Ch. 5 Five stages of training
Grand Opening Shunshinkan Dojo in 2001 - (from left to right) Curtis Sensei, Sachiko Tohei, Shinichi Tohei Sensei, Otsuka Sensei and Suzuki Sensei
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Dear Friends, Students and Teachers,
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You may leave a question or comment on the current podcast/transcript or a question for the upcoming discussion on Ch. 6 held on July 31st in the comment section.
aloha,
The Moderator
On the one hand, everything is interconnected and interdependent. My actions have consequences, and future present moments will be affected by my actions now.
On the other hand, if I practice equanimity, I am open to whatever arises, without judgment or preference (not that I really succeed much in that direction).
I am confused about these two principles. What is the difference between equanimity and making choices with the connectedness of all things in mind?
Hello Steve,
Thank you for your comments and question.
When we are confused, it usually means that we are seeing two different poles as opposites in some way, instead of seeing them as two sides of the one movement. When we juxtapose one idea against another, it means that we are able to focus only on one of them at a time, instead of including them both as part of our experience of this moment, this life.
Since everything, as you say, is interconnected and interdependent, our actions, our thoughts, and even our perspective now, alters forever every future moment in this life in some way, large or small. There is only one moment when what we do, say, or think matters at all, and that is this present one, because there are no other moments. Therefore, how we act, or speak, or perceive right now, largely dictates how we will experience this moment as it continues to unfold and develop or evolve. Seeing this erases any contradiction between a concern for now and a concern for later. Both can only be addressed in one way, and that is by being present in the moment.
Further, there is only one real choice that can be made in this life, and that is to be present in awareness, or not. Tohei Sensei called this being aware in the present “Keeping One Point”. If we are not fully aware in the present moment, then this means we are being run by our conditioning, by one or more of these patterned reactive mechanisms. These patterns are always habituated from our past, and by their nature are engaged in either pushing an unpleasant experience away so that it can be avoided, or clinging to a pleasant experience so that it can be extended. When choices are made under the influence of a pattern, we call that a reaction, and whatever dominates this moment now, reinforces itself into every future moment.
However, when we are able to just be in open awareness now as the experiential moment unfolds and evolves, we always know directly what is needed in the way of a response. This way there is no separation between self and other, between this and that, and hence no confusion can arise.
I hope this helps. Please let me know.
Aloha,
Chris Curtis
Thank you sensei.
What you said about confusion rings so true…my conditioning leads me to “either or” more readily than to “both and”.
I need to let your response soak in for awhile. I guess the bottom line is just be present in awareness and trust that the rest will unfold.
Steve