You Are Not Important; You Are the Most Important Being Here

In the cosmic, grand scheme of things, our lives don’t mean a whole lot. Or they are the most important thing in the world. Somehow both things are true.

In Zen Buddhism, paradoxes like the above run abound. Koans, little paradoxical anecdotes which are central to Zen, try to make sense of the Now through language. Koans fascinate me because they do not make logical sense. The Truth of Dharma or existence cannot be grasped by language. And any intellectual attempt to do so falls short. As the old Buddhist proverb goes, “don’t mistake the finger for the moon.”

I often mistake the finger for the moon. What do I mean by that? I mean that I am filled with ideas about what life should be like. I am in my head planning and thinking about the future. I am not that present, although because of mindfulness practices, I am more present than I have ever been. And many times, I am a self-centered bastard, but less so than ever.

The Buddhist concept of emptiness is something I grapple with daily. Everything is empty of inherent existence. What the fuck does that mean ha? It’s hard to even explain. Words don’t do it justice. Everything is a product of the mind. We discriminate with language, with our senses, with our likes and dislikes. We are constantly projecting our fears and desires onto reality. But…