NOW AND ZEN

A variation of Buddhism that asserts enlightenment can come through intuitive insight, Zen is the simplest, most direct route to enlightenment but one of the most difficult to traverse. In Zen, there is nothing to find, nothing to discover, nothing to learn, nothing to remember, nowhere to go, nothing at all to do. How difficult is that? Most difficult.

Time for Exercise: one minute to eternity

Properties Required: none
Steps:

• Sit comfortably (or uncomfortably) in complete silence. Just stay there until you get it!

• An option: Vow to continue sitting until you become enlightened, or until you die.

• Another option: When ready, begin. When thirsty, drink. When hungry, eat. When tired, sleep. When curious, look. When afraid, tremble. When happy, smile. When finished, stop.

Variation:

Try sitting together and employing this option: Ask your lover to give you a whack upside the head—not too hard but enough to jolt you out of your train of thought.

Comments:

“There’s no Dharma [the way of higher truths] outside, and

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