Holding tight.
- clearstreamzendo
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
This week’s topic for reflection is holding tight. Start by doing a body scan from the hair on your head to the toes on your feet. Slowly notice each part or area and see if there is any tightness or holding present. Just notice it. If it will let go, let it go. Then move down to scalp, forehead, eyes, etc. It’s interesting how we can hold tightness in our body without being aware of it. If you can stay with the body tightness, see if you can discover what’s behind it or causing it. Is there an emotion involved or a memory? A lot of our holding on is done with our bodies.
We also hold ideas tight. Holding tight to ideas creates all kinds of difficulty, conflict and suffering, again usually without our awareness. It’s as if they are held behind our back where they’re ready to be brought out to say, “I told you so.” This can look like, “This or you are dangerous” or “I really need that” or “That is disgusting.” What are some of the ideas you hold onto and recycle? There are also subtle ideas of a personal separateness or a self with a unique and fixed personality. A sort of, “I think therefore I am.” I would say this as, I believe I am separate which provides me safety and imortality. We don't want to see and admit that we are, like everything else impermanent. We hold our thoughts tight and believe they are essential and more important than direct experience. Isn't it true that thoughts and thinking are simply a brain activity which create a projection of reality which is not necessarily true?
We need to practice being open to life as it is and open to discovering how it is. In order to this we need to become aware of and let go of where and how we are holding tight to preconceived ideas and feelings. Often this is not at all easy. This is a practice that goes on and on as we open wider and wider to life, being alive and truly being who we are. It is possible to live more open and as a result be more free. More free to be authentic, experiencing life more fully, effortlessly sharing and receiving. As we become more comfortable not holding tight to a belief in how things need to be, this leads to finding joy in how things are. Life is a never ending adventure when we let go and be alive.
Please join us for morning Zoom zazen from 7:00 to 7:30 Tuesday and Thursday, and Sunday morning Zoom zazen and discussion of the topic for reflection blog from 8:00 to 9:00 Pacific Time. Here’s the Zoom link:
Meeting ID: 811 6100 3357
Passcode: 278259
Gassho,
Futai
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