The process of bringing Zen into our lives is one of gently letting our awareness practice enter every moment of our lives. It is not rearranging our lives to perform certain exercises.
The heart of the practice is the instruction, "Let it come and let it go." Whether "it" is a thought, an emotion, a thing, or the self, we have constant opportunities in our daily life to practice.
In quiet moments, and in simple repetitive actions, one can open awareness to the present.
The awareness practice brings can be extended into every part of our lives. This should be done slowly, with great patience, and without tension.
Living in our complex information society, we encounter many unexpected situations of great intensity. The karmic self manifests its widest swings in such intense circumstances. Yet using these moments of great intensity as opportunities for practice may lead to maturity in practice.
Zen meditation offers great opportunity to study the self, forego the self, and return to our self-nature.
In the words of Dogen Zenji:
To study the way is to study the self
To study the self is to forget the self
To forget the self is to be enlightened
by all things of the universe.
To be enlightened by all things is to transcend
the distinction of self and other
and to go on in ceaseless enlightenment forever.
We can practice by ourselves. We can practice with a group. We can let the practice flow into our every moment. Let it happen naturally. Do not force the practice. Do not be slack. Calmly, and without tension, return to the practice. Simply do it. And most importantly, enjoy!
