I am a moderate on this "be in the moment" thing, which is a wonderful practice ... but also DENIES LIFE in a way and is OVERBLOWN by Zen folks. There are proper times to "just do one thing in one moment," for example, when looking at a flower, just to see the flower and not be thinking about some better flower somewhere else. When I am playing with my kids in the park, it is best to play with my kids ... and not have my head thinking about work or politics. Sometimes I just wash dishes, and pour myself into that, not pondering the tea that comes after the dishes. There are moments too when we pour ourself so fully into washing that self is fully washed away, this pouring water and pouring world and pouring self just a single stream.
HOWEVER, what need or reason to be such way all or most of the time? When washing the dishes while thinking about baseball or the shopping that needs to be done for dinner, just wash while thinking about baseball and the groceries. THAT TOO IS JUST THIS MOMENT of washing while thinking about baseball and groceries. When sometimes looking at the flower while thinking that there is weeding that must be done, just look at the flower while thinking about the weeding. WHEN HAVE WE EVER FAILED TO BE "IN THE MOMENT" if we just realize that we are ALWAYS in the moments of this life?!
I work to assist someone who suffered a brain injury by which he is forced to be, always, truly in just the present activity in which he cannot recall or think about the past or future, and must give his full attention just to tying his laces or eating his soup. While we honor everyone's life as truly precious as it is, there has also been loss of important abilities. Human beings were meant to sometimes do one thing doing one thing, sometimes one thing thinking about three things, sometimes doing three things at once.
Of course, balance is important: If one finds oneself going to the other extreme of ALWAYS multi-tasking, too frequently overwhelmed in thoughts, never able to "be in the moment, just doing one thing" when one wishes, well, that is not good either! Do not simply abandon all opportunities for "just being in the moment, doing one thing, one practice, in one moment!" These are priceless, precious, not to be missed, a gateway in Zazen to the dropping of bodymind! My point is merely that not every moment of the day need or should be so. Please know when to do one thing, and do one thing ... please know when not to do one thing because, to the wise, "doing three things" is also one thing.
I do not know where the idea started among Zen folks that the 'goal' of this practice is to live the first way every moment of every day. If anything, our practice should not be about "being in the moment," as much as about allowing each moment of life ... happy moments and sad moments, calm moments and busy moments, up moments and down moments, doing one thing moments and many things moments ... to be just that precious jewel of a moment. Please know the timeless stillness that is the heart of each moment, even the most tumultuous moments in life.
In my view, all of the above together is truly balanced, "mindful" living. That is "being the moment" as each moment comes and goes ...
Gassho, J
SatTodayLAH
Sorry for running long, taking up some moments
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