doing so, also know the "dropping of all opinions, likes and dislikes" deep in the bones, the Clarity which illuminates all choices and confusion, even as one has opinions, aversions and attractions. One can know both ways of encountering life in the same instant. Hold those opinions and preferences lightly, do not cling, even as one has them. Likewise, sometimes feel perfectly normal frictions, fears and disappointments when life gets hard and scary sometimes, but also simultaneously know the other "faceless face" of Buddhist wisdom where there are no "two" to conflict, no need to fear, something which cannot be lost. Laugh and smile, cry and embrace tenderly those one loves ... even as one also knows a certain stillness and quiet in one's heart, free of clinging. Then there may be big problems in life to deal with, but all no problem too.
One can be Buddha and an "ordinary Joe" all at once, timelessly in any moment, rather than trying artificially to be "All Buddha All the Time." One can then live, fully engaged in this life, experiencing a life in this world ... but not trapped by the world. One is then "All Buddha in All of Life."
There is no need to "be in the moment every moment." That is a wonderful practice SOMETIMES, when, for example, we just drink tea when drinking tea, just see the flower when seeing the flowing, just sweep when sweeping. A removed temple life and "sesshin" can be such a retreat from life.
However, more powerful for life in the world is to "just let every moment be that moment," and accept it all. Sometimes drink tea while surfing online and thinking about your taxes and news of the election, worried about your sick kid. This is to be a modern human being. However, even as you do so, keep your heart simple, your thoughts and emotions untangled. As you do so, sense in your bones the Illumination ... beyond all divisions, choices, frictions, losses or gains, comings and goings ... which shines timelessly through this world even while we are up to our necks in it.
"Mind Full" or "mindful"? Sometimes more one, sometimes the other. But it need not be either/or.
One can learn the shining Illumination of being both at once!
.
Gassho, J
stlah
I have been reading a book about a modern Japanese Soto Zen Master who is excellent in arousing in students a profound experience of "mindfulness" and "being in the moment," doing "one thing at one time" without other thought or concern for past and future. One secret he has is to have all the students do every action extra-slowly, to really look at the thing they are seeing as they take their time, and to always keep their mind on their breath. He does so at multi-day retreats at his temple. I am not sure if the Master can induce such experiences in every student who practices at his temple, but he has in at least some, a few of whom together wrote a diary recounting these experiences. Truly, such profound Samadhi concentration, and dropping of thought, is an excellent and vital aspect of our practice sometimes. Our "little self," and all its mental tangles, frictions, judgements and longings, drops away as one devotes one's attention fully to just the moment in front of one. Excellent. In my students too, I hope that sittings of Zazen, undertaking 'Samu' work, Chanting or Bowing or any moment can be so sometimes, for such is a profound and penetrating lesson in "dropping bodymind."
But I am not going to link to the Japanese Master's book, because I am also going to be a little critical. The students in the book recount such deep mindfulness as arising in 'Sesshin' retreat environments, during which they sit Zazen and engage in temple work tasks for days at a time removed from their worldly lives. However, the Master encourages them to stay such way ALL the time, even after they leave the temple, in their ordinary jobs and relationships with their families. This is where the book is very interesting, because the diaries are very honest about the disaster that happens to several of the students where they suddenly are tying to be "mindful" and "do one thing at one time" in jobs (such as accountant, school teacher) that require frequent "multi-tasking." They try day after day to be free of thoughts and judgements in various worldly tasks that require thought and judgement, and to remain non-attached and in unbroken "Zen mind" all the time (really, all the time) when dealing with the wife and kids (who now find their spouse or father suddenly very detached and strangely numb, too focused on maintaining such mind, almost leading to divorce in one case.) It seems to have driven one of the fellows almost to a nervous breakdown. They cannot always slow down, look intently at everything, always focus just on the breath while being out in the world. They return to the temple, and Sesshin, to try to get better at being mindful, feeling that the problem was just their weakness of mind and poor ability as Zen students and that they have somehow failed. I feel that this is an example of trying to be TOO mindful!
I blame the teacher, and an overly idealized and romantic, life-depriving view of Zen practice which wrongly emphasizes our needing to be in "Zen Mind," Samadhi and states of being "mindful" all the time ... timeless 24/7/365. I feel that such a view is not only not necessary, it misses one of the great lessons of the Soto Zen path.
Better, there are times to be "mindful" and in profound concentration, doing one thing in the moment ... and there are times just to be multi-tasking, thinking and judging, killing time, being silly or lazy, being a worker, a spouse and father, dealing with life's big and little problems and frictions, being ordinary and human.
However, even while "being ordinary and human," up to one's neck in the muck, one can also be free.
It is a little tricky to explain but is something like sometimes "multi-tasking" and being bound by the clock, while also having a subtle presence in one's heart of the timeless, the "nothing in need of attaining" of Zazen ... all at once, as if not two. One can know both at once, as if experiencing life simultaneously with goals and absolutely no goals at once, in the same instant. Sometimes the "one thing to do" is just this mess in front of us. When needing to "Multi-task" and madly rush with deadlines pending ... JUST MULTI-TASK AND MADLY RUSH as the "one things" to do in that moment.
Also, we have times of need to think through things, are confused or torn on choices sometimes, have opinions, ordinary likes and dislikes, feel very human frictions, fears and disappointments sometimes when life demands. We might be a spouse and parent, with all the joys and troubles that sometimes involves.
However, while doing so, also know the "dropping of all opinions, likes and dislikes" deep in the bones, the Clarity which illuminates all choices and confusion, even as one has opinions, aversions and attractions. One can know both ways of encountering life in the same instant. Hold those opinions and preferences lightly, do not cling, even as one has them. Likewise, sometimes feel perfectly normal frictions, fears and disappointments when life gets hard and scary sometimes, but also simultaneously know the other "faceless face" of Buddhist wisdom where there are no "two" to conflict, no need to fear, something which cannot be lost. Laugh and smile, cry and embrace tenderly those one loves ... even as one also knows a certain stillness and quiet in one's heart, free of clinging. Then there may be big problems in life to deal with, but all no problem too.
One can be Buddha and an "ordinary Joe" all at once, timelessly in any moment, rather than trying artificially to be "All Buddha All the Time." One can then live, fully engaged in this life, experiencing a life in this world ... but not trapped by the world. One is then "All Buddha in All of Life."
There is no need to "be in the moment every moment." That is a wonderful practice SOMETIMES, when, for example, we just drink tea when drinking tea, just see the flower when seeing the flowing, just sweep when sweeping. A removed temple life and "sesshin" can be such a retreat from life.
However, more powerful for life in the world is to "just let every moment be that moment," and accept it all. Sometimes drink tea while surfing online and thinking about your taxes and news of the election, worried about your sick kid. This is to be a modern human being. However, even as you do so, keep your heart simple, your thoughts and emotions untangled. As you do so, sense in your bones the Illumination ... beyond all divisions, choices, frictions, losses or gains, comings and goings ... which shines timelessly through this world even while we are up to our necks in it.
"Mind Full" or "mindful"? Sometimes more one, sometimes the other. But it need not be either/or.
One can learn the shining Illumination of being both at once!
.
BOTH AT ONCE, AS ONE.
MINDFULL-NON-MINDFULL
MINDFULL-NON-MINDFULL
.
Gassho, J
stlah
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