Lessons Relearned

The most important lesson I learned (or more accuratly, re-learned) this past weekend while practicing zazen at Mt. Equity Zendo was coming back to the breath, beginning again, with gentleness and compassion for myself. I am my harshest critic and if I got distracted from following my breath, it was my own fault. I was just not good enough to have the concentration necessary to stay with the breath. But this is just a lie I keep replaying over and over in my mind. Everyone's mind wanders at some point during meditation, if it didn't we would have to practice sitting meditation would we? We'd already have laser-like concentration. I'm finally realizing that the practice isn't about always staying with the breath, it's about noticing when my mind wanders in it's habitual way and bringing it back with great care and compassion.