How Do You Practice? — Kwan Um School of Zen

We lead these very complicated lay lives. We are not monks, we are not nuns, and we all have responsibilities. The question is how do you practice?

The more you practice, the more you have time for it. You are never too busy to practice. Never. You can always get up just a little bit earlier and at least sit on the cushion for 10 minutes, or at least bow for 15 minutes. You can always do that. And that means touching our true nature. So if you don’t touch your true nature, then what is your life?

So we have these ideas about these busy busy lives that we have, and that’s just an idea. “Oh I am so busy, I am so busy.” Is there anyone who never goes on Facebook? Never surfs the web? Never checks email? Never turns on the TV? Never listens to the radio? Never does things like that?

No. We all find a little time here and a little time there and a little time somewhere else. So why not find time to touch your true self, find your true nature? Why not do that? Try not practicing then see what happens to your life. If you have been practicing for a while and then you stop practicing, you very quickly find out why you practice.

Check out a clip from the Kwan Um Zen Online Study Group, Every moment is a kong an.