Facing The Problem Moments

Yesterday as I was attempting to bring a project to a close, two of my friends called, at separate times. They both had problems that they wanted to talk about. With the first friend who called. The solution was obvious and straightforward. The reason why he actually called was to complain about being inconvenienced by a situation. There was the obligatory, "That's not fair. How could they have made a mistake," rant. I asked him at one point, "How do you benefit, by whipping up your emotions like this? What kind of waves are you sending out into your life?" He responded with a "damn it, You don't let me stay mad." We both laughed and that was that.

The second friend who called was going though a challenge, far more difficult and definitely not straightforward. It was one of those situations where you'd love to have a crystal ball and be able to see the outcome and have the "right" answer, because the situation had so many variables and felt so big. He asked me if I thought he was making the right decision. I was honest and said, "I don't know. I wish I had a license from the psychic friends network. But I trust the motivation and effort that you are bringing to the table." I could really relate to him, in a deep way.

In my life, I have some very daunting challenges of my own. I recognize to a large degree that I'm powerless over people and events. I know that no one would blame me if I folded, but at this moment I've decided not to do that. Though I've been in a kind of blizzard on a particular circumstance, I am managing to feel my way through. I have no idea whatsoever as to how it may turn out, though I'm hoping for the best. This is my koan. This is my life.

Our life doesn't have to be emotional ballet. Some times it's just open-hearted caring determined effort, motivated by a vow, "Butsudo Mu Jo Seigan Jo," crawling through the mud. Why? Because there is nothing else to do but that. Fortitude... The spiritual strength for the endurance of hardships.

Recently my teacher Genjo Marinello Osho said, "How you are when you are sweeping the floor alone, in your ordinary life has an impact on us all," because we are seamlessly interconnected. And for this reason, it's my responsibility to at the very least to "make a good effort," if not my best. The same might be said for you too, if you can hear It, calling you to do it. How we live our lives influences each other.

Whether the problems are small or big, we have the capability and capacity to face them well. We don't have to run, we could stay with our self, in the moment, feeling This breath. We don't have to have an internal or external temper tantrum. Through the process of gradually and slowly unifying our mind, moment to moment, we can deflate the problems/challenges we may be feeling, as though we are exhaling and releasing the breath.

I don't always have to have the right answer to my problems. When facing the problem moments, I just need to be sincere in how I meet them.

~Yours In Zen,

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
digitalZENDO

-- Post From My iPhone

Comments

[banzan]

mu!

:)