Meditation for Thursday 24th February 2022
Although we practice meditation in a formal manner, some people meditating morning and evening it really should not be separated from our day-to-day activities. If we can as much as possible in this busy world avoid being captured by wandering thoughts that are unrelated to what we are doing in the moment and be completely clear about what we are doing in the moment, we will experience peace. It takes some effort but once we have mastered this way of living we find there is very little disturbance to our emotions and even when disturbed we can easily return to the clarity found in the moment.
The chance to uncover reality is not in the future when things improve or when our problems get sorted out. Our present circumstances which may include our problems are the building blocks for awakening to the reality of now.
Zen meditator and American poet, Gary Snyder writes,
“My teacher once said to me,
become one with the knot itself, ‘til it dissolves away.
-sweep the garden.
-any size.”
In true Zen tradition I should allow you to interpret however I can explain a little. Go into the ‘knot’ , the ‘knot’ being our problems, worries, concerns and we try and see them clearly … then focus on the now, the present moment.
Although it is impossible to experience the ‘now’, because it is fleeting we know that it is always here, moment by moment, each moment is unique, unrepeatable and a chance to discover the ‘now’ or present moment.
Without judging whether our life is good or whether our life is full of difficulties we just meet the ‘now’ as it presents itself.
Not only is there no time like the present, there is no time but the present.
Now let us meditate in the manner in which we are accustomed.
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