A few instructions on distractions in meditation from the wise and gentle Francis de Sales, who was based in the beautiful town of Annecy
If the heart wanders or is distracted, bring it back to the point quite gently…
And even if you did nothing during the whole of your hour but bring your heart back,
though it went away every time you brought it back,
your hour would be very well employed.
Saint Francis de Sales
The interesting thing about this work is that we don’t really do anything for them. If we tried, I think we would fail miserably. Instead we invite them to do something radically new for themselves, namely to experiment with living intentionally from moment to moment. When I was talking to a reporter, she said, “Oh, you mean to live for the moment:” I said “No, it isn’t that. That has a hedonistic ring to it. I mean to live in the moment.
Jon Kabat-Zinn, Full Catastrophe Living
It flows on without stopping
Through thousands and thousands of turns.
“A moment before thought” is
Already wrong thinking.
To try to say anything more
Is embarrassing.
T’aego, Korean Zen master, 1301–1382
.
To know the ten thousand things,
know one well
Miyamoto Musashi, 1584 – 1645, The Book of Five Rings
photo joe mabel
We can never fully know the meaning of what is happening to us now. Life-defining moments often become clear only in hindsight. We often miss what is in front of us by leaning too far into the future, or having too fixed a plan for our life. Cultivating a “Don’t Know” mind helps us allow things unfold in their own time.
There was an old man with a small farm in China many years ago. He had one son, who did most of the work on the farm and a neighbour, himself old with a son.
One day the old man’s horse ran off, and the neighbour, seeing this, said, “How terrible, your horse has run off, now work on your farm will be so difficult.” To this the old man replied, “Maybe good, maybe bad, we’ll see.”
The next day the old man’s horse returned leading a group of wild horses, and the neighbour, seeing this, said, “How wonderful! You have many horses, now you have great wealth and may live easily.” To this the old man replied, “Maybe good, maybe bad, we’ll see.”
The next day the old man’s son was thrown from one of the wild horses and broke his leg, and the neighbour, seeing this, said, “How terrible, your son has broken his leg, now your work will be doubled as nurse and farmer.” To this the old man replied, “Maybe good, maybe bad, we’ll see.”
The next day the king’s men came to the farms seeking all able men to fight a distant battle, and the neighbour, sobbing as his son marched off, said “How fortunate you are for having an injured son, mine will surely perish.” To this the old man replied, “Maybe good, maybe bad, we’ll see.”
A Taoist Tale
Flow with whatever may happen, and let your mind be free.
Stay centered by accepting whatever you are doing.
This is the ultimate
Zhuangzi, 4th Century BC
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