From the beginning of Zazen,
Be fully absorbed in posture and breath.
By concentrating on posture and breath,
We can completely find unity in our lives again.
And come to acceptance.
This coming to acceptance is like turning the switch,
Like turning the switch of a light bulb.
When it's on,
We can see clearly.
When it's off,
We're like searching in the dark.
All the phenomena that manifest themselves in reality,
Are a manifestation of ultimate reality of the absolute God,
If you wish so.
And through our conditionings,
We often feel isolated.
The things we struggle with are not very different from the things that others struggle with.
It is our human condition,
Our analysis of facts.
We make up ideas about reality.
We have a moral framework,
This is good,
That is bad.
We kind of judge reality and all these phenomena that happen.
And by judging them,
We suffer.
Because we are not that phenomena.
We create an idea about it and we distanciate ourselves from it.
For instance,
Current leadership in geopolitics is not very life-giving.
We are at the verge of more chaos,
Even possibly war,
That frightens us and isolates us even more.
How to come to acceptance of such a situation?
It is by recognizing that parts of that turmoil situation is us,
That we only exist in relation with all that is.
And if we can fully be in contact with that interrelational aspect of our existence,
We can realize the ultimate potential of our human existence.
Because we simply don't give the power to those events,
To the creation of suffering.
When we can see clearly that the frictions in the world are not very different from the frictions inside ourselves,
Our inner tensions,
We can step up to reality and come to acceptance.
And it is only from that space that we can build peace,
Engage in loving,
Caring relationships,
And fulfill our human potential.
