Embracing Every (Mis)step
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Sometimes, it’s difficult to trust where we stand. We look at the circumstances in our lives, and it feels like something’s missing. Perhaps we feel that we’re not enough for the moment as it presents itself, that we need to be someone else. These feelings can spiral, leaving us unsure of how to recover our way.
When we’re in these situations, we often turn inward and speak to the part of ourselves that feels small, alone, or confused. But instead of clarity, this inner dialogue creates a cacophony of voices that drown out the truth of the moment. It becomes impossible to shift our gaze and see the wholeness of the situation as it unfolds.
Dōgen Zenji, the founder of the Sōtō Zen tradition, understood this deeply. His Shōbōgenzō—Treasury of the True Dharma Eye—is a vast collection of teachings that delve into every facet of life, from how to sit zazen to how to brush your teeth or wipe after using the bathroom. At first glance, it might seem overly prescriptive or controlling, but that’s not the case.
Dōgen was not trying to impose rules or micromanage; he was pointing to the countless Dharma gates that present themselves in every moment. Even in the most mundane activities—cooking a meal, washing your hands, brushing your teeth—you can encounter the fullness of the universe. Each moment, no matter how ordinary, holds the potential to awaken you to the boundless nature of being.
But this teaching isn’t always easy to accept. While we may be open to the idea that washing our hands or brushing our teeth can be a gateway to awakening, there are parts of our lives—mistakes, missteps, and moments of failure—that we struggle to embrace.
In his fascicle Uji, Dōgen explores this idea deeply. The term Uji translates loosely as “being-time,” but its meaning is far richer. I encourage students not to get caught up in the translation but to simply engage with Uji as it is. Look for it in your life, and it will manifest.
Dōgen writes:
“Even at a stage where it would seem that you’ve taken a false step, this condition will be a state of being. Further, should you leave the matter at this, your condition will still constitute a persistence of a time being or which will include both a before and an after to this having taken a false step. Dealing with thoughts and things while they persist is like a fish darting a barbed hook through the water. It is indeed what being here just for the time being, what being Uji, is about. So do not be upset over what is not, and do not be pressured by what is.”
Dōgen’s words remind us that mistakes and missteps are not deviations from the path—they are the path. Even when we falter, this too is Uji.
When we understand this, our relationship with mistakes transforms. Instead of viewing them through the lens of shame and regret, we see them as opportunities for growth and awakening. They are perfect expressions of the moment, ripe for learning and actualization.
But this doesn’t mean carelessness. Dōgen warns against thinking that anything we do is automatically an acceptable expression of being-time. He likens this attitude to a poor person throwing away their inheritance.
Our inheritance, he reminds us, is this vast and boundless moment. To squander it through carelessness or unconsciousness is to lose something precious. True practice calls us to savor every step, to embody continuous effort with sincerity.
At the same time, Dōgen warns against forcing practice—against trying to manipulate conditions to fit our expectations. Genuine practice arises from meeting the moment as it is, without trying to control or shape it. It requires letting go of the self, of clinging and grasping, and responding skillfully to what arises.
This is the paradox of practice: mistakes are inevitable, but they must be met with care and presence. When we see our missteps as part of the path, they lose their power to paralyze us. Instead, they become fertile ground for transformation. Each mistake creates ripples—karmic waves that cannot be undone. But these ripples are not obstacles. They are opportunities to manifest compassion and transform the consequences of our actions into nourishment for all beings.
Dōgen writes:
“Do not be upset over what is not, and do not be pressured by what is.”
This teaching asks us to stand squarely where we are, even in discomfort. It invites us to release our attachment to how things should be and to embrace life as it is, with all its imperfections.
To live this way is to embody Uji. It is to see each moment—each mistake—as a manifestation of being-time, inseparable from the vastness of existence. It is to live with an open heart, free from the maze of judgments and expectations that constrain us.
When we fully embrace Uji, we discover that there is nothing outside. The entire universe is within us, and we are within it. There is no boundary between self and other, no distinction between good and bad, right and wrong. Every moment is whole and complete, a perfect expression of the universe.
Compassion arises naturally when we recognize this unity. It dissolves the boundaries between ourselves and others, between what we desire and what we reject. It allows us to walk into the chasm of suffering, meet it with an open heart, and transform it into the boundless activity of awakening.
To live this way is to truly appreciate our lives, to savor the fullness of existence, and to awaken to the boundless nature of being. This is the heart of practice: to meet the present with clarity and courage, to let go of our judgments and fears, and to respond skillfully to life as it unfolds.
Each misstep, each moment of doubt or failure, is integral to our path. These are the moments where we have the opportunity to grow, to transform, to awaken. There is no need to hide or run away. When we embrace life fully, even its difficulties, we find freedom and authenticity.
When you recognize the truth of Uji, you realize that you are embodying the whole universe. You see that nothing is outside. Every step you take, every breath you draw, every mistake you make—these are all manifestations of the infinite. And in this realization, you find the profound freedom to walk your path with grace, compassion, and authenticity.
