Teachers

With palms together,
Good Morning Everyone,

Zen is a disciplined practice. Soto Zen values discipline (sila paramita), honors founders and ancestors, and holds its teachers in high regard. Beyond that, we place our palms together and bow often. We work at renunciation and honoring those in front of us. These are excellent practices. Kshanti, one of our six perfections, is often translated as patience, yet it also includes tolerance, forbearance, and acceptance, all of which teach us humility.

When we have a Teacher that Teacher is teacher to us often in very unexpected ways. My Teacher, Rev. Ken Hogaku Shozen McGuire Roshi, and I often are in conflict regards things such as politics, but we are above it all, Teacher and Student. We learn from each other. For years I have watched my teacher, wondered about him, marvelled at him, argued with him, and learned from him. I rely on my Teacher and have found, over time, he relies on me. We have Mind to Mind transmission.

Early in my relationship with him, I expected he would walk on water. I expected every word or gesture, question or comment, to be pregnant with some mysterious Zen teaching. And every word was, just not in the way I thought it would be. Dharma is the everyday, the everyday is in fact, everyday and every moment: every wart, every flower, every weed. It took awhile.

I urge each of you to seek out a teacher. A teacher who is humble, works hard, and is constantly with you in your heart and mind. Your teacher should be quick with the kyosaku, and equally quick with a hand on your shoulder. Every word, every gesture, every moment is a teaching.

Be well.