Just Fix the Tire

With palms together,
Good Morning Everyone,

In past notes I have written about every moment Zen. Every moment Zen is Zen in motion, Zen in stillness, Zen in between. We often refer to it as "shikantaza," and although in the main, as with many Zen teachings, the focus is on the cushion of practice, shikantaza is the practice of non-moving mind.
The whole point of practicing zazen is to get to the place where we are able to be stillness of mind itself. Mind like water: at peace, absorbing, reflecting, enveloping, present completely.

Student KoKyo yesterday made the point in dokusan that the early teaching of breath counting can be a block to non-moving mind. It is true. We teach beginner's to place their attention on their breath and to count their breath, in order to give their minds a place to sit. and stay. Yet, very soon, this becomes a way of maintaining a moving mind.

Non-moving mind is fully present mind. A mind that just is. It perceives without attaching, without distorting or otherwise processing sensations in situations. It is a completely open and receptive mind.

When we are non-moving mind our situation becomes perfect. In this mind there is no such thing as a problem. There are only situations within which we engage as directly and without judgement as possible. A flat tire happens; we are hungry; the baby is crying; the dog needs walking: what is our function?

Master Sahn says, "only go straight!" By this he means do what is correct to do in each situation: we fix the tire, eat, care for the baby, walk the dog. Laments about self are pointers to the work we have yet to do.

For those in the Las Cruces area, my class in Everyday Holiness will offer practice in just this skill. It begins Sunday the 11th at 3:00 PM at Temple Beth El.

May we each become a blessing in the universe.