The illusion of self is
the first, present and final trap. - stonepeace
Life is a creative process that is happening in this present
moment. The only reality we have is the present
moment. The objective of spiritual practice is to close the gap between reality
and what we think is real. When we succeed in letting go of our notions
of self, we become one with our lives, one with this moment. There is no self,
no other, no this or that. The universe exists in its entirety within each
moment. This is what it means to forget the self - to see that there is, in
fact, no self. To live knowing that there is no self is what in Zen is called
the action of non-action. Our activity, regardless of its nature, is allowed to
flow by itself. It develops spontaneously, without forcing or straining - like
the way we grow our hair. There is no deliberate intent whatsoever...
In art, when the artist has stepped out of the way,
the brush paints by itself, the camera photographs by itself, the dance dances
by itself. There is no reflection, hesitation, or self-consciousness.
There is just the complete expression of that event, of that meeting. The
creative process, like the workings of a spiritual journey, points us towards
our essential nature, which is a reflection of the boundless creativity of the
universe.
-
Hearing with the Eye (John Daido Loori)
________________________________
