Embracing Simplicity with Sensei Dhara Kowal
Sensei Dhara Kowal explored the simplicity of Zen practice in a morning session.
Kowal emphasized that Zen practices, whether breath work, koan study, or shikantaza, are inherently simple.
Complications arise when practitioners squander their attention by chasing thoughts, including doubts about the efficacy of their practice.
To illustrate this, Kowal shared an old Zen story from The Three Pillars of Zen.
In the story, a man asked a Master for wisdom, and the Master responded by writing “attention”.
When the man asked for more, the Master wrote “attention, attention”.
The man grew irritated and demanded an explanation.
The Master simply replied, “attention means attention”.
This story highlights the profound simplicity of pure, focused awareness.
Kowal also drew parallels to the teachings of Henry David Thoreau, a 19th-century naturalist and transcendentalist.
Thoreau’s mantra of “simplicity, simplicity, simplicity” echoed the Zen emphasis on minimalist living and mindfulness.
Living deliberately in nature, Thoreau aimed to experience life fully and mindfully, a journey he documented in his book Walden.
Sensei Kowal concluded that both Zen practice and Thoreau’s philosophy emphasize living in the present moment, free from the distractions of thoughts and judgments.
Whether in nature or urban environments, true simplicity lies in maintaining undivided attention and directly experiencing life as it is.
