A problem with Zen

I attended a mini 3 day virtual retreat this week hosted by Ellen Emmett. She is very good, and has a particular gift for teaching truth seekers how to explore their direct experience of the body as a way of deepening and integrating our understanding of truth.

She helps people re-align their experience so that it is consistent with the truth. For example, bodily sensations do not appear in a body. They appear in Awareness as does the breath. It is another way to experience the world. Awareness becomes our new body. And as a result, I have no borders.

Ellen took a question from a woman who has a serious Zen meditation practice. I believe she said that she meditates up to 7 hours a day. Wow. I mean wow as in crazy!

Ellen was careful not to tell her what to do, but instead offered her a few things to consider. "Perhaps you are trying too hard? Perhaps you should spend more time playing with your young children? Perhaps you have an expectation that something is supposed to happen during mediation?"

My journey started with this Zen style of spiritual seeking. Everything Ellen said resonated with me very much as being very good advice. I strongly believe that this style of seeking is misguided. I know because I did the same thing for a long period of time. Allow me to explain why Ellen gave this woman sage advice.

Trying to Hard: Effortless effort is the way to liberation. We will never get a glimpse of the truth if we are struggling. Unless the strategy is to meditate until you exhaust yourself to the point of utter defeat, it doesn't work. You might as well become a heroin addict in the hopes that you will eventually hit rock bottom and surrender to a higher power. It is entirely possible that more people have gotten a glimpse of their true nature from drug addiction as they have from a serious meditation practice. I'm placing a big bet on the former

Before doing anything, be open to the possibility that you are already the Awareness and Stillness that we seek. How might your meditation practice change if you were really this open? Any kind of effort is literally taking us away from what we are. This is not the same thing as doing nothing. Ask yourself this question next time you sit down to meditate. "Is it true that that peace, and stillness that I seek is not already present now?"

More Time Playing with Kids: This beautiful woman shared her feelings of resentment because her kids take time away from her spiritual practice. I know this feeling. Sometimes I feel it too when I just want to be alone. I am I not judging. On the contrary, it takes a lot of courage to share this in front of many people. We all benefit as a result.

All of that said, what could be more spiritual than playing with your kids? When we understand the true nature of reality, that everyone is the same Universal Consciousness, we are always seeking what is in the best interest for everyone. Her kids need her the same way that my dog needs me. Being happy is always the goal. She is her kids, the same way that me and my dog share the same Being. There is never 2 of anything. I can't be happy if my wife and dog are unhappy. And my dog, like her kids, are always living in the moment. My dog doesn't hold any grudges. They are amazing teachers.

She is also making an assumption that 7 hours of meditation a day is a faster path to self realization, than say 1 hour + 6 hours of playtime. There is nothing wrong with sitting down to meditate, but how long does it take to realize I am Awareness? Less than one second. Plus, the spontaneous moments of understanding are often the most powerful anyway. In other words, less is more.

Wanting Something to Happen: God, I remember this all too well, and I still need to catch myself, now and again. I meditated for years hoping something would happen. Anything. Even if a person were to have the most amazing spiritual experience, it would be a phenomenal experience appearing and disappearing in in Awareness. Nothing is likely to change going forward, except that the 'person' who had this amazing experience would be wanting it to happen again, and again, because spiritual highs can be very addictive.

There should be no agenda or goal to meditation. Any kind of goal will lead to frustration. True meditation is just letting everything be as it is. As Francis said, it is a universal Yes to all experience. He also says that meditation is what we are, not something we do. These are excellent pointers for showing us the way. We don't need to know 'how to meditate'. It is better not knowing. Just sit comfortably and abide in that which is always ever present.

I could never regret being on the Zen spiritual path, because it is the path that led me to the path that led me to the truth. However, I am very grateful I got off the frustrating 'path to nowhere.'

If the goal is happiness, I would rather be The Dude in The Big Lebowski, because "The dude abides."