The Way Seeking Mind.
- clearstreamzendo
- Jun 23
- 3 min read
This week’s topic for reflection is the way seeking mind. The way is your spiritual path. It is the way of a meaningful life and its source is truth. We seek or there is a desire to find, locate and enter this path or way. It also intimately involves what is called the mind. The mind is not a subject, not an object, not a thing. It has no location or limits and it is all inclusive. It is luminous emptiness of self existence. Everyone is in one way or another to whatever extent, involved in this way seeking mind. It is coming home to who and how we are or being authentic. And it’s a journey without an end or conclusion.
Our Zen ancestor Sekito Kisen from 8th century China said, “If you do not see the way, you do not see it even as you walk on it. When you walk the way it is not near it is not far. If you are deluded you are mountains and rivers away from it.” I think we all struggle to find our way. As Yogi Berra said, “When you come to the fork in the road, take it.” What does he mean “take it”? Could it be that simple? There are always consequences for the choices we make. Sometimes significant consequences that cannot be undone. No wonder we hesitate and become confused. Sekito Kisen said it is delusion that puts us mountains and rivers away from the way. Delusion is seeing what’s not there, listening and hearing what’s not there, feeling what’s not there, thinking what’s not there etc. The other day I was driving home in my EV from Portland Oregon to Eugene where I live. My car told me I would have a 10% battery charge when I arrived home. I was worried was this enough? What would happen if I was stranded with no way to get a charge? What if, what if, what if? When I arrived home there was a 10% charge. I added significant anxiety to my experience of the journey by projecting or adding my unwarranted worry of running out of electrical charge. What are the ways you project what is not there adding delusion and separation to what is? Mountains and rivers refer to what is and how it functions.
Sekito said, “When you walk the way it is not near it is not far.” What kind of walking is this and where is the path? We are always on our path, on the path, moving, walking. Sometimes skillful sometimes not. Sometimes clear sometimes confused. Sometimes the path is sunny and delightful sometimes it’s stormy and harmful. The only way for the way to be not near and not far is to be the way. Be your life, this life. Escape is delusional. Receive what each day has to offer and give back your best effort. “When you come to the fork in the road, take it.”
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
Gassho,
Futai
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