🖼️ Monday Muse
The “Monday Muse” is a weekly collection of reminders, insights, and maxims on the art of living. The term “muse” has two meanings: (1) a state of deep thought; and (2) a source of inspiration. May the following (in a small way) be a source of contemplation and wisdom to live your highest good.
📌 Perennial Reminder(s)
The poet, author, and Zen master in the Sanbo Zen lineage, Henry Shukman (an upcoming podcast guest), on ordinary Zen:
There is an ancient method of categorization in the Zen tradition that recognizes four kinds of meditation practice. Mindfulness is known as the ‘first kind of Zen.’ The old masters called it ‘ordinary Zen,’ meaning that it’s about ordinary benefits, such as feeling less anxious or rushed, enhancing our concentration, or improving our health through reducing stress.
But even though it may be ‘ordinary,’ it is very valuable. In fact, it just may be the best ‘kind of Zen.’ After all, this is where practice begins for most of us. It’s here that we start to become more content in ourselves. We are learning to be ourselves and finding that this can be enough. …
This is a deep self-improvement project, yet it’s a different mindset from normal notions of ‘improvement.’ It begins with self-acceptance and self-cherishing. […]
Source: Original Love
📜 Perennial Maxim(s)
The American philosopher and contemplative Beatrice Bruteau (1930—2014) on the art of letting go:
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💡 Perennial Insight(s)
The Danish theologian and philosopher Søren Kierkegaard (1813—1855) on knowing oneself:
One must first learn to know oneself before knowing anything else. Not until a person has inwardly understood himself and then sees the course he is to take does his life gain peace and meaning; only then is he free of that irksome, sinister traveling companion—that irony of life that manifests itself in the sphere of knowledge and invites true knowing to begin with a not-knowing (Socrates), just as God created the world from nothing. …
Just as no one who has been taught a great deal about swimming is able to keep afloat in a storm, but only the person who is intensely convinced and has experienced that he is actually lighter than water, so a person who lacks this inward point of poise is unable to keep afloat in life’s storms. Only when a person has understood himself in this way is he able to maintain an independent existence and thus avoid surrendering his own I. […]
Source: The Essential Kierkegaard
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Thank you for reading; I hope you found something useful.
Until next time, be wise and be well,
J.W. Bertolotti
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How to keep afloat in life. A great analogy. One can float on top or fight the waves. The choice is yours as long as one actually knows you have a choice. Thanks for the daily focus and reminder we have a choice.