Stillpoint
from 
JoeUser Forums
JoeUser Forums
With palms together,
Good Morning Everyone,
Life is to be lived, we say. This means life is to be experienced, and not just thought about particularly, Thinking is putting one thought in front of another and its a good thing, but not a substitute in any sense for the simple experience of life itself. Zen is about living, thinking is about conceptualizing living.
Zazen is the practice of being completely aware of our life as it is.
Last night at the synagogue, during the Kol Nidre service, I was present. My mind was saying, "Go to sleep; this is nonsense; the words are just words and old, dusty words, at that!" My body was saying, "Goodness this is a very long service! Sit down and stay down!"
Yom Kippur is a day of atonement. As if no other day serves such a purpose. Jews are a stubborn bunch, though, and we seem to think we should mark time and space with our imprint of sanctification.
So, I practice zazen during Kol Nidre. I practice awareness even if what I am aware of is not pleasant. I sit, Yet, I remain quiet. And just as with Zazen in the Zendo, at some point, a stillpoint is just there.
From this point, I embrace my sins. I witness my anger, my insecurity, my smallness. I witness my need to be loved and loving. I embrace my small self. Just as with Zazen, it is not enough to embrace these, we must essentially make them us. Recognize they are us.
In this recognition our humanity arises. The point between the ideal and the real becomes one point. A stillpoint.
At the conclusion, I stand, make a slight bow to the emptiness in the ark, and leave. No one is the wiser.
Be well.
Good Morning Everyone,
Life is to be lived, we say. This means life is to be experienced, and not just thought about particularly, Thinking is putting one thought in front of another and its a good thing, but not a substitute in any sense for the simple experience of life itself. Zen is about living, thinking is about conceptualizing living.
Zazen is the practice of being completely aware of our life as it is.
Last night at the synagogue, during the Kol Nidre service, I was present. My mind was saying, "Go to sleep; this is nonsense; the words are just words and old, dusty words, at that!" My body was saying, "Goodness this is a very long service! Sit down and stay down!"
Yom Kippur is a day of atonement. As if no other day serves such a purpose. Jews are a stubborn bunch, though, and we seem to think we should mark time and space with our imprint of sanctification.
So, I practice zazen during Kol Nidre. I practice awareness even if what I am aware of is not pleasant. I sit, Yet, I remain quiet. And just as with Zazen in the Zendo, at some point, a stillpoint is just there.
From this point, I embrace my sins. I witness my anger, my insecurity, my smallness. I witness my need to be loved and loving. I embrace my small self. Just as with Zazen, it is not enough to embrace these, we must essentially make them us. Recognize they are us.
In this recognition our humanity arises. The point between the ideal and the real becomes one point. A stillpoint.
At the conclusion, I stand, make a slight bow to the emptiness in the ark, and leave. No one is the wiser.
Be well.