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Friday , Octob er 22, 201 0

No Obstacles

Much has been written about obstacles to meditation and how to overcome them. At the ZenCenter on Wednesday evening, I asked my students to give examples of obstacles to theirmeditation.

Responses included: desire for control, ideas of gaining something, preferences, restlessness.

I told them that these are not obstacles. They don't hinder the practice, and they don't help thepractice - they are the practice. Whatever is happening, life as it is, is Zen practice.

When we feel the desire for control, and we try not to feel it, that's more desire for contr ol. T hesame is true for any other supposed "obstacle." Zen practice is not about getting rid of it, but justseeing it, seeing it without believing any of the stories that arise around it.

Posted by Dogo Barry Graham at 10:48 AM Email This BlogThis! Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Google BuzzLabels: meditation , practice , sitting frog zen center , zazen , zen

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"The awesome Barry Graham" - American Book Review

Dogo B arry GrahamAuthor, journalist and Zen teacher. Native of Glasgow, Scotland, now based in Phoenix, Arizona.Abbot of The Sitting Frog Zen Center .

This blog contains various writings, Zen teachings, reporting and commentary on politics,urbanism and sustainability.

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