New Year

I was terribly lazy about meditation last year. All the military training was sort of overwhelming I guess. Or maybe I just got lazy. Anyway, in true American fashion, I've made a New Year's resolution. I think it's actually the first time in my life I've actually sort of commited to something on New Years. I'm going to practice zazen every day this year. Whether it's 5 minutes or 45, I want to commit to doing something each day.

You can't learn a lot about Zen from books. You have to practice zazen. However, the books I read often inspire me and I get excited about Buddhism. So, remind me if I should forget, read a little if I'm falling away from practice. What's the difference between zazen and meditation? To me at least, I think of zazen as sort of slowly chipping away at a sculpture or something, and meditation as just trying to relax. There's probably no real difference I guess.

I think many people look at meditation/Buddhism/zazen/eastern religion in general, as sort of exotic, far out, and nowadays as fluffy, bubbly, charming, and not very serious. I'm so tired of seeing little pocket Buddha books that have cute quotes for each day or whatever. I think it's really misleading. Zazen is nothing more than sitting down quietly and observing your mind. There's nothing metaphysical about it. Nothing fruity, flowery or nice. In fact, it totally sucks sometimes. Probably why I've been in and out of it over the past...15 years?

People are further confused by the many different world religions. Mahayanna vs. Thereavada, vs. Hindu, Zen, Islam, Krishna, Tibetan, Falon Gong, who can keep them all straight? After lots of reading and plowing through tons of wasted time and not-so-interesting books, I've sort of come to settle on Zen. It's Japanese...sort of. As with most things Japanese, it came from China (Called Chan there) and before that, India of course. 

Zen is pretty much the simplest, boiled down, sedimentary remains of Buddha's core teachings. This is just my opinion mind you. But here it is. Buddha taught the 4 truths...

1. Life isn't perfect
   
2. Despite this, we want it to be perfect
   
3. There are ways around this false idea that it can be perfect
   
4. Just observing your mind, you'll eventually see the way around it.

• This last one also has the eightfold path involved with it, which just describes a suggested list of behaviors that will help and individual live in a healthy environment.
  

That's really all there is to it! So, zazen is the way you observe the mind. You sit lotus usually because it's real stable. Even if you fall to sleep, you'll likely sit there without falling over. You keep your eyes open, you breath normally, and you listen to your thoughts and ideas. If you've never done it, you'll be surprised how active your mind really is. I very often find that, after 15 minutes, all I've done is sit there thinking about things rather than watching my thoughts. Sometimes that's cool too though. It's good to think deeply on stuff too ya know. It's not a "mistake" it's just how it is.

Well, I better get going. Pardon the shitty spelling.