Posted inMC Podcasts, Meditations

Teisho: Times of Great Difficulty

December 29, 2016

“Hatred never decreased hatred. ~ Henry Shukman

zen fire

Description: Henry offers calming clarity in this post election teisho. He begins by stating that Zen was forged in times of great difficulty and that practice is our only real response to difficulty. Practice teaches us concentration and the clarity to see what is going on both inside and outside. Practice helps to not be swept along by the three fires (greed, aversion, delusion) and it cultivates equanimity which helps us see through our experience until we realize that all sense-and thought experiences are “hollow, insubstantial and empty,” as Buddha said.  Most profoundly, practice shows us that we are not separable from our world. We are our world and all it contains. With this understanding comes an overwhelming pull toward love, toward being the servants of Kanzeon.

“Let us strive to be eternally learning through practice, learning more and more about the way of love. Giving ourselves without reservation, throwing ourselves onto the blazing fires of the world. By giving up what we think we are, we can find what we really are.” 

Post & Featured Image: Fire Meditation by PIRO4D, CCO Public Domain.

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