Mountain sounds carry a chill wisdom


An upwelling spring whispers subtle tales


Pine breezes stir the fire beneath my tea


Bamboo shadows soak deep into my robe

I grind my ink: clouds scraping across the crags


Copy out a verse: birds settling on branches


As the world rolls right on by


Its every turn tracing out non-action

 

 -Shih-shu (17th c)

 

Our everyday experiences often pass by unnoticed. We are preoccupied with what needs to be done next or we are ruminating on something that happened in the past. Our thoughts are mountain sounds and upwelling springs. To be aware of the pine breeze or the clouds as they pass by brings us back to the moments that matter. In psychoanalysis we think about the chill wisdom and subtle tales. We work together to connect to the state of free flowing and effortless non action of the present moment. Preoccupations and ruminations become birds settling on branches. We find the space for going on being as the world rolls on by.

The moon’s appearance, a river of stars,
snow-clad pines, clouds hovering on mountain peaks.
In darkness, they glow with brightness.
In shadows, they shine with a splendid light.
Like the dreaming of a crane flying in empty space,
like the clear, still water of an autumn pool,
endless eons dissolve into nothingness,
each indistinguishable from the other.
In this illumination all striving is forgotten.

—Hung Chih Cheng Chueh (1091-1157)

The new year is recognized as a time to make resolutions, to set goals and improve the quality of our lives in some way. There is a devotion to them as well as a rejection of the tradition. Many of us set goals and begin the year in earnest desire and commitment to fulfilling them. At some point the novelty wears off and a day of forgetting turns into a week and so on. While we are striving for these new standards of living the moon appears and reveals the beauty that has always been there in a splendid light. These moments are the light within ourselves. A luminous presence of compassion and mindfulness. As we step into this new year I hope all who read this blog will have those moments of illumination.

 Mind has no color,

Is neither long nor short,

Doesn’t appear or disappear;

It is free from both purity and impurity;

It was never born and can never die;

It is utterly serene.

This is the form of our

Original mind,

Which is also our original body.

 -Hui-hai (8th c.)

 Infant research has revealed the complex and sophisticated processes babies have in learning and developing their minds. Identificatory systems take our experience and allow us to create meaning in the world. Our truth and our identity are an evolving experience of insight and realization. The idea of the original mind opens a space in the confusion and despair for us to think about possibilities. This space is utterly serene.  Taking time to sit and bring our attention to the present moment cultivates this space and allows us to think about our experiences, the opportunity for insight and learning diminishes impulsive reactions that can further complicate our lives.

 Without beginning or ending, your original wisdom has been shining forever, like the sun. To know whether or not this is true, look inside your own mind.

-Padmasambhava (8th c)

To become curious about ourselves is our original wisdom. My clients come into session with an array of fears and regrets. We sit together and think about the experiences from the week with an open heart and mind. This may sound overly simplistic and given the complexity of our lives it is reasonable to assume that we cannot simply open our hearts and minds to reflect on the things that frighten us or leave us with a sense of despair. The therapy setting allows us to pause and consider all those complexities. We can point out basic assumptions and think about the feelings that arise in the conversation. By linking these experiences in the session to the events of the week our original wisdom becomes a guiding light to new possibilities and ways of coping with stressful life events.

 I live quietly with other temple monks,

Get up at dawn to chant Namu.

The valley stream transcends clamor and stillness,

Mountain clouds know nothing

Of being or nonbeing.

Room a half a span wide,

Empty enough to hang a bell in;

Gruel in a gourd bowl

That might be left dangling.

And since I came here, what have I done?

Bathed in the Yi, enjoyed the breeze

In the rain altars.

-Gensei (1623-1668)

We rely on our capacity to think about our experiences and utilize our knowledge to solve problems or acquire new information to help us manage the day-to-day stressors in our lives. Strong emotions can compromise that capacity and we tend to react quickly in emotionally intense situations. Moments of calm reflection can be elusive in a busy day filled with unexpected problems. Psychotherapy and psychoanalysis provide us with opportunities to sit in a room and reflect on those feelings and reactions. The conversation becomes a valley stream that transcends the clamor and stillness. Our journey together allows us to realize the fundamental points that are embedded in the busy and unexpected parts of our lives.

 Despite the obstacles,

I pursued the great monk

The misty mountains a million layers high

He pointed to the road back home

One round moon, lantern of the sky.

-Han Shan (c 730)

The decision to contact a therapist is a complex and meaningful experience for anyone facing a challenge in their lives. Our ability to manage our life comes into question and we find ourselves facing circumstances that we fear are beyond our capability to resolve. The therapist appears as a resource, someone who has the answers and the skills to help us. When I meet with someone for the first time, I hold an appreciation for the courage it takes to seek help and a respect for their wisdom and capabilities. We work together to clarify the issues and determine a path to achieve their goals. This becomes the road illuminated and we travel together, paying attention to the assumptions and beliefs that help or hinder the journey. Ultimately, they realize the great monk that resides within themselves and regain the confidence and hope that was obscured by the clouds of their doubts and worries.

 Late at night I sit alone

And work on deadwood zen

I stir the lifeless ashes

The fire won’t relight

Suddenly I hear the tower

Chime resound.

Its single sound of clarity

Fills the winter sky.

 —Han-shan Te-ch’ing (1546-1623)

Moments of clarity have the potential to change our lives. Depression can fill your world with lifeless ashes and leave you feeling helpless and hopeless to find any joy. People come to my office seeking clarity and we step into the unlit fire and stir the ashes of their thoughts and feelings. Our time together ends for the day and the feelings remain. The weeks can become months without much in the way of change. The scheduled hour becomes a finger or toe hold on our ascent of what feels like an endless journey up the side of the mountain. Chimes resound when new connections are made between experiences and assumptions that are usually outside of our conscious awareness. Being mindful of the present moment and allowing ourselves to reflect on our thoughts and feelings without judgement transforms the arduous journey into an opportunity to discover our creative potential .