On the great road of buddha ancestors there is always unsurpassable practice, continuous and sustained. It forms the circle of the way and is never cut off. Between aspiration, practice, enlightenment, and nirvana, there is not a moment’s gap; continuous practice is the circle of the way. This being so, continuous practice is undivided, not forced by you or others. The power of this continuous practice confirms you as well as others. It means your practice affects the entire earth and the entire sky in the ten directions. Although not noticed by others or by yourself, it is so.
~ Eihei Dogen
This is a fertile time of practice at Mountain Cloud. Our four-day spring sesshin concluded on Sunday. The momentum of that shared practice continues. This coming Saturday, April 1, we begin a new round of 30 Days of Practice: Living Zen.
The title is apt. This is a living practice. Daily sitting – on the cushion, chair, bench, or any dedicated place – opens out into the moment-to-moment activity of our lives. It is never cut off.
Dogen calls continuous practice the circle of the way – an invitation to wholehearted, sustained practice and another way of naming our life.
A daily offering, not limited by the limitations we may assume, supported and supporting beyond measure.
Dogen also says that ‘continuous practice, day after day, is the most appropriate way of expressing gratitude.’
Thank you for your practice!
With love, Valerie
Photo Image by Mark Paul Petrick