Beginner's Mind

This is a famous book by Shunryu Suzuki called "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind." It's one of the first Buddhist books I owned in the early 1970s. One of Suzuki's first topics is posture. I bet I rolled my eyes back then at his incredibly detailed description of how to sit, and tilt, and hold our hands -- not to mention his paradoxical references. In my impatient youthful years, no wonder I could never truly get into Zen. All that sitting, which I found unbearably boring, and the incomprehensible koans. But I liked the idea of it enough to continue reading over the years, even when I wasn't sitting. Liked it enough to call myself ZenWoman when I needed a "handle" for Compuserve in 1979. (I discovered Compuserve while working at a TV station back then. First for research and later as a fun diversion.)

Anyway, now I find myself endlessly fascinated by the subtle nuances of how to sit for meditation or stand for yoga. I just posted a note about this on Facebook. I feel compelled to try and explain some of these aspects of Buddhism in hopes of demystifying it. I really hate to see beautiful, helpful practices like meditation and hatha yoga (the physical part of yoga) and T'ai Chi all lumped into some "woo woo" category or to go the way of Islam, where people actually begin to hate it.

I hope with President Obama's call for civility and for us to tone down the vitriolic rheteroic, we can all try. I know it's hard. Even in the midst of writing these pieces I felt the old urge to start name calling and blaming the fundamentalist factions for our problems. But I am part of the problem unless I try to shed light on my own practice, walk my own walk, and make some of my tools accessible to others. You never know when someone is ready and you know what "they" say: When the student is ready, the teacher will appear. We are all each others gurus.

Zen Battles

After nearly two weeks of non-stop MJ coverage on TV, I decided today I would not turn on the tube. This would be a day for reflection and spiritual practice. In reading Thich Nhat Hahn, the Vietnamese Zen Master I so love, I read one of the lessons and commentaries. In this one, a reluctant "Zen Master" asks the gathered monks, "Is there any Warrior willing to step out onto the Battlefield?"

I realized that's what was so special about MJ -- he did step out on the battlefield. All the greats do. Jesus, Gandhi, and the current Dalai Lama had to. But, so have artists and performers. Those who offer a different view, that try to shake things up and make us SEE are always persecuted.

Coming back to the Zen lesson, the master was hesitant to teach the monks by lecturing. He knew that what they were seeking (Enlightenment) could not be realized through words and concepts. But, he also knew if he simply sat and smiled, that would not work either. This is how Zen Battles came about. The great master hoped that through confrontation a spark might burn through the Veil of Ignorance and reveal the true Buddhist Dharma. Through Koans (riddles and puzzles) and sometimes shouting ("Do you really need yet another definition of Zen?") the master hoped the monks might Awaken.

We can put all our thoughtful explanations in books or blogs, but does it benefit anyone? You may listen to a teaching or read the words but was anything conveyed that is truly useful? Something you can apply to your life? If I say that Mindfulness practice really can relieve craving and suffering does it convince you to try? Probably not, especially if I still have weeds in my own garden. Perhaps if a more perfect person, like the Dalai Lama, speaks more people will believe his words. But often, only through witnessing death are we shocked into the realization that happiness is here within us.

Romans thought Jesus was a freak. Uptight Americans have persecuted a host of artists, writers, musicians and anyone who looks or acts "differently." At the Zen monastery when the monk asks where is Buddha, the master slaps him. When you find yourself and inner peace, you know that answer -- the Buddha is within. Everything else, including MJ's rhythms and dance moves, are just fingers pointing to the Moon (or MoonPie, perhaps ;)

Epiphany

There's no real consensus regarding this Christian holiday. It could be when the Magi discovered the infant Jesus. Or, it could be when Jesus was baptized (according to Eastern Orthodox churches.) It's definitely the end of the 12 days of Christmas. (Where's my ten Lords a leapin'??) Today I had my own epiphany. I have them fairly frequently.

I was investigating Sufism. I did not realize that Sufis are Islamic mystics. Sufism is to Islam, as Zen is to Buddhism, or as Gnosticism is to Christianity -- the Inner Knowing. I knew it was another ancient Persian sect, famous for the Whirling Dervish. Now I know why they whirl ;) They're Enlightened! (Gordon, you should have said so!)

All the major organized religions have an experiential component. Cabbalists are the mystical seers of the Jewish religion. Gnostics receive divine guidance without Priests or Pastors to assist them. Zen is a direct transmission of knowledge without anyone uttering a word. Taoists were the original Chinese mystics. Sufis are those who have awakened and understand the Way (Muhammad's Way.) What I find fascinating is a statement that Sufis appear during times when Islamic fervor and Muslim misinterpretation is rampant. So, there must be a significant Sufi supply now (and in fact, web sources indicate there are.) Really interesting is the original name of an Egyptian Sufi sect was Al-Kindi. They were here to speak against evil perversion of Islamic teachings. Now, look how perverse that has become -- twisted into the current Al-Qaeda, exactly the opposite of what the Sufis were trying to convey.

And, even though the Sufis are here to correct distortions of the teachings, they still believe a strict code is necessary for daily life. So it's said there can be no Sufism without Islam. Muslims believe that the Qur'an is the literal word of God (Allah) as recited to Muhammad through the Angel Gabriel. Sufis also believe this, but they continue to receive insights and inner guidance on how to interpret the message.

So there you have a Zen/Taoist perspective on Islam on this Christian holiday. It's not blasphemy -- just insight. I think perhaps I should write a Peace Treatise. We certainly need one.