September 12, 2024 – A

The right kind of emptiness,
stillness and silence is one thing,
not three,
and is the source of all that follows:
Seeing/Hearing/Knowing/Doing/Being
(One thing, not five!)
in ways that serve/exhibit/express/reveal
our original nature,
our innate virtues
(The things we do best
and enjoy/love doing most),
our intrinsic intuition--
in response to what is called for
in each situation as it arises,
no matter what,
all our life long.

Alan Watts is clear about this.

In his book, "What is Zen," 
he says that
in serving our intrinsic intuition,
we trust ourselves to respond 
in ways appropriate to the occasion
no matter what the circumstances are.

Trusting ourselves to know what to do 
where/when/how is our grounding foundation
throughout our life
as we rise to meet the circumstances
as they develop.

He advises, "Keep your center of gravity
between your feet.
Stay in the center
and you will be ready to move 
in any direction."

And adds, "It requires a certain kind of poise:
If you are here, now when things happen,
you always remain balanced."

Knowing what is called for
and responding intuitively
out of our original nature
and innate virtues 
is the prescribed way of handling
all aspects of our life.

Nothing could be simpler
or more necessary!

Of course, the catch is that 
we cannot have our way
and get what we want
and do what is called for
in each situation as it arises.

We have to grow up to meet the day each day.