Sanity.
- clearstreamzendo
- Apr 14
- 3 min read
This week’s topic for reflection is sanity. The state of mind/body I’m referring to is not dependent on the situation you find yourself in. It does entail having a degree of stability and openness which enables seeing the situation clearly enough to respond in an appropriate way.
A quality or characteristic of sanity is seeing clearly. We all see clearly but this clarity can be obscured or clouded by delusion. Delusion is anything we see or think and believe that is not true. Any direct experience that is free of thought, opinion or belief is quite possibly true and not delusion. Another characteristic of sanity is stability. This is the ability to honestly face the situation you’re in without the need to dominate, control or flee. This is being able to be present and even relax without freaking out. Another characteristic is openness and caring. This is when compassion and love is the natural expression of who and how we are.
Having the ability to be sane is something that can be developed and strengthened. Breath practice is an effective way to develop sanity. Allow the breath to teach you how to be present and in your body. The breath can teach concentration, focus, patience, openness and the truth that there is no separation of inside and outside. Another method of developing sanity is zazen. Zazen is sitting still and present, upright in your body however it is in this moment. Upright doesn’t necessarily mean with a straight vertical back but being confident, patient, undistracted and relaxed. When I notice I’m getting a bit crazy, I return to the meditation of zazen. Even if the zazen seems a bit crazy, afterwards I always feel more sane again. There are other ways of developing sanity.
Realizing the true nature of self or no-self and the seamless functioning of all things is the direct experience and expression of our fundamental sanity. This is also clearly seeing that the effort made to protect and maintain a separate self that doesn’t actually exist is a huge mistake. We can then more easily practice simply getting out of the way and act for the benefit and well being of everyone. At least we can try. Being able to simply get out of the way and act freely in response to the situation is the fullest expression of sanity.
A normal human life can have many events that can result in what feels like insanity. I’m pretty sure human life is not set up to be perfect or easy. It’s hard if not impossible to practice being sane when we are overwhelmed and feeling crazy. When overwhelmed or feeling crazy, the first step is to notice this is how we are. We will have a next breath so if we can remember, consciously inhale deeply and let the exhale release. If you can, repeat this as many times as you need to allow your breath to return you to being okay. That is, more sane. I find practicing developing sanity is important to do everyday and throughout the day. If we wait until we need it, it will often be too late. And we are never alone. We can always reach out to others for help and to offer help. True friendship and sharing is very sane.
Please join us for morning Zoom zazen from 7:00 to 7:30 Tuesday and Thursday, in person zazen at the McNail Riley House Saturday morning from 9:00 to 11:00 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
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