Originally Posted by
Keith
Regarding wearing earplugs: I don't wear them, and I think ultimately you have to find what works for you. But, zazen is not always about being calm, peaceful, and quiet. Yes, a quiet place in which to practice is usually best, but life isn't always so. Sometimes when I sit, I hear my kids playing, or my wife on the phone, or the TV, and there are certainly a lot of airplanes flying overhead. But all that's okay because life off our cushion throws all types of "noise" our way, and I think the key to living a balanced life is to accept what is, not get pulled one way or the other by it, and let it go when appropriate.