What Makes Zen, Zen
When I first got into practicing Zen, every morning, I would want to get up before sunrise, make a cup of tea, and then sit down to meditate as the sun rises. However, each morning I slept in before making a cup of instant coffee. I am a night owl and do not like waking up early. Now I sit in meditation late at night and let the moon pass over me. Sometimes we get caught up in concepts of what Zen should be, morning meditation, attending retreats, and other rituals, ideas of what makes Zen Zen. Walk a certain way. Talk a certain way. Sit a certain way. Do a certain way. Often we may feel guilty if we do not follow along or are made to feel unworthy by others. What makes us Zen is our own true path, not someone else’s ideas of what Zen means.
When I first got into practicing Zen, every morning, I would want to get up before sunrise, make a cup of tea, and then sit down to meditate as the sun rises. However, each morning I slept in before making a cup of instant coffee. I am a night owl and do not like waking up early. Now I sit in meditation late at night and let the moon pass over me. Sometimes we get caught up in concepts of what Zen should be, morning meditation, attending retreats, and other rituals, ideas of what makes Zen Zen. Walk a certain way. Talk a certain way. Sit a certain way. Do a certain way. Often we may feel guilty if we do not follow along or are made to feel unworthy by others. What makes us Zen is our own true path, not someone else’s ideas of what Zen means.
