Slow down and sit to slow down.

I've read about three basic "Buddhist personality types" (I use that phrase with trepidation that it will become used as such.) They are based upon the Three Poisons: Greed (desire), Hate (aversion) and Delusion (confusion); thus people whose natural tendencies are either to Desire, Judge or be Confused. Think about people you know. Which tendency do they predominantly possess? Fun, huh? Now stop that game, it goes nowhere skillful.

We all possess each of these three tendencies. Each will manifest through our thoughts, words and actions dependent on the specific circumstances of a moment and the karma we bring to that moment. Faster than the speed of thought; thus faster than the speed of words and actions. We are controlled by our desires, our judgements, our delusions unless we slow down.

In Zazen we sit and slow down. Yesterday at the Zendog this chant found me while sitting: "No desire, no judgement, no confusion." I was not denying my human nature. I was not wishing them away. I was realizing that in the pure moment itself there is no desire, no judgement, no confusion; there is my breath, my observation of the three poisons as they may arise and my release of them as they arise - all in the moment. (Thanks Jack and Pete for the support.)

May we slow down and observe ourselves before thought, speech or deed, becoming skillful in our thoughts, our words and our actions. For this I am grateful.