With palms together,
Good Morning Sangha,
When practicing Zazen we should be present with ourselves and our environment, experiencing without thinking, feelings, tasting, smelling or touching. As we sit, our mind speaks to us, sometimes through thought, sometimes through sensation.We feel an itch, or something crawling, or a twitch, a stitch. We think. We see our thoughts. We might smell something, hear something, taste something. What is it?
This question arises and if we are not very careful, we are exploring it. Big mistake. Our Zazen is not to explore the interior and exterior of our minds and bodies. Our Zazen is to simply practice serene reflection: presence without attsachment/.
Shikantaza is the practice of wholeheartedly hitting the mark while seated. What is the mark? What is this present moment, exactly, before a thought or perception arises? That is the mark.
Be well.
3 comments:
sensei, when practicing the method of no method, thoughts do arise. what is the difference between exploring the thought and reflecting on the thought as you say? during zazen when thoughts arise, I stop the thought by thinking "next thought". I am not really trying to think of something but rather I am stopping my train of thinking. so there is a period of time then when no thought is present yet. is that the mark that you are referring to?
Hello Jeff, No thought is presnt yet, the mark. Good. Try not thinking. Be well.
Hi...
I really enjoy your blog...that's the first thing I do in the morning. Really interested in Zen teachings..
I liked the book "Zen and the art of motorcycle maintainence" though the book was not about zen teachings...but I think it helped me to wake up to realities...The only way to live, the way you want, is by living in the reality....
And then I have read in your blogs, about living in that particular moment in which you exist...the concept of place and time should diminish....
I have also started a blog...and looking forward to post the realities of my life....
Regards
Ravinder
Please keep writing and giving us the food to live the real life..
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