Bridging the Gap Between Meditation and Daily Life
Many practitioners struggle to keep their meditation practice and everyday life connected. They create a separation between meditation practice and daily life. This topic came up in a recent one-on-one session, and it’s something I’d like to explore. A student asked about this after watching my interview with Meido Moore Roshi. During the interview, he said, "If your practice remains isolated from daily life, it is because your practice is not deep enough."
First, I would say it's very important not to attach to the words of a teacher, especially a Zen teacher! We have a temple rule that states:
When you listen to the words of the Zen teacher, keep your mind clear. Do not be attached to the words. Cut off all thought and pierce the true meaning.
A good teacher will challenge your assumptions and make you question your understanding of Zen, enlightenment, and even yourself.
The Illusion of Deep vs. Shallow Practice
The second point is that there is no such thing as a deep practice or a shallow practice. "Deep" and "shallow" live in the world of duality. Duality is created by our thinking. Zen practice isn't about living in duality; it’s about seeing things as they truly are in the present moment.
A classic Zen koan illustrates this point. A monk once asked Zen Master Joju, “Does a dog have Buddha nature?” Joju replied, “Mu!”—which is often translated as “No.” But wait, didn’t the Buddha teach that all beings have Buddha nature? Joju’s response wasn’t about providing a definitive answer; it was about shaking the monk’s assumptions and waking him up to the present moment. This is the real essence of Zen: breaking through habitual thinking and perceiving clearly.
Karma: The Four Types of Horses
In Zen, there’s a teaching about four types of horses:
- The first type sees the shadow of the whip and immediately runs.
- The second type feels the wind of the whip and then runs.
- The third type needs to be hit once before it runs.
- The fourth type—you have to beat the hell out of it to get it going!
Many of us fall into the fourth category. This is not about intelligence or ability; it’s about karma, or habitual thinking. Some people have more conditioning to work through than others. But regardless of how much effort is required, enlightenment isn’t something we lack—it’s simply about seeing through our karma so we can realize enlightenment in this very moment.
Three Ways to Bring Zen into Everyday Life
So how do we integrate Zen into daily life? Here are three practical methods:
1. Maintain a Daily Meditation Practice
Meditation is about fully engaging with the present moment. When we cultivate this during formal practice, it becomes easier to bring meditation into everyday activities. Sitting on the cushion helps us make a conscious effort to pay attention. The most important thing is how we take that awareness into eating, working, driving, listening, talking—every activity in our lives.
2. Use Practice Reminders
Many practitioners use a mala (a string of prayer beads) as a reminder of their practice. Others set an hourly timer on their phone or recite a mantra throughout the day. These small tools help interrupt habitual thinking and bring us back to what we are doing right now. The more we remember to practice this awareness, the more natural it becomes.
3. Stay Connected to Your Motivation
Why do we practice? Look at the suffering in the world—on the news, in your community, in your own life. This is what inspired the Buddha to seek enlightenment, and it can serve as a powerful motivator for our own practice. Keeping suffering in mind fuels our commitment to practice meditation and our effort to wake up.
What Is Most Important?
At the end of the day, what truly matters? Is it wealth? Fame? Knowledge? Possessions? Power? This is something that nobody can answer for you. There's no book. There's no video. There's no teacher that can answer this question for you. If what is most important becomes clear, then this moment become can become clear. And this is the real meaning behind a "deep" meditation practice.
