Sublime

The joy of true quiet becomes a daily healing food.

WU CH’ENG says, “All of these things are useful. But without an empty place for an axle, a cart can’t move. Without a hollow place in the middle, a pot can’t hold things. Without spaces for doors and windows, a room can’t admit people or light. But these three examples are only metaphors. What keeps our body alive is the existence of breath within

Many of us live as though we’re dead, but, as soon as we know how to breathe mindfully and to walk mindfully, we can resurrect ourselves and come back to life.

and finally Tung-shan, whose Dharma heir be became. His comments are quoted by Hung-lien. Ma-tsu(709-788), aka Tao-yi. Disciple of Huai-jang and proponent of the teachings that “the everyday mind is the Way” and “this mind is the Buddha.” Among his students were Nan-ch’uan, Pai-chang, and Ta-mei. His comments are quoted by Hung-lien. Madhyamaka.

From time to time, we stop chewing and get in touch with the friends, family, or sangha—community of practitioners—around us. We appreciate that it is wonderful to be sitting here chewing like this, not worrying about anything. When we eat mindfully, we are not eating or chewing our anger, our anxiety, or our projects. We are chewing the food,

Over the years, in my darkest moments of despair, I would think of Thay or he would appear in my dreams, and my being would be imbued with his sense of love and trust.

Through the practice of mindful living, we learn new habits. Walking, we know that we are walking. Standing, we know that we are standing. Sitting, we know that we are sitting. Practicing this way, we slowly undo our old habits and develop the new habit of dwelling deeply and happily in the present moment. With mindfulness in us, we can smile a