Thoughts I've thunk while sippin' at a cup of tea and reading something provoking, often get dropped here for the benefit of humanity and my own hubris.
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I don’t know whether it is just my state of mood or what, but sometimes I just want to quote Suzuki’s Not Always So in its entirety here. Today, I came across the following quote (page 78):
Do not count your breaths just to avoid your thinking mind but to take the best care of your breathing.
Wait a freakin’ minute! Isn’t this exactly what I’ve been trying to do? Clearly this is one of those Zen koans that I need to stew in …
On the same page, he clarifies this koan …
A mother will take care of her child even though she may have no idea how to make her baby happy … the point is, while inhaling and exhaling, to take care of the breath, just as a mother watches her baby. If a baby smiles, its mother will smile. If a baby cries, its mother is worried. That kind of close relationship, being one with your practice, is the point.
Being one with your practice … I like that. Caring for your practice … I like that. It doesn’t matter what your practice is, whether it is going to Church, reading books, or sitting on a cushion … it can have the same effect.
Books have always inspired me … if I want to get into a new project, I just pick up a book on the subject. Even though Suzuki and others recommend spending more time sitting than reading, I find that reading enriches my feeling for my practice. So, I don’t know if I actually learn anything new, it certainly helps me care for my practice.
© 2003-2005, Howard Abrams • Except where otherwise noted, all original content is licensed under a Creative Commons License (see details).
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