the problem.
I am strong and independent. I must work for everything I do, including my own happiness. When I'm down, I turn to myself because I must. But I tire. I carry the weight of my world on my shoulders, and sometimes I can hardly bear it.
the Zen understanding.
A Zen practitioner also feels this difficulty. If you are a solitary or independent person, it can be hard to rely on anyone or anything but yourself.
Ideally, a Zen practitioner would have a Sangha to rely on: real people who think like them to talk to. The Sangha is one of the Three Jewels discussed in a "Going Further" chapter. However, a Zen practitioner might not have one, so what then?
A Zen student must then realize that, sometimes, there is no one to turn to and that's okay. Not every problem needs to be solved. There is not a potion for every sadness. In realizing this, a Zen Buddhist liberates themselves from the conception of their own power.
the Zen application.
A Zen Buddhist is confident in their reasoning, but they should not be so confident to think that they know everything, can solve everything, and can be everything they want to be at any moment. This is not even possible.
You will not always be a perfect rock. You will not always be serenely happy. Ultimately, happiness comes from freedom: especially freedom from yourself. So, rather than despair at your inability to be something that no one is, let go of you.
You might be smart and strong, but these strengths are not unchanging because no thing is unchanging. Forget how strong you are, and let the world roll off your shoulders. You do not need to hold up the world all the time, not even your own world, because there is no world without being rid of that world.
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𝘾 𝙖 𝙡 𝙢 🌼 A Pocket Guide To Breathe Easy
RandomName a negative emotion. This guide discusses the Zen Buddhist method to calm it. Each chapter focuses on a negative feeling, a hurtful action, or a cause for despondency. I hope this guide helps you to breathe a little easier!
