John Pulleyn — November 7, 2023
This is the fifth day of the November 2023, seven-day sesshin.
Today we’re beginning Everyday Zen: Love and Work by Charlotte Joko Beck, edited by Steve Smith.
About Joko Beck
Born in 1917, died in 2011 (age 94).
Raised in New Jersey, educated in public schools and at Oberlin Conservatory of Music.
Married and raised four children; supported herself as a teacher, secretary, and university administrator.
Began Zen practice in her 40s (early 1960s) with Maezumi Roshi, later Yasutani Roshi and Soen Roshi.
Eventually became Maezumi Roshi’s third Dharma heir.
Parallel to Maurine Stuart:
Both began serious practice later in life.
Both left initial teachers due to problematic behavior.
Both kept their style plain, without airs or heavy ceremony.
Joko’s approach:
No robes, no shaved head, few formalities.
Grounded, unsentimental view of practice.
Famous for quoting: "From the withered tree, a flower blooms."
Beginning Zen Practice
Joko begins:
"My dog doesn't worry about the meaning of life."
Dogs worry about breakfast, not meaning.
Humans, though, have self-centered minds—both our greatest blessing and downfall.
We live a dream out of step with reality:
Feeling separate.
Seeking fulfillment "out there."
Chasing if-onlys (bigger car, better partner, deeper enlightenment).
The "If-Only" Trap
At first, we seek happiness through material things.
Later, we seek it through spiritual goals: If only I had enlightenment, then I'd be happy.
But this just repeats the same pattern.
Subject-object separation stays intact.
Something limited seeking something else limited.
We arrange life to avoid pain and gain pleasure—constantly.
Yet, even if we get everything "perfect," it still falls apart.
Everything moves.
Nothing stays the same.
The Dream of Escape
Under our smiles and normalcy, there’s unease:
Fear
Pain
Anxiety
We overeat, overdrink, overwork, over-scroll to cover it up.
Most people live like this until they die.
The flexibility and wonder of childhood vanish unless we wake up.
What Zen Practice Asks
Practice is about closing the gap between self and life—not achieving a fixed state.
"Enlightenment is not something you achieve.
It is the absence of something."
You stop chasing.
You see reality as it is.
Reading about Zen won’t do it.
Each person must practice with all their might—without grasping.
Real motivation comes when you glimpse that openness and joy are possible.
A Natural Life
Our lives are so unnatural that Zen feels difficult at first.
But gradually, the problem outside dissolves—and we see we are the problem.
When we can truly enjoy practice—not just endure it—something blossoms.
John Tarrant says:
"We are all flowers.
What kind doesn't matter.
Our task is to open."
Zen Practice Is About Daily Life
Zen isn’t about escaping the world.
It’s about:
Working better at your job
Raising your kids better
Having healthier relationships
Living a sane and balanced life.
Zen works because it’s down-to-earth—not romanticized.
The Real Work
The biggest thing we must face: our busy, chaotic mind.
Practice clarifies the mind over time:
Frantic thoughts settle.
Obsession with objects lessens.
A space opens to realize who we really are.
But it’s lifelong work.
There’s no end to opening up into the immensity of life.
Sitting must extend into everything:
Work
Relationships
Eating
Walking
24 hours a day.
Q&A Section Highlights
Letting Go of Thoughts
We don’t force letting go.
We wear thoughts out by noticing them 10,000 times without judgment.
Thoughts fade when we see they're not real.
Two kinds of thought:
Technical thinking (baking a cake, solving a problem) — fine.
Grasping, judgmental thinking — traps us.
Without waking up, we waste most of our lives in mental chatter.
Upsets and Anger
Upsets don't disappear, but:
We notice anger faster.
We avoid spinning long grievance stories.
Jill Bolte Taylor's "90-second rule":
Emotions triggered last 90 seconds biologically.
If they last longer, it's because we’re feeding them mentally.
Long practice means anger flashes—but the cascade might not start at all.
Work as Practice
Work is central to Zen training.
When cleaning the oven:
Just clean.
Notice thoughts that arise ("I hate this," etc.).
Return attention fully to the task.
Mind drifts? Bring it back. Again and again.
Work becomes flowing, free from resistance.
Closing Teachings
In sitting practice:
We uncover reality: this very moment.
The past, present, future are ungraspable.
We are this very moment—boundless and infinite.
The Piano Teacher Story
Joko shares:
As a piano student, she finally got a great teacher.
For three months, he played five notes, and she failed to match them.
After endless "no’s," finally: she learned to really listen.
Nothing changed in her ears—what changed was attention.
"If you can hear it, you can play it."
Same with Zen:
We think we’re paying attention.
Then, a deeper level reveals itself.
Patience, faith, willingness.
That’s how we touch the real heart of practice.
Final Reminders
Let go of how well you're doing.
Just see what's there.
Let your life teach you.
Time is up.
We stop here and recite the Four Vows.
