Waiting for Fulfilment or Braced for Failure?

Coach: In the book, Zen in the Art of Archery, the pupil gets frustrated when he cannot find a way to release the arrow without effort. When he explains his difficulty to the Master, the Master replies, “you do not wait for fulfilment, but brace yourself for failure.”

It seems to me that in the world of today, where everyone is in a tearing hurry and tense with expectation we all stand a good chance of being “braced for failure.”

Client: If I am “braced for failure,” what can I do about it?

Coach: The aim is to chill out, take your time, to stop and smell the flowers along the way.

Personally I find that pausing at regular intervals during the day for a little time spent in quiet meditation is a great tonic. It takes my mind off my worries and all the things I tell myself I need to do.

Client: Are you suggesting that I sit on the floor with my legs crossed several times a day?

Coach: You don’t have to adopt any pose to meditate. You can do it sitting on a train, or in your office chair, or in a pavement cafe. The place and the posture do not matter, meditation is simply a matter of clearing your mind so that you can see everything as fresh and new. You’ll be amazed by what comes up when you practice regularly.

Client: How would I be able to find the time to meditate regularly?

Coach: Part of the problem, I think, is that we are all consumed by “image,” by trying to make ourselves into something that we think we ought to be. At the same time we may not have clearly defined what it is that we think we ought to be.

If you create a self-image for yourself that you see as being more thoughtful then clearing your mind at regular intervals becomes and essential part of who you are. Then you will find that you want to create the time.

Client: How many times a day do you meditate?

Coach: What I do is not important. This is about you, not about me. Zen teaching is about setting examples for the pupil to copy.

If you set yourself up as your own teacher then you will find that you develop your own schedule, one that fits in with your lifestyle.

Think of regular meditation like eating, something you do several times because your system demands the nutrition. Meditation is simply nutrition for your mind.

Client: How do I start meditating?

Coach: Just sit still and watch your breath going in and out. You may find it helps to count the breaths.

Client: Is that all?

Coach: Breathing is a great place to start. Meditating is not about “doing” anything. Rather it is about doing “nothing.” That is what people, trained to be forever striving to achieve or do something, find so difficult. But it is the great benefit of meditation that it disciplines you to do something out of the ordinary.