Originally Posted by
JohnsonCM
Perhaps zazen is pointless because when you begin, you have a point in mind. “I will sit to become enlightened.” You can switch out “enlightened” with whatever you want: “balanced”, “happy”, “sad”, “hungry”, “wise”, “itchy” etc.
But you are always looking outward, trying to see that point coming closer, like when you pick out a tree or a rock and say, “I will walk to that point”. By looking for a “point” you create the separation between “you” and “the point”. Looking for a goal to reach.
As you sit, you start to stop looking out and start looking in. You start to realize that looking in is looking out and looking up while looking around, all at the same time. The goal disappears, because you know you cannot “look” for it. The “point” broadens and becomes a sweeping stroke, which becomes a bird chirping, which becomes you. The separation melts away and is dropped, the self starts to realize the “self” and soon you wonder, “What was the point anyway?” “What was I looking for in the first place?”
So now, there is no “point” and instead of trying to reach a point, you find you have become the point, and the point has become like trying to point at a specific point in a clear blue sky, or a certain point on a pure white piece of paper.
Now you just try to live. Now you “just sit”. See my point?
:mrgreen: