It might sound contradictory, but if you leave your thoughts and emotions as they are, your mind will naturally become peaceful on its own. It’s ironic. “Leave them as they are” can be expressed in various ways, such as leaving things alone, not judging what comes up, not developing unnecessary narratives, not engaging with them, going with the flow, or simply leaving them be, etc. This might not make much sense initially, but it will become easier over time. You might feel that your thoughts are noisy at first, but eventually, they’ll stop bothering you. That's because you'll be able to let them be. Zen has a concept called “諸法実相 (Shoho Jisso),” which means "the true nature of all phenomena." It suggests their true nature will reveal itself by leaving things as they are. When you reach this, you will realize that everything was self-created and feel a sense of relief.
To come to this point, practicing sitting every day is essential. Sit as much as you can. The most important thing is to sit every day, even for just 5 minutes. Do your best. It
is like hiking. You need to walk up the trail to see new scenery. Along the way, you experience various views for the first time. Even on a challenging path, if you keep walking, you will eventually witness breathtaking sights that you have never seen before. In the Inner Sanctuary, some of you might already notice changes in the scenery. I am like a guide for your hike. The path continues ahead. What kind of scenery are you seeing right now? Please sit diligently every day and enjoy the scenery as it is right now.
“Komorebi is the Japanese word for the shimmering of light and shadows that are created by leaves swaying in the wind.
It only exists once, at that moment”.
By Perfect Days
Writing and Photography by K E I K O
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