Zen practice brings us to the realization that our worldview is the product of our life experiences. The angst, emotional feelings, (both positive and negative), irritations, joys, opinions, and judgements have been instilled and installed in us
by parents, siblings, teachers and life experiences.
The result or combination of these influences quite often results in a self centered view of life. The centerpiece of this factional view has as it’s primary focus our taking care of #1 as they say, and slightly beyond that, those closest to us.
In modern day 21st century, only a tiny percentage of the world’s 7.5 billion people makes a deliberate and consistent effort to align their breath, posture, and mind. Television ads abound regarding cosmetics, gym memberships, virtual peloton training devices, and dietary supplements, all capped off by mail order food regimens. Each of the above are marketed with a promise of personal fulfillment, a fulfillment that can never be realized. They are without exception just external placebos. For humanity to survive, and I mean that literally, everyone needs to push the “pause” button on these whirlwind influences coming at us from seemingly all sides. The question then is, how do we effect this pause button?
The one singular method to quiet the mad monkey mind is to breathe correctly. Learning to align our breath transcends culture, religion, physical challenges, and social influences, the ones insisting that we can achieve a certain cosmetic look and a certain lifestyle. When these externally created life goals are seen through for what they are and abandoned, we discover once again how to live simply. It begins with belly breathing. It was firmly placed on nature’s original blueprint and existed before cultural influences. It was how we breathed when we first entered this world as infants. Upper thoracic breathing is problematic at best. It involves incorrect muscle usage that directly contributes to anxiety and stress. Shodo Harada Roshi teaches that when our breath is shallow, in other words occurring 15 to 18 times per minute, and limited to the upper sectio of our lungs, we are being used by the breath rather than using the breath. We are retaining carbon dioxide by not exhaling fully. This retention starves cells of necessary oxygen. The
heart also prefers this stable, settled breath. The practice of chi gung is also based on this premise. Learning to slow our breath cycle to four to five times per minute can have a profound effect on both your physical health as well as your mental and emotional outlook.
So begin today, right now. Start paying attention to your breath. Become very aware as to whether your breathing apparatus is operating from the belly or from the chest. Monitor your musculature from head to toe with the purpose of relaxing all tension. The first step in meditation is learning to relax, purposely disengaging from the stresses of modern day life.
Wealth, fame and power can be used constructively by a settled, grounded individual. More often than not however it invites a self serving worldview as introduced above. Zen meditation provides the tools necessary to remain cool, calm, and collected regardless of circumstances. Empty of self but fully endowed with infinite possibilities, our calm presence and energy manifest positively influencing all social, business and personal relationships.
This is an exquisite journey, one of realizing your true self. The Buddha said each of us is gifted with this ability. It is not just available to the few. You don’t have to enter a monastery unless you sincerely feel that calling. These are deep truths about life, not a personal opinion. The path is both wide and inviting. Miraculously it is also free of dogma and belief systems which over millennia have caused the lion share of suffering on this planet. it is time to wake up. You will begin to notice tangible results when you cease being moved around by the myriad influences and meaningless distractions as they occur in your daily life.