IT WILL PASS ...

A student went to his meditation teacher and said "My meditation is horrible! I feel so distracted, or my legs ache, or I'm constantly falling asleep. It's just horrible!"
"It will pass" the teacher said, matter-of-factly.

A week later, the student came back to his teacher.
"My meditation is wonderful! I feel so aware, so peaceful, so alive! It's just wonderful!'

"It will pass" the teacher replied, matter-of-factly.

ABSOLUTELY YOURS

DID YOU EVER EXPERIENCE A MOMENT SO INTIMATE AND sparkling and forceful, that you felt almost homesick for the moment that had not yet passed -?

SURRENDERING TO THE NOW, means ENDing the CHASE for Nowness. "But..But..BUT..My CRAVINGS is what makes me feel ALIVE and..HUMAN-! HUMAN cravings-!" No. Your cravings is what makes you WANT. Awareness of your wants, thoughts on wants and CHOICES of which want to want MORE and thus pursue...Is what makes you human. Because you ARE AWARE that every moment. Is different...from NOW. Much like not focusing on "trying to have an orgasm"..and then *WHOOSH* You have one...or three...or.. Magic. Does life then, become MAGICally more easy -? Absolutelely -NOt.

IT IS JUST SIMPLER. More balanced. More serene. Blissful, even. BALANCE occurs, when NOWness is recognized as always present. SERENETY occurs, when the present is recognized as transparent. BLISS occurs, when transparency is realized as the INfinite spaciousness.
Just that. A vast infinity of space. Emptiness within Form. If this realization does not kindle just the slightest translucent sparkle of humbleness towards your mere existence.

NOthing Will.

GET LOST OR GET REAL

LETTING GO, MEANS SURRENDERING TO SPACIOUSNESS.
It does not mean to let go of MINDFULLNESS. Never let go of TRUTH. Have compassion AND passion. But let go of what ECLIPSES enlightenment.
Surrendering, means BEING a humble servant to the BASIC life energy. To DANCE, rather than trying to conquer. BALANCE, rather than letting yourself go and be "swept away" by the moments passing by. CHOOSE, rather than trying to have it "all" at ONCE. Within balance, infinite spaciousness reveals itself as true awareness.

WE LIKE TO GET LOST IN A "MOMENT", precisely because it makes our EGO feel transparent. Being "swept away" allows us to "loose" ourselves in the PRESENT. So we chase these moments. We CRAVE them, to feed our inherent appetite for "being in the NOW". However, the spaciousness and bliss we may experience from such a moment, does not come from the moment itself. Moments pass. Spaciousness is always present.

IN MOMENTS. Out of moments.

THE POISON OF SHUNYATA

Once a novice student of the Dharma was walking along the road.

He did not believe he needed a guru, as he had realized emptiness all by himself.

A beautiful rose was growing on a bush.

The student looked at it, then pulled out all its petals and stamped ferousiously on the remains.

A bird, singing in a cherrytree, was silenced by a small rock, hurled from his hand with admirable precision.

He passed a pond, with crystal-clear water and colorful Koi swiming beneath the lotuses.

The student took a small bottle from his bag and emptied it's entire content into the stillness.
The water then went milky white before the fish all floated to the surface.

An old woman had been watching this peculiar behavior, and asked the young man:

"Why are you destroying these expressions of beauty, do you not find the splendor of nature worth admirering-?"

The young man looked at her, and overbearingly replied:

"All things are impermanent by nature. Do you not think it is better to let them return to their true nature as soon as possible-?"

The old woman smiled and said:

"In that case, my dear friend, why don't you go and jump off that tall cliff over there, and realize your OWN true nature-?"

WASH YOUR BOWL

A monk told Joshu, "I have just entered the monastery.
Please teach me."

Joshu asked, "Have you eaten your rice porridge?

The monk replied, "I have eaten."

Joshu said, "Then you had better wash your bowl."

At that moment the monk was enlightened.

EMPTY YOUR CUP

A professor of philosophy was given audience by the Japanese Zen master Nan-in.

While the master quietly served tea, the professor talked about Zen.

The master poured the visitor's cup to the brim, and then kept pouring.

The professor watched the overflowing cup until he could no longer restrain himself.
"It's overfull! No more will go in!" the professor blurted.

"You are like this cup" the master replied, "How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup -?"