The Forge of Zazen

I was re-listening to a Teisho (trans. place where the truth is) with Genjo Marinello Osho, entitled "No Cold, No Heat."

What struck me is where he said, "Here (Zazen meditation) is where we come to forge ourselves." He goes on to quote Dogen Zenji, "To study the way is to study the self. To forge the way we must study the self. To study the self is to forget the self. To leave behind or transcend the very top heavy egocentric view of self. To forget the self or loose the self is to be awakened, enlightened, in awe of all things great, small, animate and inanimate. We have forged enough to get beyond or past our attachments to an egocentric identity. This forging is not easy. To be burned up. Think about about it, to be forged in a kiln or an iron-smiths fire. Forged like hammered iron or steel. You have to be burned up, but what comes out of the forge is somehow stronger, more shapely and sharper. And this is what we use this room, the Zendo to do. To forge ourselves. To forget ourselves. To get beyond ourselves. To come repeatedly to the awe of all things. We get little glimpses."

How wonderful and clear, Genjo Osho's expression. I can really appreciate this a great deal. The other day, I was really angry about something that was going on. I didn't think that I would get through it.

My anger was that I felt so powerless over a particular issue. It felt as though, I was being consumed by a tsunami and that I would break. But then Dharma arrangement. One of my friends, Daiki Ed Cadman sent me an email. It was nothing major. Just letting me know what he was up to and how some things are going. But somehow his steadiness enabled me to be steady... centered and somehow more focused.

When I was able to get back to the Zafu and do some Zazen, it was like plugging in to a power source. Genjo Osho once said as a kind of a joke, "there is something about sitting on the cushion and memory. Our spine is grounded. By the time I finished I felt even more deeply centered and the storm in my mind was able to pass. Sitting and Daiki helped me burn off some of my ego attachment and give myself a break. Forgetting self can be an amazing relief.

I encourage you to listen to Genjo Osho's full teisho at Switchpod. It is a stunning view and amazingly expansive. Appreciate and enjoy. I really, really, really, really hope you see and feel something useful to you.

Namaste'

Jaye Morris, Curator
digitalZENDO