The radical practice of Zazen

Zazen is the most radical, revolutionary act we can perform in this particular culture at this moment in history. Sitting upright, in silence and stillness, yet wide awake and alert, we are not

• buying anything
• eating anything
• watching anything
• talking about anything
• listening to anything
• fixing anything
• planning anything
• regretting anything
• helping anyone
• going anywhere
• making anything happen
• mesmerized by anything
• clinging to anything
• angry at anything
• guilty for anything
• dissociated from anything
• improving anything
• distracted by anything

We are not driving ourselves deeper into debt, creating more desires, running away from ourselves, keeping busy. We are not making war, creating pollution, or oppressing others knowingly or unknowingly. We are just sitting, in dignified, spacious, and friendly repose.

We come to rest in a a place of perfect freedom and ease, without depending on

• experts
• therapists
• pundits
• commodities
• drugs
• self-help books
• doctors
• politicians
• bosses
• news anchors
• parents
• teachers
• laws
• ideas
• reasons
• exercise programs

Is this even legal? It is really quite remarkable, in fact. This simple practice, beyond language, beyond concepts, beyond liking and disliking, beyond getting or having, beyond form or function, with seemingly no redeeming value, can utterly transform our lives and offer immeasurable benefits in the world. How is that possible? You will have to find out for yourself.