What I learned from almost 60 years of Zazen

Summary of Key Takeaways (Wellness, Self-Care, and Productivity)

1) Meditation as a lifelong practice (not a one-time fix)

• Awakening/insight isn’t a “finish line”; it’s continuous letting go and ongoing refinement.
• Sitting supports change, but it doesn’t automatically heal deeper patterns.

2) Core insight: Let go of obscuring “self-images” and attachments

• The biggest block to wisdom is maintaining and protecting an identity image (who you think you are).
• “No-self” and related concepts are tools, not the direct experience.
• Practice aims to stop clinging to:
  • opinions
  • judgments
  • projections
  • deluded thoughts

3) Be comfortable with the unknown (reduces fear and rigid control)

• Life is inherently uncertain; practice is repeatedly stepping into the unknown.
• Personal stories illustrate how “bad-looking” events can become beneficial (e.g., job changes leading to meeting Zen teachers).
• Connected to death: with practice, death becomes one more step into the unknown, reducing fear.

4) Integrate practice “off the cushion” into daily life

• Study the self in motion, especially emotional triggers:
  • anger
  • jealousy
  • impatience
• Key question: what are you holding onto when negative behavior arises?

5) Address emotional wounds and avoid “spiritual bypassing”

• Profound meditation experiences can be distorted if emotional issues and boundary violations aren’t addressed.
• Upaya (skillful means) is needed to work with emotional health in the context of zazen.
• Advocates deliberate healing work—not just accumulating meditation hours.

6) “Affirm not to…” during irritation, fear, and upset

When triggered, use a practical mental reframe:

• “Affirm not to” when irritation arises
• “Affirm not to” when fear arises
• “Affirm not to” when someone annoys you Apply similarly to all disturbances/agitation/turmoil.

7) Presence and compassionate engagement can transform relationships

• Staying present (rather than reacting or withdrawing) can be healing.
• Example: his relationship with a controlling mother shifted as he engaged her with compassion, allowing her to relax as well.

8) Mindfulness of small actions and interpersonal habits

• Pay attention to subtle behaviors:
  • how you walk
  • how you enter a room
  • how you look at others
• Small cues shape tone, connection, and reactivity.

9) A productivity/behavioral parallel: stop defending opinions automatically

• The habitual need to be right or defend oneself creates an internal “fight.”
• A core shift is to reduce the internal struggle and engage without clinging to offense.

10) Community and mentorship matter

• His path is shaped by teachers, training environments, and guidance through lineage practice.
• Mentors/elders provide growth, empowerment, and continuity of the Dharma.

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Presenters / Sources

Presenter (speaker)

• Zen teacher (speaker of the video), associated with:
  • San Francisco Zen Center
  • Zen Center of Los Angeles
• Named references include:
  • Shunryu Suzuki
  • Seirin So/Sochu Suzuki
  • Myo/Manyu Roshi (as “root teacher”)
  • Bernie Glassman

Zen/teacher sources mentioned

• Philip Kapleau (author/compiled “The Three Pillars of Zen”)
• D. T. Suzuki
• Alan Watts
• Shunryu Suzuki Roshi
• Sōjō Suzuki Roshi (referenced via a London visit)
• Yasutani Roshi
• Rōshi from a Rinzai/Hakuin lineage (referenced via Hakuin and “Raki monastery” on Mt. Fuji)
• Christmas Humphries (introduced the London teacher; referenced as “the society’s president”)
• Myo/Manyu Roshi (root teacher in Los Angeles)
• Bernie Glassman (Zen Center of Los Angeles; described as “Senior disciple”)
• Shōkō / Shinko (Roshi Shinko) (co-authored book; referenced as an abbot)
• RD Lang / Ronnie Lang (psychiatrist; referenced via life story)
• Jesus (quote about “not knowing” / intimacy of not knowing)

Books/works mentioned

• The Three Pillars of Zen — Philip Kapleau (compiled)
• The Great Art Way — co-authored by Roshi Shinko and the speaker (referenced as published in 2006)
• Book of Equanimity — mentioned as the speaker’s written work (title referenced)