Take the Step
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I’ve shared with many of you that in my early Zen practice, I faced a significant challenge—one that may sound simple but was incredibly impactful. I had to get out of bed!
When you’ve got over 30 years of karmic momentum telling you to stay under the covers, changing the direction of that stream feels almost impossible. So when the alarm went off, I used to roll out of bed and hit the floor—literally. Hitting the floor was enough to shock me into wakefulness, just enough to get up and start moving toward the cushion.
After a few mornings of hitting the floor hard enough, I figured out how to swing my feet under me and walk with a bit more dignity. And, judging by the look of all of you this morning, I’d say you’ve reached that level of dignity yourselves.
Here’s the thing about our practice: habit energy clings to us. Some of it we’re aware of; some of it we’re not. We often wait for the “right time” or an easier season to address it, but the truth is, now is the time.
Today, when you notice yourself feeling resistance toward something—whether it’s completing a task or doing something you know you ought to do—take that step. Walk directly into it.
Over time, as you develop the habit of stepping into challenges and even your own suffering, you’ll find it becomes easier to transform that suffering into joy. But it all starts with that first step.
The wonderful thing is, you’ll discover you’re equal to whatever life presents. You’ll find that all the resources you need to transform your circumstances are always present. But you have to prove this to yourself by stepping into that place of discomfort.
This morning, many of you took that first step simply by getting out of bed and showing up. Keep taking that step throughout your day. The next time we meet in dokusan, let me know if I’m right.
There’s a world full of suffering around us—a wide world full of people who need this practice. Begin today by taking the first step and walking into aversion.
