The transformative function of zazen

Taigen Dan Leighton at Ancient Dragon Zen Gate, May 6, 2007 • Download from Ancient Dragon’s Audio Dharma Talk page (donate)
Zazen mind • Deeper level of awareness than the syntactical, calibrating mind • Just the mind we once had before we were caught up in language • It’s not that zazen will accomplish this transformative process – that’s our acquisitive mind; the moment itself is the transformation • Not just thinking, openness to seeing, to hearing • Bringing awareness to our thoughts, which is different from thinking about our thoughts • This is part of how it is to be Eric or Scott or Steve or whoever we are • Capacity and tolerance and openness, beyond our idea of how much capacity we have • Zazen as about finding creative energy; this creative energy unfolds in our activities in the world; these activities resonate with our zazen • Notice your life interests . . . feel how it resonates with your zazen • Our life is alive right now – it’s very easy to ignore this • Can you feel this energy while you watch a cop show on television, while you do the dishes? • Pay attention to the person sitting on your cushion, you don’t need to run away from that person • Bring yourself back to this mind, in the middle of your day, in the middle of a period of zazen • Remember, oh yeah, I’m alive • karmic entanglement and showing compassion for yourself • Bob Dylan and the price to pay • show up • enjoy