"Let one not neglect one’s own wellbeing for the sake of another, however great. Clearly understanding one’s own welfare, let one be intent upon the good."
Buddha, Dhammapada
Happy New Year, everyone. I hope you had a nurturing holiday season and are finding your inspiration at the start of the year.
I have never been much for resolutions, but recently have found it valuable to start each year by clarifying my intentions, based on my inspirations, aspirations and visions.
The last month and a half was a threshold for me. I wrapped up a powerful practice season with my Zen Center: three months of intensified practice focused on life transitions. We concluded with a ceremony at which I gave the Buddhist vows to four of my Zen students. (Eon Zen is launching our 2024 programs this month, with plenty of opportunity for new and remote practitioners). Our new website launches in a few weeks.
Through my personal practice, I got supreme clarity on my Zen@Work offerings. Five new coaching clients appeared in December, all embarking on three-month transformational programs with me. There are so many synergies amongst my coachee cohort that I am starting my first group program next month. If you are interested in exploring one-on-one or group work with me, sign up for a free Discovery session. If you are in transition or looking to level up in your work and life, I can most likely help. (I’ll let you know if I think not.)
In the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing stories of how I have transformed my life and helped my clients transform theirs with the wisdom and practices of Zen.
I am also finalizing my plant medicine retreat offerings with my wife Aria Myoku. We’re facilitating our initial solo retreats beginning this month. These can be integrated in a number of ways into the 1:1 and group coaching.
I have come to see the prevalence of various gaps and shadows in the nascent “psychedelic renaissance” and am committed to providing a fully-supported program of preparation, intention-setting, facilitation and (most importantly!) integration. Sign up for a Discovery session if you would like to discuss with me.
You’ll be receiving this newsletter more regularly this year, as I have (I think) gotten my sh*t together on my various channels. Last year my output was a little chaotic in terms of the newsletter, the Game of Zen podcast, my LinkedIn posts, my formal dharma talks, and the more personalized material I share with my clients.
I’m very focused now on the simplicity of the Zen dharma and how it can help you. So that’s what I’ll be sharing, in whatever form it comes out.
With that, I’ll share a short reflection to kick off the year.
take care,
Paul
“From the fool’s gold mouthpiece the hollow horn
Plays wasted words, proves to warn
That he not busy being born is busy dying…An’ though the rules of the road have been lodged
It’s only people’s games that you got to dodge
And it’s alright, Ma, I can make it”
Bob Dylan
I’ve always loved this Dylan lyric. Whenever I heard that urgent warning: “he not busy being born is busy dying” I was motivated to start something new. I like beginnings, so this felt good to me.
It’s a great reminder not to be complacent, but there is a shadow in all this talk of “busy-ness.” After all, it’s not clear whether the aphorism is coming out of the “fool’s gold mouthpiece” or is a response to what is.
What is clear is that we can’t live our lives defined by social norms or expectations. We have to “dodge other people’s games.”
This is not so straightforward, since it is impossible not to inherit the values of our families and society: either by internalizing or rejecting them.
This is where the Buddha’s teaching is very helpful. He said: “Let one not neglect one’s own wellbeing for the sake of another, however great. Clearly understanding one’s own welfare, let one be intent upon the good.”
You have to start from a discerning understanding of what is best for you. Only through care of your own wholeness, your own soul, can you bring forth your gifts.
When we pay close attention to ourselves, we actually find that our path is one of allowing our true self to be revealed, not by becoming something new and better. We can all do this. We don’t need to be monks or sages. In fact, we all need to do this, right along with living our daily lives.
You might have heard a version of the quote from the Buddha that goes like this:
“Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart give yourself to it.”
or
“Your work is to find out what your work should be. Clearly discover your work and attend to it with all your heart.”
This is a mistranslation of the text from the Dhammapada. (Thank you, “Fake Buddhist Quotes”!). The Buddha does not talk about “work” in this context.
I’ll dig deeper this year into the dysfunctions and maladaptations we bring to our work minds, and how we can come into alignment and reveal our true selves with Zen mind.
Happy New Year!