Open.
This week’s topic for reflection is open. What does it mean to be open? Certainly it’s having the ability and desire to listen and see something you are not aware of. Reflect on how you are good at this and where you shut this down or set up barriers to this.
Being open also requires being vulnerable. Is that the right word? Vulnerable or open to change and seeing that things are not like we want them to be. Being vulnerable is a function of love. It involves both pain and joy. Involvement leads directly to being vulnerable. This intimacy or awareness of intimacy indicates how alive we are; how human we are willing to be; how honest and real we are willing to be. When Senkei was in rehab prior to being discharged from the hospital following her spine surgery she had the most wonderful doctor. Whenever he came into her room he would ask her how she was. As she honestly answered him his face would wince as if he physically was feeling her pain and suffering. When it was time for her discharge he asked her if there was anything he could do for her. Senkei answered, “Can I take you home with me?” He told her to call the hospital and have them tell him she had called. He said, “Feel free to call me. You will continue to be my patient.” He was willing and able to be open to her which helped her be courageous and open to embracing her situation and challenge.
It’s risky to be open. It’s risky to not be open. Being alive involves risk. To be closed off is to ignore or hide from the way things are. Perhaps it’s too painful to directly see things as they are. Usually these fears are based on memories or past traumas. It takes courage and trust to open up to these fears. Sometimes it takes help from others. It’s not supposed to be easy. It’s hard work to be human.
Being open is also seeing and appreciating how wonderful life is. Isn’t it amazing? It gives me joy to see the children running around, playing together in our new neighborhood. Today is the first day of the new school year. The doe and fawn that live at our place in the woods are comfortable and not at all skittish around us. They just go about their grazing and scratching their necks with their hind foot when we are near. We belong here with them, sharing, together. It's okay to relax a little and be open.
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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