Essential Zen

“The essence of Zen is to see and to accept this moment of existence for exactly what it is and nothing more or less. The totality of self is achieved, perhaps, after thorough examination of all that has comprised what one thinks of as "self", all the warts, the crap, the good, the bad...all of it...and once seen and accepted, to live with that totality and to give it spontaneous expression. This moment of existence is a moment within this particular realm comprised of these particular elements, expressions of and manifestations of energy.” – Gonzo

“A warrior is a hunter. He calculates everything. That’s control. Once his calculations are over, he acts. He lets go. That’s abandon. A warrior is not a leaf at the mercy of the wind. No one can push him, no one can make him do things against himself or against his better judgment. A warrior is tuned to survive and he survives in the best of all possible fashions.” – Don Juan

Recently there's been some discussion in a foreign chat on the analogy of one wading through a river of shit, looking for what I have referred to as "gems". Gems being treasures in the eyes of someone who cherishes the identification of what likely was, before identification, an area of unconscious adopted conditioning. Looking through the shit of one's life and finding the treasures is more a description of the process than a definition. The treasures are that which is false, it's the identification of untruth. Finding that which burdens you with its false sense of importance. Recognizing that you can simply let it go from your life is what makes the “gems” valuable. It’s the realization that the gem does not represent or identify you, and that the associated energy used in maintaining the untruth can be redirected. Hunting is thorough examination of all that one thinks of as "self". It's the "calculating everything" that Don Juan spoke of. The only thing we have "control" over is ourselves, and when Don Juan says "He calculates everything. That's control." ...he's referring to one working towards the total familiarity of "self", all the warts, the crap, the good, the bad...all of it. The process is the calculation, the result is self knowledge, the self control to act with awareness. Fully accepting what is found, and abandoning what does not benefit or strengthen you.

I look at the discoveries as valuable gems because my intent is to free myself of their burden. Working through the painful shit to uncover the primordial. Shinning the light of awareness on and dropping the obscurations is a joyous and wonderful authentication of no-thing. Finding the gems can be a challenging and difficult process of self inquire. We are motivated as a society and people to place attention on the external to find our self worth. Reflecting on what's within is taken for granite and generally overlooked, and why not? Placing one's awareness inward is a full time job. One that no one can do, but you. I suppose one could just as easily look at the gems as being stones in your backpack that have no value, weighing you down. I think I value the false aspects I find within because addressing them with awareness is so closely akin to taking responsibility for what’s found.

I agree with you wholeheartedly, I see the chunks as undigested pieces that have not been assimilated, picking through the shit is nasty business...are we warrior enough?