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Smile At Fear

2010-03-09T06:54:00.000-05:00

Pema Chodron shares in a deep, clear and penetrating way on learning how to work with fear which can limit our True being and becoming. The video clip is slightly more than 6 minutes, but she expresses the message very well.

May We Practice Well,

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
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Zen of Everyday Activity

2010-03-08T07:25:00.000-05:00

Whether we know it or not, we have a lot of responsibility and activity, in our week-to-week and day-to-day lives. I myself have commitments to my Buddhist practice, family, projects, work, requests from friends and demands from a few other areas. It's incredibly easy to go into "planning" mode and constantly projecting into the "next" thing that's coming up and fail to arrive in the present moment.

Where my mind goes, when I go into hyper-planning mode, I have no idea. The only thing is that I'm sure of is that I am lost, lost, lost to the present moment. I may be physically present, but it can result in being mentally and emotionally unavailable.

Within our various tasks and responsibilities, it's really important to learn how to be skillfully present, alert and attentive to what's directly present, without drifting off. For me, this practice is exactly like practicing zazen (sitting in unification mentally and physically).

With whatever activity that I'm engaged in, I make the effort to be mindful and harmonize with it. When I take an inhalation and make an exhalation, my breath does not belong to someone or something else. I am the breath. Instead of coming to a activity or task and looking at it as "Out-there," I practice at removing the invisible walls that might cause me to think or feel that the activity is a burden. When I spin off, just come back to the activity that is in front of me. We don't need to cast admonishments or be unfriendly with ourselves, just return to the present activity.

Really, Really, really practicing arriving in the now... the present moment... We and the activity are one being. We and the activity have no distance. We and the activity have no gaps. We and the activity have no time. We and the activity, if we are genuinely harmonized are as my teacher states, "Zero."

In this way we can learn a great deal about our mind. In this way we have an opportunity to move beyond what we think we know and deeply engage and be the "experience," Itself. It is the Zen of everyday activity.

Unify Your Everyday Heart,

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
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Open To This True Life

2010-03-05T08:54:00.001-05:00

I felt that perhaps the perfect way to end the week, was by sharing a short 10 minute clip with Leonard Cohen and his teacher Kyozan Joshu Sasaki, Roshi. I found it precise when he described part of the student - teacher relationship as a patient in a waiting room, waiting to see the doctor. We notice a kind of sickness and we want to get better.

May All beings Be Free,

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
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Choppy Waters of Life

2010-03-04T08:20:00.002-05:00

This week, I've run into quite a few people who've seemed to relate a narrative that they feel as though they are somehow not measuring up to who they've seen their life. It's as though they've assumed a posture that is self-deflating, rather than self-helping and self-encouraging, contorted rather than Upright. Being in their presence, though they don't always verbalize it, there's the sense that they are not just disappointed with their circumstance, but with themselves too.

When considering disappointment with oneself, I don't feel that's necessarily a bad thing in and of itself, if it spark or ignites a change in direction. The disappointment can actually be the motivation for change. But when we do nothing and just sit in it, perhaps wallow a little too long with it and are paralyzed, we need to look deeply and find a way as Shunryu Suzkui Roshi put it, "Resume" our True nature or Awakened Mind.

There there will always be disappointments with certain aspects of our life, this does not imply that we are the disappointment itself.

Some time ago, my teacher, Genjo Marinello Osho gave a Dharma teaching that I've been digesting, ever since he uttered the words, "We must learn to swim in choppy in choppy waters." These words from a "Master Swimmer" might seem simply, easy, nonchalant, but the truth is, everything about ourselves is 100% exposed by this so-called, "simple" sentence.

Sitting with this, I've noticed that life of it's own accord has choppy water. It's not a joke to say, it's a miracle that we are all alive. Despite the moments of naturally choppiness, there moments when with what might be described as overly self-involved, self-centered or egoistic mind set that I have taken choppy water and turned it into a tsunami. It's kind of comical that our mind has this capacity, but it's true.

The practice of Zen... Way of unifying Heart-mind, it to sit, sit, sit and stop stirring, stirring, stirring. No need to add to the choppiness whatsoever. Put in another way, there's no need to pour a tanker truck full of gasoline on a house fire.We can decide something other than self-defeating thinking and behavior.

The moment naturally choppy water appears in our life, we don't have to take it personal, as though it was some indicator of something that's defective about ourselves. When I stop taking the choppiness personally, my anxiety, anger and sense of disappointment drops. I can then treed-water. When I learn to harmonize with the waves, just a little, then I can start paddling. Becoming the waves itself, then it's all surfing and the choppiness seems to dissolve, even if just for a few minutes and we realize we are okay. No hands required.

In the moments of our day, I'm hoping that we are learning enough, to swim with the choppy moments. It wouldn't make sense not to do so, after all we are each very capable Buddha's or at least I'd like to feel so.

Yours In Zen,

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
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Study Yourself - By Shunryu Suzuki

2010-03-03T07:19:00.000-05:00

Peter Coyote narrates the chapter entitled, "Study Yourself," by Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, from "Zen Mind, Beginners Mind." He discusses and exploring the meaning of our everyday activity, so that we have an opportunity to come to the truth of ourselves. It's slightly less than 8 minutes, but there is a lot of content, helping to guide our mind Home.

May All Beings Practice Well,

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
digitalZENDO

Refusing Change

2010-03-02T07:18:00.018-05:00

We all have people in our life, including ourselves that have things that need to be changed and yet we refuse. These so-called "Things that needed to be changed," come in all shapes, sizes, colors, textures, but they all serve exactly the same result. They cut the connection with our genuine heart of being, leaving a plastic figurine in it's place. Despite the fact that these things undermine the quality of our life, we can literally resist change, holding on and causing harm not just to ourselves, but others too.

Being specific those that we are close with, who stubbornly refuse to change, refuse to examine themselves or their life, what do we do? Do we stay? Do we go? Do we give up? Do we stick with it despite the refusal, possibly enabling their unsoundness of mind? How do we help those to change that refuse it? This is a very common and difficult challenge, and I face it myself with some who are in my life, at this very moment.

For many years now, I've said the words, "Shu Jo Mu Hen Seigan Do," which means, "However innumerable all beings are, I vow to help them all." It's my promise, my vow and my commitment. It's the focus of a directed mind. It tells me to be present with and for others, as close to 100% as I can, and push myself if necessary to do so. This is my way of unifying mind, not just on the cushion, but out in the traffic of my life.

Speaking of traffic we have these people that we ride with, in the vehicle of our lives. We both see and know the clearly displayed road signs, "Be honest and trust worthy, Communicate honestly, It's better to be a part of the solution rather than the problem, If you won't help - at least don't hurt, It's better to be caring - rather than uncaring." Those we are with may see these traffic signs, but being that they are at the steering wheel of their life, actively or passively can and do decide to turn away for for any number of reasons. We are powerless over the actions of others. Ouch.

These "reasons" are as Zen Master Rinzai described it, "Diseases of the Mind," causing mental and emotional instability to the extent that we find it difficult to master our "True," life. Today we call these same things, "Mind viruses," or "Memes." Damaging pieces of mental malware that cause us to act against ourselves and others.

Shunryu Suzuki, Roshi once said, "Zen Buddhism is a good house cleaning for the mind." Sometimes people decide they don't want to clean their house. It's as simple as that.

As I experience interactions with those who refuse to change, I find my first responsibility is to diligently carry my practice forward, carrying them in my mind in a way that is loving as possible. The second is to do my best to be open and available, whether they are "ready" for change or not. The truth however may be, that readiness for change may not come in this life time, but the next. The third thing is improve on not being distracted by the negatives that I see and feel. They might say, "I hate you, I'm angry with you, I like being destructive," but I can work to manage the emotional hook... "Shenpa," and remain emotional available as possible. And four, is to remember that life is not emotional ballet. Sometimes it's slam-dancing in the pit of life.

People can refuse change. It's their right and prerogative, but they may change their mind tomorrow too, so be ready. Talking with @Ohiobuddhist yesterday she said, "You can lead a horse to water, but can't make 'em float." True, true, true. But the nature of Zen Mind is unifying all Being in such a way that things which might not ordinarily float - in fact do, even stubborn horses, refusing to do so. Just as Jizo Bodhisattva. I wish you good skill as we work this out.

May Your Life Go Well,

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
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Upright Body and Mind

2010-03-01T06:31:00.000-05:00

Hopeful to Start off Monday on a helpful foot, I'm sharing a clip of Zen teacher, Brad Warner. It's about 10 minutes long. He gives really nice insight in the "balance" of our posture and the effect on our mind. I really appreciated when he said, "Putting your body right is the same as putting your mind right."

May Your Posture and Mind Be Upright,

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
digitalZENDO

Thoughts on Practice

2010-02-26T08:08:00.001-05:00

As I've continued to study and investigate the latest edition of the Plum Mountain Newletter from Chobozenji, there is a tremendously helpful article, written by Genko Blackman Ni Osho. The article is entitled "Thoughts on Practice," and is on page three. I found the guidance incredibly compelling, clear and encouraging, reminding me of how grateful for the strong Dharma activity and training provided at Chobozenji.

Excerpting, Genko Ni Osho writes, "Through self-reflection and careful attention during zazen, we can clarify for ourselves what particular difficulties may slow down and stall our deepening practice. Through their own investigation, our predecessors on this path identified several major categories of difficulties, which are known as the Five Hindrances. These are Sensual Desire; Anger or Ill Will; Sloth, Torpor, or Sleepiness; Restlessness; and Doubt.

In the Theravadin traditions each of these hindrances is addressed through very specific practices that may be taken up as objects of meditation. But certain common themes run through all of these practices. First, know what it is you are facing. It is important to correctly identify the issue, so that your effort is directed effectively. Secondly, recognize the short-term nature of any satisfaction that comes from giving in to this hindrance. Third, there are some simple things we can do to help ourselves avoid reinforcing negative habits related to each of the hindrances, particularly as we begin working on them. Chief among these are "associating with noble friends," those who reinforce our best tendencies and provide a model for us, and “conducting suitable conversations,” as in Right Speech. Of course this is guidance for us here and now. But also becoming familiar with the Dharma through studying the old texts, the sutras, brings us into contact with the noble friends who preceded us, and allows us to take part in their conversations years after they occurred.

The traditional names of the hindrances can be a bit deceptive. For example, the second one, Anger/Ill-Will, is actually broader, including all aversion, or pushing away. So while we might think that boredom during meditation would be addressed in the hindrance called Torpor or Sleepiness, boredom is actually a subtle form of aversion, in which we resist or push away from complete attention to the here and now. It is more properly addressed using practices directed to lessen aversion. Pain or discomfort on the cushion is also addressed through this hindrance.

Likewise, excessive sleepiness can be caused by a lack of readiness to face an issue squarely, as much as it can be caused by poor posture or a lack of sleep. If we determine that this is what is going on, understanding and accepting it allows us to be patient with ourselves, until we are ready to take up that issue. It will not help in this case to treat our sleepiness as a physical problem. And Doubt here refers to indecisive practice, or doubt in how to proceed, rather than what we in Zen know as the Great Doubt.

Regardless of how we work at these stuck places in our practice, in the end it is up to us to observe and correctly identify our own "stuff" that needs working on. It is up to us to find, and use, the tools we need to do the work. It is up to us to keep going at it, in spite of everything that comes our way."

I strongly encourage you read her full article. The voicing is genuinely clear, beautiful and strong. As long as we're learning, we're growing. I hope that you find benefit in her words too, as Genko Ni Osho shares her, "Thoughts on Practice."

May We practice Well,

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
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God Giving - Shunryu Suzuki Roshi

2010-02-25T07:26:00.000-05:00

This morning, Peter Coyote narrates the chapter "God Giving," from Zen Mind, Beginners Mind," by Shunryu Suzuki Roshi. Zen practice... the moment-to-moment way of unifying heart-mind is not always what we think or project.

Suzuki Roshi powerfully expounds on "Dana Prajana Paramita," the Heart-mind crossing over into perfect giving and sharing. His expression is beautiful and clear, pointing to the unfolding that each of us are capable of. To hear it will only require 8 minutes 29 seconds of your life.

May We Be Open-hearted In The Way,

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
digitalZENDO

Take Care of This Life

2010-02-24T07:30:00.001-05:00

Last evening I sat with a group at a place called "Evergreen Cove." It was the last meeting completing a study of a book by Jack Kornfield called "A Path With Heart." Where they left off was the chapter entitled, "Difficult Problems and Insistent Visitors."

Listening, I heard people talk about many things that generate problems in our day-to-day lives. At one point the discussion turned to culture and the question of, "Do we here in the West carry a different psychology than those in other places like Tibet, China, Japan, wherein Buddhism a very accepted or embedded part of culture."

Silently my mind reflected on something Pema Chodron had once said about how her teacher was asked "depression"and "self-hate" to the extent that a person would want to hurt themselves, by engaging in self-destructive behavior. She said the concept was so foreign to him they had to go to great lengths and explain it to him. After some time sitting quietly she said he shook his heard and said, "That's shocking," as though he could not fathom such a thing.

Th group asked for my thoughts and feelings on this. I related, "Being American, having lived here all my life, with plenty of time to consider and observe not just so-called "American," culture but experience others through my monastic experience when living at Dai Bosatsu Zendo, there are in fact differences.

My sense is that it's primarily related to cultural focus. Some cultures appear selfish and are about what we can take. Others are based on what can we share and give. Our (American) culture of financial wealth, money and it's connection to power are so over emphasized, it can throw individuals and the society off balance to the extent that inadvertently egotism... self-centeredness... self-obsession are dramatically exaggerated. We are often looking outside of ourselves rather than within for solutions. We can say, "sorry, you don't have insurance, you need to go to some other hospital," as they are actively in need of some sort of help.

Couple that with the minute to minute messages with which we are bombarded. These messages, constantly point out how were are always somehow lacking, deficient, defective, needing to buy and consume products to "fix" our various life problems. The result is, we can end up very emotionally and psychologically ill, like catching a cold that never seems to leave. We are disconnected, cut in numerous pieces on our psychological butchers table, not sure if were are competent or capable of putting the pieces of ourselves back together, unifying ourselves psychically, mentally and spiritually.

The common and recurrent "Difficult Problem and Insistent Visitor," is that we so often prepare for some other life, rather than dedicate our time and energy to the one that is here with us now. Take care of This life, not some other one that is not here. Take care of This life, as This life attempts to take care of us, despite the resistance of a self feeling it's lacking. Take care of this life, because that's the best that we can personally do.

May Your Life Go Well,

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
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Comfort Zone Koan

2010-02-23T08:28:00.001-05:00

Over the past few days, the words "Comfort zone" have been coming up in repetitive way. Sunday I had an experience well outside my comfort zone and when I had gotten alone in my car, I found myself screaming Muuuuuuuuuu, Muuuuuuuuu, Muuuuuuuuuu! I was angry, because I was faced with a Rubik's cube, unable to see a clear and satisfactory "solution." I've never solved one in my entire life. This particular situation felt the same and I felt bummed out about it.

Yesterday, I saw one of my friends who was working with their own, "Comfort zone koan." They'd been telling me what a planner they are, to the extent of having very detailed life plans about three to four years out. They told me how where the planning had once brought them comfort, now felt like it was making them crazy. They stated having plans for their plans. It was like "can't live with them and cannot live without them. They did a stunning thing, questioning the nature of this "Comfort zone." My friend took all the written plans to the fireplace and burned them. They literally combusted and exploded their plans. What a brave thing to do...

Without the old labels, details and definitions, a gateless barrier cracked opened. Will they fully walk through... cross the threshold... I have no idea, but what a magnificent quantum jump.

Sitting with the the notion of the comfort zone, it's clearly one coin, with two sides. Being in the so-called comfort zone can feel relaxed... calm... frictionless... routine... safe... It's like being in a nice warm bubble bath.

Outside the comfort zone can feel uncertain... discombobulated... awkward... anxiety provoking... angry... frustrating... friction and grinding..., because we don't feel like the smartest kid in class or we're on our "own" territory. It's like an icy cold shower and we cannot turn off the water.

Though I want and enjoy being in the comfort zone, I can get dull... inattentive... unappreciative... lazy... In that state, when change comes, it's almost accidental, small and frequently incremental. To move forward, the hypnotic sleep state or distracted mind has to stop. Attentiveness and alertness has to be restored.

Outside the comfort zone, despite the awkward feeling, I tend to make leaps. Moments and circumstances tend to be decisive, clear cut changes in direction, because if for no other reason, their no way to be cool or smooth. It's like you have to drop all the crap and just jump to the other side. All the mental games have been removed.

This brings up an important point. When I'm with my teacher directly, through email, on the phone or using skype, Genjo Marinello Osho, frequently has me outside my comfort zone. It's like he's saying, "Yes, we've come a long way to get to the base of Mount Rainer, but lets not get comfortable here. Let's begin our climb... Mount Rainer is calling... let's keep going... it's only noon... the day... your life is not over yet. Come on." Other times when I'm feeling the urge to push forward, he blocks the path, stopping me and says, "Oh Seiho... look at this flower... let's sit here and appreciate This moment, This place, This breath... no place to go now."

Zen is not designed to be "hip, slick and consumer cool," as some have made it out to be. Zen is unifying heart-mind. Working with our "Comfort zone koan," is deeply valuable and important process for our life. We have some much to learn from it. I feel certain that when we apply ourselves with one-pointed undivided stabilized mind, we will genuinely resolve this particular Rubik's cube of our life. I have confidence. Please share with us and let us know how you are doing with it.

Yours In Zen,

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
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Samadhi, Harmony of Being

2010-02-22T07:49:00.001-05:00

In the most recent issue of the Plum Mountain Newsletter, Genjo Marinello Osho published one of his teisho's, based on Chapters 1 & 9 from "The Sayings and Doings of Zen Master Rinzai." His pointer on samadhi was so simple, clear and heart-felt that I thought this might be a nice way to begin our week.

Genjo Osho relates, "Usually, our discriminating consciousness is dominated by our instinct for survival, and the activity of distinguishing self from other completely colors our view. Therefore, we rarely even feel oneness or harmony. But, in samadhi, where we are harmonizing with some activity, even if it is just the activity of sitting and breathing on the cushion, that’s a time when the discriminating mind begins to relax. If you’re dancing and you’re thinking about the steps while you’re dancing, you’re not dancing. You can only dance when you’re not thinking about the steps. Then, something happens and between the dancing and the music and yourself there is a blending and dance happens. Because you’re not thinking about the steps, and harmonizing with the movement and moment, a natural rhythm and samadhi develops that is a prerequisite to any breakthrough.

Add to that a loosening of the barriers due to exhaustion [during sesshin], the crucible of fire and pain and you may find that your deepest psychological gunk is floating free around in your awareness. Perhaps some of it can now float away, but at a minimum it’s not constipated. At such times, we have a chance to go much deeper than harmony and unity. In a flash we may glimpse the boundless void of Shunyata and be blown away – I mean where you can’t find yourself and there’s no need to find yourself.

Sometimes the experience manifests as nothing but Nature; every squawk of the seagull is the Universe and every splash of the wave reveals or testifies this truth. In such a timeless moment there’s no sense of self whatsoever. There is no one observing and yet somehow there’s awareness without an observer. Other times, the experience manifests as everything blowing apart, revealing the formless boundless void. It’s like popping a balloon and what’s inside the balloon is completely empty. Everything pops, not just your sense of self. It’s realizing that every "form" is a multidimensional origami of Nothing. The first time one experiences a breakthrough of this kind it is transformative and life changing. This kind of deep breakthrough comes in several different flavors, but always there’s no self. And there is always the realization that the whole universe and beyond is dynamically alive (creatively vital)! No one penetrates this matter, where the boundaries between the usually cordoned-off sections of our brain are translucent, without exhaustive effort and the readiness of time."

Truly beautiful... clear... open... perfect... I hope that you may find this helpful to your practice. If you would like, you can not only read his entire teisho and much more in by downloading the adobe PDF from the Choboji website. It's thoroughly wonderful and much care has been put into it. I sure you'll enjoy it.

May You Practice Well,

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
digitalZENDO

The Skills of Unhappiness

2010-02-19T07:39:00.002-05:00

I recently finished reading "Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life's Most Important Skill," by Matthieu Ricard. Initially I was skeptical of it. To my own surprise, I never really thought of happiness as a skill, but rather a result, based on something "favorable," happening. As I waded more deeply through his pages, words, experiences, reflections and practiced Zazen with them, the more clearly I was able to see and feel what happiness as a skill could mean. I noticed I did indeed miss something.

In the process of digesting Ricard's book, I noticed something else to in my range of vision. Looking back, though my experiences, I was able to see how my unhappiness was a cultivated skill too. Yikes! That had never occurred to me, up to that point. I had always felt like, my moments of unhappiness sprung out at me from behind a tree, car or wall, like something that happened "mystically," for no apparent reason.

As I sat with "Unhappiness as a Skill," I could clearly trace patterns that I either intentionally or accidentally nurtured, promising to leave a frown on my heart-mind. Upon examination, breath by breath, I was able to see and feel the skills of unhappiness. On top of that I noticed that I managed to invest a staggering amount of time and energy to not just be unhappy but to stay that way.

What was it that Gollum said in J.R.R. Tolkien's, Lord of the Rings. "My precious [the ego] is Trixy." Here are a few ways that I've been trixy with myself in the past, cultivating skills of unhappiness:

1. Focus on what was going wrong, ignoring and deleting was was going right.

2. Holding on to mental and emotional scripts/narratives leading and expressing unhappiness, without testing them to see if they are capable of being re-written, dissolved or even true.

3. Nurturing wounds and making tepid efforts in healing or cultivating happiness. As one friend put it, "Sometimes... not all the time... self pity is self-manipulation."

4. Isolating. An odd truth is that by getting out, sharing time and doing things that might be helpful to others tends to redirect my mind and emotions.

5. Poverty mentality. If our mind that has difficulty appreciating what is present, open and available in this very moment, unhappiness is guaranteed.

6. Self-Centeredness or self-obsessed thinking/feeling. The basis of not just survival but growth is based on the principle of We rather than me. We are interconnected and entangled, not just in this lifetime but far beyond time itself. I live with you, not without you. This is my most basic truth.

Most of what I'm describing would fit neatly under the heading of "Self-defeating behaviors." Thinking, feeling and actions that have the net-effect of chopping ourselves down like a tree. Skillful unhappiness is often reached by a cumulative effect, rarely a single instance or event. In the end we often call these things our "baggage."

Matthieu Ricard's, "Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life's Most Important Skill," is a worthy companion to share time with. Happiness is indeed a skill. We have a choice. Our life isn't "just happening," to or at us. We are influencing, shaping, cultivating and creating with our mind, all the time. We can Awaken our heart-mind. We can practice smiling, rather than practicing frowning. Developing the skills of happiness is doable, it simply requires practice.

May Your Life go Well,

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
digitalZENDO

Mastering This Breath

2010-02-18T06:26:00.000-05:00

Completing zazen this morning, as I stood up, I thought to myself, "The true challenge of unifying mind is meeting just this breath." It was a kind of self comment on my practice this morning.

In moments my mind was drawn to tasks I wanted to take care of today. In another moment was wondering about the taxes, wondering if I would owe this year or get a refund. Another moment was on someone close to me and wonder how they are *really* doing with a particular situation. And then my mind shifted to a moment when I was last at Choboji and recalling Genjo Marinello Osho stopping in front of me and adjusting my hands, turning my wrists a little. Then there was the thought, I must return soon.

Interspersed with each of these thoughts was a gentle nudge to return to my practice and come home to this present moment. Simple yet difficult. the body is present in the moment, but not the focus of my mind. Too frequently my mind likes to evade the present moment. After all this time, the training remains a process and not an event.

Just to meet This breath is indeed the challenge of my life. It's the effort and tenacity to show up and arrive in the present moment of each inhalation and then the exhalation. We are arriving now... Arriving now... Arriving now... We are always arriving, right here, right now at the present moment. Despite this fact, it doesn't come naturally for most of us. It's an acquired skill, to arrive in the present moment with clarity and awareness. It's for this reason that there is a word called "Mastery."

Mastering and harmonizing with the breath, in this very moment takes, effort time, practice and skillfulness. It's in these moments that my mind reflects on the expression I once heard, "In the long, long life of the universe, in this effort and practice, you are not wasting your time."

We do not have to give up. We can keep practicing. We can be diligent. Eventually, over time and befriending ourselves, we will all come to a point where we have mastered our breath and come to the present moment. If we practice well, we will be mastering this very breath. Enjoy it, with no regret.

Yours In Zen,

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
digitalZENDO

A Poor Monk

2010-02-17T08:14:00.000-05:00

Genjo Osho examines the tenth case of the Mumonkan or Gateless Gate collection of Zen koans and investigates what is poverty. He transcends our collective day-to-day thinking and feeling, rendering a far more vast and dare I say "richer" understanding of what is and is not poverty, within each moment.

Genjo Osho relates, "Yamakawa Sogen Roshi, tells the following story, he say's, I once knew a priest near my temple who near my temple volunteered to help refugee's, in the Vietnam War. One day he heard that the relief supplies were not going directly to the refugee's, so he decided to go to Vietnam himself to deliver them.

In the camps, the refugee camps, there were lots of sick and wounded people, adults and children, men and women. They where all malnourished. When he visted the camps, he carried loaves of bread, in his duffel bag. At one camp, he saw five (5) children outside. They had beautiful eyes, but were very skinny. When they saw him, they approached him with wishful looks. He happened to have only five (5) loaves of bread, so he gave one to each child.

One child said to him, "There are more children inside the tent. They are sick. Do you have something for them too?" But he did not have anything left so he said, "Sorry, that's all I have now. I'll bring some more later."

He thought they would eat their bread immediately, because he knew that they had not had anything to eat for days. But they didn't do this. They talked among themselves and then went into the tent, with their loaves of bread. the priest who brought the bread followed them. then he saw them... the children breaking their loaves of bread into pieces and sharing them with the sick children. They even gave away their own portion to others. These children who he had given the bread to must have been starving yet they gave up their food for the weaker children.

The priest realized his own arrogance. He learned from these children that even though they were poor, their hearts were not poor."

This is the beautiful and open launching point Genjo Osho uses, rendering and connecting the dots on the compassionate heart of being and becoming. His expression is so intimate and clear, I came away thoroughly soaked with appreciation. And though I use the word appreciation, it comes up miles short of the feeling within my chest.

I'm hopeful that you take the time to listen to the complete teisho. It's fuel for the heart-mind, giving a window of opportunity to connect with ourselves in a seamless way. If you'd like, you can also listen, by way of iTunes, for free. May you find yourself with his words.

Love All - Serve All - Every Single Say,

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
digitalZENDO

How To Be Happy

2010-02-16T07:46:00.000-05:00

Getting into the rhythm of the week, after having been sick, I thought a good place to begin is with a excerpt of a talk given by Sogyal Rinpoche on "How To Be Happy." The 9 minute clip emphasizes key aspects of working with our mind, so that we can engage is a process of self-help rather than self-hurt. Such is the nature of Zen.

My Life Is My Bow,

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
digitalZENDO

Control

2010-02-12T07:24:00.000-05:00

Peter Coyote narrates, on the chapter of "Control," from Shunryu Suzuki, Roshi's "Zen Mind, Beginners Mind." In unifying our heart-mind we use what seems and appears unbalanced to re-see our balanced nature.

May Your Life Go Well,

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
digitalZENDO

Humbled Rather Than Humiliated

2010-02-11T07:44:00.002-05:00

Over the past few days I've been reading and re-reading a vibrant teisho given by Genjo Marinello Osho and I thought it might prove invaluable as a point of practice well worth sharing. This text is from The Blue Cliff Record, Case 66, "Ganto Laughed Loudly." This glimpse appeared in the most recent edition of the Newsletter for the Zen Studies Society, Winter/Spring 2010.

"Our this last full day of Summer Sesshin, we almost had teisho a half-hour early. Genko sent the inji [attendant] upstairs with the unenviable task of telling the Abbot that he was a half-hour early [laughter]...

We all make mistakes and are, from time to time, distracted. Ideally we should be humbled, rather than humiliated by such a revelation. When we feel humiliation, it is nearly always left over from some childhood trauma that is stimulated by our current circumstances, most often some sort of error on our part. The extent that we feel humiliated is probably directly proportional to how much baggage we're carrying from our own troubled childhood. Alternatively, to the extent that we feel humbled by an error and say, "Oh, that's right," then this is probably a good measure of how well we have processed or digested our childhood traumas. The Inji said, "Do you intend to have teisho early?" And I said, "No, there's no need to have teisho early." That's it. No more need be said.

We think that, in the process of so-called mastery, we're going to become someone we're not, or that we'll realize something that will change us. We may believe that we will in some permanent way transcend our monkey mind, get forever past prsonal history, or never make a mistake again. And, of course, all this is impossible! We'll never be without our childhood, our monkey mind, or what we call our bumpkin nature.

What our Zen practice does do for us is help us realize that we are so much more than our bumpkin nature. In the readiness of time, we begin to come to terms with the vastness of our True nature..."

So precise, so direct, so beautiful. I am ever grateful to Genjo Osho. I have a lot of appreciation and gratitude that such a point can be so well articulated and shared. It connects deeply with my heart-mind. It begs to be studied and examined closely, to see what's inside the boxes that we've constructed with our mind. I genuinely hope that you benefit from this teaching. Coming to the truth of ourselves, is an amazing gift to receive.

May Your Life Go Well,

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
digitalZENDO

Vigilance

2010-02-10T09:30:00.003-05:00

Boundless wind
Supporting sky, ceaselessly.
Firm earth,
Sustaining rivers, mountains
trees and innumerable Beings.
Mandala of Snow cries out... Vigilance!

It's a fact that in order to walk, we must make a consistent and concerted effort to stand up. Without doing do, we would simply fall down, under the natural force and pull or gravity. It's nothing personal. Gravity is not out to "get us." It's a necessary element that comes with the miracle of living on a rock that's floating in space, orbiting at precisely the right distance from a star that helps to sustain our life.

In practicing the Way, I've been learning to practice with so-called "Inconvenience," the potential to fall down. The question that I regularly ask myself is, "Who is it that is being inconvenienced? Who is the one that's falling down?"

Yesterday, I heard many people complaining about another snowfall coming. We've already gotten 28 inches and now 6 to 12 more are expected today. More inconvenience for the back that has to shovel the snow, the red face stung by the cold air, to the one who has to dig out the car, travel icy roads and stand in the cold to pump gasoline with a frozen metal handle that's so cold it causes pain to the hand holding it. How terrible.

Other times there's the inconvenience of "losing" track or control of our valuable time. It's thinking or feeling, "Could they talk just a little faster, I have some place I'd rather be." In other moments, "Why are they asking me to do _____________, isn't this their responsibility?"

If we examine our experience there are dozens of ways during the day that we might feel inconvenienced... narrowed... compressed... put aside... Our Buddha Nature, Awakened Mind is ceaselessly asking us, "How will you manage or mismanage that moment, when it presents itself to you?"

In learning to experience Zen and thoroughly practice, we can reduce... dissolve... melt... combust... digest... and perhaps transform inconveniences. Disadvantage can be turned into an advantage. My feeling is that it requires experiencing the mandala that is our very life... This is where vigilance is so important.

There is the daily practice of vigilance in listening. There is the daily practice of vigilance in caring. There is the daily practice of vigilance in cooking dinner and washing the dishes. There is the practice of vigilance in not just saying I love you, but being "I love you." There is the practice of vigilance in sitting to unify heart-mind. Because there is vigilance in the world, right now at this very moment, snow is falling and there no inconvenience, whatsoever.

With Warm Smiles,

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
digitalZENDO

Contractions

2010-02-09T07:48:00.000-05:00

"Contraction," perfectly describes how I experience so-called "unfavorable," circumstances in my life and that of others. It's that moment of feeling or thinking "I don't want this," or "Please no, not that," and with it comes a tightening below the stomach. It's a moment when both body and mind are seamlessly focused, reacting together to the circumstance and nothing exists outside of that moment. That moment is the entire universe and nothing exists outside of it.

These contractions can range from someone "stealing," our parking space in the grocery store parking lot to, the moment we are told a friend or family member has been hospitalized, lost a job, had their feelings hurt. There are a million things that can cause the contraction but only one thing that can cause the contraction to release. The mind has to change it's feeling about what caused the contraction in the first place. This can be simple but difficult, because negative emotions can be really sticky.

To begin changing my mind and releasing the contraction, I focus on my breathing. Mind follows the breath, so I bring my attention to the inhalation and exhalation. I feel and visualize my breathing, placing it just below my belly button. If it's high up in my chest, I move it down, until it's a rest in the "hara." Often I bring my attention to the koan that my teacher has given me or I say to myself silently, "Right now at this moment, I am breathing in." And then when I exhale I say, "Right now at this very moment, I am breathing out," which is a traditional practice Thich Nhat Hanh encourages, that I find helpful.

Using either method, the effort is to become present. That's key. So often when the contraction occurs, my mind and body are wanting to go somewhere else. Centering in the breath is the realization that we don't have to do that. Being with the present moment is okay.

Going further, I use a method from Neuro-Lingusitic Programming (NLP). Whatever is drawing the focus of my attention, through the contraction, I visualize it within my mind, making it smaller (less threatening). I might also change the color of what I'm visualizing, brightening it. I then visually move what's causing the contraction further away in distance. In this way, I can sometimes gain a different view and perspective on what causing the contraction or pain, making my mind my own, rather than misdirected and mismanaged by anxiety or fear.

While this may seem fairly elaborate, it's not. Connecting with these methods only take a matter of seconds. The effectiveness varies, but I like to remind myself that things like this are a process not an event. It can take time to make friends with our mind. We're looking to gain traction and movement, not quick fixes and so-called "perfect resolutions." We are making an effort to release the contraction. It requires practice, determination and diligence. We can help ourselves. We can release the contraction.

May Your Life Go Well,

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
digitalZENDO

We Live With You, Not Without You

2010-02-05T07:33:00.000-05:00

"Come home soon." As I sat this morning, I reflected on something Junpo Denis Kelly, Roshi and later my own teacher, Genjo Marinello, Osho said to me. Come home soon... Return to the Heart-mind of being... These deep feelings and connections were influenced, after I read a comment made by a friend's post to digitalZENDO yesterday. It's so moving, it calls to be shared directly, front and center.

"The past 1-1/2 years have been really hard for me. I refused to sit for much of that time, and my "views" got to stinking pretty good. Suffering up, up, up! I knew better, too. So, awhile back I decided that would change, and I even started a sitting group at my house because I know the one thing that will keep me on the cushion is the thought of sitting with others knowing I'm not practicing regularly. It was an act of enormous compassion for myself. Because of my particular conditions, it has been very, very hard. And a huge part of it has been re-learning that the thought that I am alone is just that - a thought, a wrong view that is so destructive.

I have been without a sangha for a long time. I didn't think it was by choice, so I resented it, and outwardly, I really didn't have options for being part of a sangha. But inside, now I realize it was my choice, because I couldn't see the sangha that was already around me that didn't fit my idea, my view of what it should look like, because it wasn't 'Buddhist.'

I still want to be part of a Buddhist sangha, and a teacher that speaks English and is accessible would be nice. But ultimately, these are outward conditions, and we can't wait till we have all these things just right. I had to start sitting every day again to see it. I had to give up some of my views, too. It isn't easy, is it? No, suffering is easier by far, but it's a lousy alternative.

Cheri."

Every moment... with each breath, there is an effort... a want... a desire...an urge... to "Come home soon." This has been the effort and purpose of our life and being. To harmonize and transcend inside and outside, expressing the seamlessness of our being.

Genjo Osho once said, "You are the pilot of your own practice." What appears to be a easy or simple sentence, is in fact opening the gate to unifying our heart-mind. He is saying, "Come on in. You've made it. So nice to see you again. You've made it home. Please lets have some tea." In that moment we no longer have to be a stranger to our self, our life, to each other.

Cheri, I thank your for your courage. I thank you for your Being. I thank you for the reminder to come home soon. As I said to another friend the other day, "We live with you, not without you."

Love All - Serve All - Every Single Day,

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
digitalZENDO

Looking Deeply

2010-02-04T07:22:00.000-05:00

This morning is an excerpt from a Dharma talk, given by Thich Nhat Hanh. Within, he discusses during the 5 minute clip, Nirvana as the removal of wrong views. Beautiful is beautiful.

With Warm Heart,

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
digitalZENDO

Please Sit With Me

2010-02-03T08:31:00.000-05:00

Last evening, I had the opportunity to spend time with a Buddhist study group. At one point the discussion turned to, “Are you sitting?” The answers were interesting, but not surprising. When it was boiled down, it was almost uniformly, “No.” The answers were pretty standard, going from, “I can’t make the time,” to “my house is too noisy,” to "I have a really busy life," to “I’m not sure why I don’t.”

As I listened, I reflected on my own moments in the past, when I avoided the zafu (trans. meditation cushion). For me if I’m avoiding sitting, there’s usually only one true reason. Fear. That fear can show up in about 9,000 different ways.

Plain and simple there are times that I don’t want to be confronted with my own mind and potentially have to deal with messy experiences, messy thoughts and messy emotions. Zen… the practice of unifying the mind, is not emotional ballet. It can be like jumping in a mud bath and feeling there might not be a shower available or nearby to clean up with later. Put another way, sitting can at times provoke anxiety, because we may feel uncertain of ourselves or perhaps even feel a little defective as a human being. We may have the sense that it we look at ourselves that we may somehow “fall apart,” and not know precisely how to pick up the pieces.

How’s that for straight up?

The good news is that, we are none of us alone. We are together, whether we notice it or not. On one angle it may look like I here and your there, but on another angle we are seamless, gapless and mind to mind. You may say, that’s not true, but then again, you are reading these words and we are definitely sharing Mind. We are not alone.

More directly, I have a teacher and sangha that serve as a guide and spiritual guardian, for my being. Genjo Marinello Osho, is ever reminding me, sometimes gently, sometimes firmly… “Your feeling happy, please sit some more… your not feeling your best or inadequate… please sit some more… You car won’t start… call a mechanic, but please sit some more… You think you are seeing the Ox of Zen… please sit some more… always sit, sit, sit, sit, sit, sit, sit… Just like the Buddha (trans. One with Awakened Mind) that you are. Never give up. Never stop. Always sit some more.” I feel this deeply with him. That's important.

His compassionate, diligent, attentive and mindful nature reminds me, no matter what, be present and alert. As any good teacher, he urges me to show up for This life, not some other life. To study myself well and not avoid the opportunity afforded to me by having a human life. Our ego may try to scare us into not sitting and coming to the truth of ourselves, but it’s just a projection… an illusion… it’s kind of like dreaming, while being awake.

If we are not taking a few minutes of our day to sit and unifying our Mind, what are we doing with our precious time? I know that 15, 20 or 30 minutes might seem like a big chunk of time, but in truth we have 1440 minutes in a day. We can do this. We can practice. We can give ourselves the gift of coming to know our True nature.

We are not defective. We are okay. We really are having our best life ever. Please sit with me and come to see this for yourself.

Practice and Live Well,

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
digitalZENDO

Single-Minded Way

2010-02-02T07:37:00.001-05:00

Peter Coyote narrates the chapter "Single-Minded Way," from Zen Mind Beginners Mind by Shunryu Suzuki Roshi. Listening, I'm reminded that Suzuki Roshi once said, "To studying Buddhism is not to study Buddhism, but to study the self," paraphrasing Dogen Zenji. For me this is really, really, really important. I am not so much studying something outside, but what's genuinely inside.

May Your Life Go Well,

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
digitalZENDO

Don't Run To The Hills

2010-02-01T08:22:00.003-05:00

Last week during the State of the Union, President Obama delivered a funny line. He said to his fellow Democrats, who've been feeling embattled, "Don't run to the hills." Take a stand and deal with difficult circumstances, rather than attempting to hide and duck for cover, hoping to avoid what the moment may really need from us.

The other day, one of my friends who told they've been "tired" a lot more, sleeping at unusual times, because of stress. Another friend told me of how he heard "precisely" what he didn't want to hear and shut down emotionally from his peers. Someone else I know spends endless hours shopping, because it helps them to "feel better." Other people that I know are undercut by various forms of addiction. All the distraction and avoidance is a type of running to the hills, rather than turning to face and meet the issue head on. From my personal experience, this can be the result of tremendous fear and anxiety.

Through the process of zazen, sitting to unify mind, the truth I came to is that each of us have something... some unfavorable circumstance... some issue... some thing... that we would rather avoid. Through examining mind, I wasn't able to see anyone who didn't have some serious challenge. We can feel so out of our depth, that sometimes, running to our emotional or psychological hills is the only things that seems to make sense, to our survival instincts. It's often counter-intuitive to turn and fight our dragons... tigers... problems... hardships...

One of the many benefits of engaging in Zen practice over a long period of time is that we can gain a hand-hold or foot-hold within our own heart-mind and being. Rather than being over-run and consumed by the storms within our life, we have the ability to move to the eye of the hurricane or tornado and regain our balance and perhaps even move in a way with the unfavorable moments, so that we don't feel hurt... injured... wounded... destroyed...

Zen... Unifying the heart-mind is easy... but not simple. It does require a certain determination... not to give up, abandon ourselves or be driven our by fear and anxiety. It does call for a capacity for self-honesty, openness, hope and the steady application, rather than escape into our fantasy worlds. In this way, rather than running for the hills, we learn.. learn... learn... to stay present with the moment and meet our circumstances as best we can.

May Your Life Go Well,

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
digitalZENDO