This week’s topic for reflection is right here on the ground.
From the book, “Zen is right here” “A woman told Suzuki Roshi she found it difficult to mix Zen practice with the demands of being a housewife. ‘I feel I am trying to climb a ladder. But for every step upward, I slip backward two steps.’ ‘Forget the ladder,’ Suzuki told her. ‘In Zen everything is right here on the ground.’” Zen often refers to “being on the path.” This implies there is a particular path called Zen practice. Suzuki Roshi said it is not a matter of climbing up or slipping backward, that “everything is right here on the ground.” The path is right here on the ground and it includes everything.
Zazen is the ground of Zen and it includes everything. When you sit and meditate, do you approach it as if it’s a ladder to get somewhere? Even if you are not trying to get somewhere, what are you doing? Always start where you are. I use zazen as an opportunity to pause and check in. How am I physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually? I’m not so much judging but simply noticing. I take a few minutes to get into the seated upright posture and sit still. Then starting at the top of my head and slowly going down I notice if I am holding tension or feel uncomfortable or out of sorts. Are there any emotions? Am I open and relaxed, holding tight or shut down? I’ll notice if I’m judgmental but I don’t buy into it. Going through this process helps me bring my awareness to the ground of how I am right now, right here. Then I relax into my breathing. If I am particularly anxious with “monkey mind” I might not be able to relax into my breathing. I just return to relaxing into breathing again and again wether it happens or not. Sometimes I slip into relaxing into breathing and openness. Whatever happens I feel better for having paused in this way. There might be times when you are too anxious or overwhelmed to sit still and observe so you decide not to do this. However you are is okay.
For now, let go of should. Yes that is easy to say and often hard to do. I find that should is an idea of how I should be or how things should be. These ideas often tell me I should be better than I am or somewhere else better based on past experiences or how I see others. I wish is a variation of should. These ideas are paper tigers where simply seeing them and calling them out they begin to loose their power and control.
Life is not about being better or better than or climbing up. When you choose who you are, how you and where you are with open curiosity and love, then “everything is right here on the ground.” In truth nothing is lacking.
Please join us on Zoom for morning zazen from 7:00 to 7:30 Tuesday and Thursday, in person Zen meditation in Eugene Saturday morning at the McNail-Riley house from 9:00 to 11:00 and Sunday morning Zoom zazen and discussion from 8:00 to 9:00 Pacific Time. Here’s the Zoom link:
Meeting ID: 811 6100 3357
Passcode: 278259
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