Learning to Care

"You exist in my universal self and what I direct myself to is caring for the you that is not separate from me." Kosho Uchiyama Roshi

Practicing Zen over the years, there's been a slow but steady recognition that we live with a mixture of "Seeing" and "Unseeing." By seeing I mean, the experience and knowing that we are connected, entangled and what I see in you are the things that are actually within myself too. This give an, "I can relate" or "I feel bonded to you" sensation.

When saying, "Unseeing" I mean that it's the experience of being so distorted, distracted, sometimes overly self involved that the net result is a sensation of psychological, emotional and spiritual disconnectedness. This hides the fact that we actually are together all the time.

Practicing Zen, the "Way of Unifying Heart-Mind," is to understand that as I learn to harmonize the body through my physical posture, the breath inside the breath and heart-mind with so-called "True being," that simultaneously that activity turns up the volume on my ability to experience my connection with others. By expanding seeing, caring can be expressed more deeply... authentically... ordinary...

So how do we practice? By sitting in zazen, learning to care for the body, learning to take care of our breath and learning to care for our heart-mind.

Once, my teacher, Genjo Marinello Osho was checking our postures during Zazen and as I sat, he took the time and even readjusted the posture of my hands. Without saying a word, he conveyed, "Care for your hands like This." It seemed like a very small thing, but so caring, at the very same time. He was looking out for me and seeing himself at precisely the same time. This was mutual benefit.

Today it's not uncommon to hear people use the expression, "Namaste'." It's degenerated in some instances as code for "I'm spiritual," and cool. But it only can genuinely be spiritual if we are seeing... really seeing rather than unseeing. Otherwise it's the unseeing that makes it a kind of punchline and it's not genuine caring.

Practicing and learning to care. This is the Zen that I'm making effort with, just for today. I'm really hoping that you practice too. believe it or not, we need the support of each others practice, in living out our life. I'm feeling It can be no other Way that this.

May We Practice Well,

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
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