Adding Nothing But A Voice

Zen writings on everyday life.

[addingnothingbutavoice]

Just being bored

Well, it looks as though it will be just another boring day.  No zombie apocalypse, no meteor shower, and no other earth shattering event to rescue us from the life we have.  It may be boring and mundane at times, but that is O.K. It is O.K. to just sit and be bored.  We are always looking for an escape from the life we have, imagining that if we were plunged into chaos, we could finally live life on the edge.  It might be exciting and filled with adventure.  Of course it probably would lead to other stress relate problems and the possibility of being disembowelled by the living dead.  But, whether or not we realize it, we are always living on the edge of life and death.  In each moment we are reborn.  With awareness and attention each moment inspires curiosity and we stop seeing habitually.  

Our brains are designed to form habits. Skillful habits can be quite useful, because they help us filter out certain aspects of our experience.  Sometimes we need to pay less attention to certain details around us to function effectively.  But when we ignore in excess we truly become ignorant.  We cut ourselves off from the world right here.  We can't see when our habits are hurting rather than helping.  And we can't see when we are just trying to escape our boredom without really seeing the consequences of those actions.  So, today just sit and be bored for a moment.  Feel how the body reacts and notice the thoughts that go along with it. Pay attention as the world ends.       

[addingnothingbutavoice]

Sitting with Scars

I've read in the news of people referring to the recent tragic shootings (and the countless others before it) as acts of evil, but for the sake of healing we must notice this dualistic concept. We have all lost children now, including the shooter. The parents suffer deeply and we all have another scar to notice when we look in the mirror. It can take a lifetime to come to terms with what has happened. Good and evil is a fairy tale passed down from generation to generation. If we seek to put an end to suffering we cannot cut up the world with concepts and expect there to not be scars! For those seeking to understand 'why', it may help to sit and see 'how' we could become so scarred that we might lose sight of our basic humanity when we look in the mirror and commit inhuman, but not evil, acts. It is also helpful to see how we support livelihoods that do not serve life and enable violence. Sadly our culture is steeped in a history of violence. My deepest sympathy is with all of those who have been touched by this.

[addingnothingbutavoice]

Structured Thinking

We believe there is something inherently wrong with the way we think. As in all fields of self-help we are fortunate to have countless authors coming to our rescue, giving us tools and stuctures to guide our thinking.  Because we are not creative enough, or innovative we need to employ exercises designed to make us better thinkers.  Maybe the economy depends on that unique, creative, wonderful idea that I have burried deep inside me waiting to be unleashed into the world.  But really it appears that our ideas, along with our bodies and even our soul, fall into a continual project of self improvement. 

We all fall into this trap in different areas of our lives.  Because I work in the library and come from a psychology/philosophy background, I am continously surrounded by ideas.  Others might be chasing a new exercise routine, diet or religion.  The truth is there is nothing wrong with our thinking when it isn't wrong.   

[addingnothingbutavoice]

Not even adding a voice...

My absence is hardly a riveting topic to talk about, but sometimes each moment and each tiny person demands our attention.  Children demand our full attention. Attending to children is a meditation because show us when we have lost touch with the present.  When I go back to my breath, and I hold my daughter, I can feel her relax.  Maybe she can sense my stability.  Maybe in paying more attention I cradle her with a heightened sensitivity that provides comfort and security. Hold your children, and don't forget to breath.  

[addingnothingbutavoice]

Clean your space ship

On the discovery channel the other night they had a program about the ongoing search for signs of life in the universe. Statistically speaking, most people believe the odds are good that there is life somewhere on another planet given what we know about the universe. But what would happen if we found out conclusively that, yes, there is life on another planet? Would it finally bring an end to suffering of the human species? Would it help us see the interconnectedness of being? Or would it further reinforce our own separation with other beings in the universe? If we buy into this idea it can become a life long purpose that drives the development of technology and the allocation of resources. We start to build communications equipment, space technology, and hope to join the galactic party. We all like to be invited to parties and feel lonely when we are forced to just sit at home. But given the size of the universe it is likely that the party won't be within walking distance. Meanwhile at home we miss what really needs to be done to live on this planet right now. As we chase science fiction, we allocate time and energy to things that do not help us address suffering in the present. What are your non-galactic neighbours doing? Are they in need of help? Or is your own spaceship in need of repair?

[addingnothingbutavoice]

Tooth and nail

In order to avoid facing our lives we often turn towards a path of over-learning. We make learning (and bettering ourselves) the purpose of our lives despite the fact that the 'I' we usually try to improve is empty of an independent existence and ultimately comes and goes. The future that we dream about is usually of a time when life will finally be perfect for us. So we try to use knowledge to fill the lack we experience from being out of touch with right now. Learning is a normal process that allows us to do what needs to be done. When we need to eat, we learn to cook. If we have no ingredients we learn to procure them. When we need to communicate we learn how to talk or express ourselves. If we cannot use words for a certain emotion we may visualize it with art. If we need to drive a nail we find a hammer, not a degree in physics. When we need certain skills for a job we just take the time to learn. What we need to learn differs less due to our circumstance but more from how clearly we see our circumstances. Whether we are self-centered, other-centered, or just centred, what we choose to learn changes whether we are in a rich nation or a war zone. Of course we justify learning to destroy life, steal or lie, but these skills are sought when we acting from an un-centred perspective.

[addingnothingbutavoice]

Forgetting to Add Nothing

It is hard to catch ourselves and wake up from the dreams we live in on a daily basis. Forgetfulness is something that we experience more and more with age, however, the forgetfulness we mean here is different. What we forget is to wake up right now, right here. Forgetting for us isn't the absence of something but the addition of a constellation of thoughts, emotions, and conditioning. Forgetting means acting in unskillful ways when we are not clearly perceiving what needs to be done. When we forget we attach ourselves to the constellation of aggregates we call 'me'. If you are like me then you can attest to how it happens all the time. We need support in this practice. We need a community to aid our practice and for many that community is online. Remembering to come back to experience is the purpose of this blog.