Just Being Present
A Zen teacher from the 9th century in China could sometimes be heard having a stern conversation with himself: "Master Zuigan!" he would call out. "Yes?," he would inquire, "Are you here?" "Yes!" He responded to himself.
How sweet, how odd, and how wonderful! This Zen teacher underscores how challenging it can be to be present, to show up, to be present for ourselves, and for our lives. And he didn't have a smart phone, the internet, or television to contend with. It seems that showing up and being fully present has always been challenging.
I've been reading a book by poet Jane Hirshfield called Nine Gates: Entering the Mind of Poetry. In an essay about concentration she says:
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