I’ve been thinking of anchoring Koan practice for a while so I bought Instant Zen the other day and had a chance to read it on this flight.

What a very interesting adjunct to the Zen path. I especially liked the section that read

“Like an artist drawing all sorts of pictures, both pretty and ugly, the mind depicts forms, feelings, perceptions, abstract patterns, and consciousnesses; it depicts human societies and paradises. When it is drawing these pictures, it does not borrow the power of another; there is no discrimination between the artist and the artwork. It is because of not realizing this that you conceive various opinions, having views of yourself and views of other people, creating your own fair and foul.

So it is said, “An artist draws a picture of hell, with countless sorts of hideous forms. On setting aside the brush to look it over, it’s bone-chilling, really hair-raising.” But if you konw it’s a drawing what is there to fear?”

I landed this morning after the read and meditation and I’ve become aware of a subtler, but still gross I’m sure, controlling range of thought forms. This book is proving a nice adjunct to: What was my original nature before I was born?