DOMINGO de ZAZEN – 4 de Setembro, Dojo (Barão S. João) 18h – 24h.

When we read or hear the word consciousness we tend to limit it to mental consciousness , to the activities of our thinking box . But all the informations that our senses give us are consciousness . The awarness of what we see is consciousness as well as it is the awarness that we are seeing .
Consciousness works as a mirror , reflecting everything what we are aware of, inside and outside , at an instant .

To experience this we have to step out of our active thougt processes . Zazen , sitting concentrated on posture and breath is a good start . Same as the moon is transforming the bright and hot light of the sun into a clear shining our mind during zazen suddenly becomes aware of all the turmoil and emotions in our thought processes . Don’t react , just reflect .

A student asked his meditation teacher : “How to think during zazen ?”
The teacher answerd : “practice non – thinking .”
The student asked back : “how to practice non – thinking ?”
The teacher said : “think from the depth of non – thinking .”

Our thoughts , on one side , are an endless activity of past , present and future projections , dreams , wishes and fears . On the other side they are a celular movement as our blood circulation and our breath , as the sound of the wind in the trees and the barking of dogs .

When we sit in silence our mind is clear and unmoving . Out of the dark thoughts come and go . This moment is bright and complete , nothing is missing .

carl