“Just sitting” practice (shikantaza) is also sometimes described as the practice of “doing nothing.” Doing nothing doesn’t mean that nothing is going on. Rather, we become clear that whatever is going on, we don’t need to do anything about it.
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What fills the gap (if there is one) between awakening and ordinary life is love, appreciation, tenderness, caring. Then eventually there isn’t a gap any more.
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From the perspective of a clear mind and heart, perhaps every day looks like a new year – in fact a new eon, a new era, a new age. So by all means consider renewing your practice like a New Year Resolution every day, any day.
When we get right down to it, every moment might be a new era, a fresh eon just beginning, and an old one just ending.
Message from Henry is from our January 31, 2017 Newsletter.
Image: Crystal Dragon, by Hartwig HKD, CC by-ND 2.0, from Flickr.com