Waking Up to What You Do : A Zen Practice for Meeting Every Situation with Intelligence and Compassion
By Diane Eshin Rizzetto
 The practice of the Zen precepts can transform our
relationship to the world by leading us to a keen
awareness of the motivations behind every aspect of
our behavior, allowing us to act from the kindness and
insight that is our true nature. The precepts are
usually thought of as Buddhist moral guidelines—which
they indeed are—but they are also far more than that,
as Diane shows. They are a form of awareness practice
that is not limited to meditation. Anyone can do
this practice, and it is rich enough to be worked with
for a lifetime.
The precepts are traditionally phrased in short
statements such as: "I take up the way of speaking
truthfully," or "I take up the way of using sexual
energy wisely." But Diane encourages us to rephrase
them in ways that have personal meaning for us. She
advises us to take them on one at a time, beginning
with one that has particular personal resonance. The
practice then becomes learning to live with the
precept until it naturally arises in situations where
it applies. We soon learn that the precepts are just
about always impossible to fulfill, and that their
true function is teach mindfulness—particularly of
our actions and our interactions with others.
Diane teaches that the precepts are ultimately a practice about choice, about responsibility, and being awake to
the motivation and consequences of our actions. We
all must engage in events as they unfold in our lives,
but we have a choice to do this with either
intelligence or ignorance. The Zen precepts as
presented in this book are guidelines to help us tap
the intelligence within.
Go to the www.wakinguptowhatyoudo.com web site.
Purchase "Waking Up to What You Do : A Zen Practice for Meeting Every Situation with Intelligence and Compassion" at the Shambhala.com Web Site.
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