Shunryu Suzuki famously said, "Each of you is perfect the way you are ... and you can use a little improvement.”
This is the time of year when many folks make "New Year's Resolutions" to achieve some big and little improvements ... from exercising more and losing a few pounds, to being a kinder person, to learning to play the violin! There are things about us as human beings that can do with some fixing or improving, and we make vows and set goals to achieve it!
But in Soto Zen, we often speak of "dropping all goals," with "nothing to achieve." The Way is beyond failure or any place to fall, and yet we may rise or fall, fail or succeed. We accept all things "just as they are," and "just sit" facing a wall. You are not going to burn a lot of calories "just sitting" staring at a wall!
So, how does it all fit together? Goals and "goallessness," fixing when there is "nothing to fix," "Just Sitting" then getting off our rumps to get it done?
I'll tell ya here ...
I WISH EACH AND ALL BOUNDLESS PEACE AND CONTENTMENT in the COMING NEW YEAR!
Gassho, Jundo
SatTodayLAH
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