Ep. 286: Sitting on 5-19-26 (Talk 3 on Song of the Grass-Roof Hermitage)

So, um, last week I, um, introduced people to this practice.

Uh, it's a koan practice where, um ...

In fact, I mean, we can even just sort of like ease into it right now.

Just as you're sitting and you're feeling the body, sort of aware of the breath.

I mean, I'm not ... like, not in some kinda, like, intense way.

I'm not saying, like, follow the breath.

I'm not saying, like, you know, focus on sensations.

Just, like, just in a loose way, just be aware of the feeling of the body sitting here, right? Of course, part of the experience of the body sitting here will be the experience of the breath.

And for some of us, the breath might be loose and deep and easy and free, and for others of us, the breath might feel a bit tight right now, um, shallow.

And both are fine.

Just let the breath be however it is.

Right? Just our experience as it is.

Of course, and part of this experience of just being here like this right now is hearing sounds.

We have a lot of different kinds of perceptual experiences that are part of this, the fullness of this present moment.

Um, and, you know, and there are times in Zen Buddhist practice where we are intentionally cultivating a very narrow kind of concentrated focus, like really just focus on the breath, you know.

Um, but most of the time actually, the kind of awareness that characterizes Zen practice is much more open.

Um, sometimes people call it, like, choiceless awareness, awareness of just what is as it is.

So not picking and choosing, not picking this part of our experience as particularly important, worthy of attention, versus something else.