Shundo David Haye

‘When we face the mirror of zazen, our minds tend to face ourselves as objects first – our skin color, age, gender, sexual orientation – all the ways we are embodied and move in the world. We begin to unfold stories about “I.” If we are willing to look long enough in the mirror of zazen, past seeing ourselves as objects, we have the possibility to see that we are nature itself – we are born and will die, just as the trees, flowers, and animals in the wild do. And sometimes, in zazen, we can see that the mirror is clear. There are no clouds, no dust. The human condition is set aside. I am not old, middle-aged, or young. I am fulfilled in my own spirit. And in this recognition I feel the connection to my ancestors, to those who came before me, or to a life larger than my own. I am returned to an open field in which there are many possibilities.’ (The Hidden Lamp)