Introducing the three aspects of sitting
I have spoken many times about posture, which is one third of the sitting position, but also the breath sits, the mind sits. It's hard to talk about zazen body and zazen mind separately.
Three perspectives of one sitting
On the other hand, one can say, "Mind alone is sitting, nothing else exists." That perspective is also possible. Also, from the viewpoint of breath, there is no body and no mind, only breath, and breath sits.
Redefining mind beyond the head
"Mind" is not in my head, which represents logic, intellect, mathematics. I might say it is self, oneself, which seems to be your whole body, within and without. You might say it is you, including all of your environment.
Bodhidharma's metaphor on becoming the medium
Bodhidharma said that if you want to see a fish swimming, you have to see the water first, and if you want to catch a fish the best way is to become water and let the fish swim in it.
Zazen as acting from Nirvana, not dwelling in it
Sitting is not living in Nirvana, it's acting from Nirvana, and seeing that each action we take affects a lot of people.
Breath as swinging door metaphor
The breath comes and goes, like a swinging door, a very fine swinging door that the wind pushes in and pushes out. You cannot tell which is the in-breath, which is the out-breath.
Personal story of learning breathing from butterflies at Tassajara
I learned breathing from butterflies. One day I was sitting at Tassajara, and I felt in tune with the breath of everything. The trees were breathing. About twenty butterflies were sitting on hot rocks, very white hot rocks, with clean water cascading between them. The butterflies were all breathing at once, opening their wings, and I tuned them in.
The universe breathing through each person
When you breathe, it feels like you are doing it, but, actually, the whole universe is breathing each breath with you.
Sesshin as paying a collective debt
A part of coming to sesshin is paying a huge debt. It's not a personal debt because we realize that we are not alone. Somebody caused a big problem and it is actually our problem, too.
Repentance as protection from dwelling in Nirvana
My master would repent every time he thought of "self and other." But we all have to do it. Otherwise, we would get stuck in Nirvana.
The in-breath as new life arriving
What comes in is absolutely new life, recovery of your new life, new chance, new thoughts.