“When I’m moved to complain about others, I vow with all beings to remember that karma is endless and it’s loving that leads to love.”
Chicago’s hot summer weather is changing into that of September - mild, sunny with cool morning breezes. Darkness comes earlier each evening. A full harvest moon lights up the vast sky, gentle and strong.
I’ve been meditating a lot these last six days during our silent zen retreat. I’m not trying to become enlightened. I’m just being still. Breathing. I’m trying different, subtle physical postures to see if I can breathe easier like lowering my chin or straightening my back a little more by stretching the crown of my head upwards. I’m noticing a lot of thoughts which sometimes I hang out with them and sometimes let go. I’m noticing how my brain likes to think. I’m noticing that sitting helps me cut out distractions and come home to myself.
Humility is a key teaching in Zen as well as Hula. I know how the blinding light of Ego keeps me from seeing reality as it is vs how I want to see it. Ego always has to dominate. It’s like when you’re in a room at night, and you have a light on but you can only see the inside of the room and can’t see out through the window. If you turn the light off, you can see outside much more.
So, how to turn off the light?
Letting go is one way to dim the light of Ego. Try letting go of having to be right, of grudges, of the busy-ness we’ve let surround our days. How do we live a life that is full of ha (breath/life) and aloha (deep love/compassion) for self and other?
Remember that wisdom goes hand-in-hand with aloha. Pono means wisdom that comes from being grounded in goodness and uprightness. It is to listen, to be prepared, to respect all, to sacrifice, and to be patient. This is pono - doing what needs to be done in the circumstance you find yourself in, with humility, aloha, and steadfastness.
And pule (prayer) or meditation is also so important. In prayer/meditation we can see and feel our connection to our Kupuna (ancestors); their ‘ike (insight); the elemental forces of Nature: earth, water, wind, fire; and to each other. That is sacred. That is loving which leads to ever more love.
Malama pono (take good care of body, mind, and heart),
June Kaililani Ryushin Tanoue
Kumu Hula, Sensei
P.S. Sending pule (prayers) for people and all beings in California where fires are burning. Also prayers for all who are affected by Covid.
P.P.S. Watch a recent talk on youtube that Sensei June gave during the silent retreat on Genjo Koan and Love or listen to our Sunday Morning Zen podcasts. Listen to an interview that Nance Klehm did with Kumu June last month on her Spontaneous Vegetation program.