"I am not a practitioner of zen, or any other such sort of regimen or practice ... Ive come to understand something about "beginners mind" that is unmistakable, but from my own deep inquiry/looking ...so I should not speak for zen just as no one should speak for Quakers ...my testimony about beginners mind was more of a revealing from inquiry, and stands as the same sort of things as my testimony about the Inner Light - I have seen it, unmistakably, independent of any religion, belief or practice, before coming to Friends - in the holding of Silence itself ...again, I use the word "Inquiry" for this Silence - I mean by it, a question that is known to need no "answer"... another way Ive put it is: "my body is my Inquiry"...
so, beginners mind to me, is a condition of perpetual Learning, or Listening, or Holding of the Light - however we might find it useful to phrase... and it is seen that it needs no conclusion - it comes to no end- it is convicted about nothing... the Inquiry itself is seen to be the Sacred - the Holding of what is Holy, is the very question that a flower asks when it opens, or the leaves ask when they turn to their autumn colors, or the sun asks when it comes up in the morning, and sets at night... the sun is not convinced of anything, and seeks no answers... the sun, is in this beginners mind... Gods Good Creation... this is what I mean by Inquiry... and it is there when I Hold the Silence - when I go inward, to Inquire of the Light (or Hold the Light and Inquire of the Silence! same thing!) - when I meet another without any preconceived judgment or notion... and should I find a judgment in my heart when I meet you, you can know that I will be Holding that to the Light for inspection, for Inquiry, and nothing will be convicted about that judgment...
this is the condition you find me in, my Testimony... nothing perfect, nothing special, nothing religious even... just a deep commitment to the Peace of Inquiry... I can do nothing else... honestly"
Also, along the same topic, this page, Quaker.org, is freshly posted in the Delicious Bookmarks again, and it really is a kicking webpage... Ive seen it referred to time and time again since first coming across it...
the UK Friends there wrote:
"Quakers share a way of life rather than a set of beliefs. Quakers seek to experience God directly, within ourselves and in our relationships with others and the world around us. We meet together for silent worship in local meetings which are open to all.
The Quaker way has its roots in Christianity and finds inspiration in the Bible and the life and teachings of Jesus. Quakers also find meaning and value in the teachings of other faiths; we acknowledge that ours is not the only way.
Our focus is on our experience rather than written statements of belief. Our sense of community does not depend on professing identical beliefs, but from worshipping, sharing and working together."
Love that!
Just Love that...
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