My meditation teacher says she practices so that she does not hurt other people. When she sits, she does no harm.
Just a few days ago, I got to visit Hazy Moon. The home base for our lineage and practice.
We pulled up & the house was inviting, warm and spacious.
The door opened & Karen Maezen Miller came out, huge smile, warm hug.
I looked around at all the beautiful plants, secret buddhas hiding behind them and the HAZY MOON sign.
We went up the stairs into the living room and I was pleasantly surprised with the sunlight, cozy couches & peaceful energy.
Zen practice is not cozy. It’s not warm and fuzzy. It can be rather quiet, rather empty. Sometimes, cold & lonely.
The instructions are simple and there is no sugar coating. We JUST SIT. Mostly looking at a wall.
But Hazy Moon was so comfortable, warm. And so were the people I met.
Eventually we went to the Zendo, we gathered, we sat.
Nothing fancy.
But here, we did no harm.
And later we listened to a powerful dharma talk about the state of our world, the state of our mind, & taking action to heal with world.
But, it starts with a sit.
So curious about Hazy Moon. Sounds simple, and devoid of so much that is in our faces all the time. Beautiful Maezen.