My peace is there in the receding mist
when I may cease from treading these long shifting thresholds
and live the space of a door
that opens and shuts
Samuel Beckett at his most zen-like.
What we call “I” is just a swinging door, which moves when we inhale and when we exhale.
Suzuki Roshi, Zen Mind, Beginners Mind.
One day I would like to make up my own DSM with a list of “disorders” I have seen in my practice. For example, I would want to include the diagnosis “psychological modernism,” an uncritical acceptance of the values of the modern world. It includes blind faith in technology, inordinate attachment to material gadgets and conveniences, uncritical acceptance of the march of scientific progress, devotion to the electronic media, and a life-style dictated by advertising
Thomas Moore, Care of the Soul
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take,
but by the moments that take our breath away.
Maya Angelou
Proper posture is a way of blending with gravity.
Proper attitude is a way of blending with life.
Dan Millman,The Way of the Peaceful Warrior
Be here now.
Be someplace else later.
Is that so complicated?”
David M. Bader, Zen Judaism
There’s an exercise that can help us reflect on the knee-jerk tendency to cling to what makes us feel good and push away what makes us feel bad:
Sit quietly for a few minutes and become mindful of your breath as it goes in and out. Then contemplate what you do when you’re unhappy or dissatisfied and want to feel better. Even make a list if you want to. Then ask yourself: Does it work? Has it ever worked? Does it soothe the pain? Does it escalate the pain? If you’re really honest, you’ll come up with some pretty interesting observations.
Pema Chödrön, Living Beautifully: with Uncertainty and Change
