Nothing here below is profane
for those who know how to see.
Teilhard de Chardin, Jesuit priest and philosopher, The Divine Milieu, p.69
Relating to ourselves and others
Although Rogers is talking about external relationships, this is the essence of mindfulness practice – simply relating to each moment, including difficult ones, without trying to change them or fix them:
In my early years I was asking the question: How can I treat, or cure, or change this person? Now I would phrase the question in this way: How can I provide a relationship which this person may use for his own personal growth?
Carl Rogers
Not looking outside
The primary cause of disorder in ourselves
is the seeking of reality promised by another
Krishnamurti, Freedom from the Known
Suchness
When I first came across this word ‘Suchness’ in Zen literature, I thought, ‘What the heck is Suchness? …Can’t figure that one out.’ If we hold perceptions to be reality, then in order for our world to be real, we have to perceive it as something. It can’t be just what it is. We have to interpret it, or give it a name, or describe it in some way. We perceive the world through words, through ideas. This obsession with cameras and selfies now, is just wanting to capture things, capture moments on film, petrify them in time, and make them fixed because everything is moving and changing. But Suchness, or Tathata…. is right now. This is the way it is. But sometimes, when I say, ‘This is the way it is,’ somebody will say, ‘You mean this is the way it is forever?’ No! RIGHT NOW — this is the way it is. The only way it can be is the way it is right now! It’s changing, but at this moment, the Suchness of this moment, is just this way. The thinking mind has to stop. Otherwise you will want to ask, ‘Where is it? What is he saying?’ You just have to stop your mind and listen, or watch. Then you will be relating to Suchness, the Suchness of the moment, the as-is-ness.
Ajahn Sumedho, Tathata or suchness
with thanks to Jackie for the prompt.
What we learn from the leaves
A person fundamentally does not dwell anywhere. The white clouds seem fascinated by the green mountain’s foundation. The bright moon loves being carried along with the flowing water. But the clouds part and the mountains appear, and the moon sets and the water is cool. Each bit of autumn contains vast interpenetration without bounds.
Hongzhi, 1091-1157, Chinese Chan (Zen) monk
photo: lite
Going with the flow
A similar message to yesterday’s, on holding things lightly…
Long ago, a monk asked the old master:
“When hundreds, thousands or myriads of objects come all at once, what should be done?”
The Master replied “Don’t try to control them”
Dogen, 1200 – 1253
Mindfulbalance 