sermon
Letter to a Sick Monk on Introspective Practice
Orategama
Text
You say that your practice has brought you to a state of exhaustion and illness. This is because you have been exerting yourself in the wrong way. True practice is not a matter of straining and forcing. When you sit, let the breath sink naturally to the ocean of ki below the navel. Let the strength gather in the legs and lower body while the upper body remains relaxed and open. Do not chase after enlightenment with a tense and agitated mind. The great matter is right here, in this breath, in this moment. When the mind is settled in the tanden and the breath flows naturally, the body heals itself and the Way opens of its own accord.
Attribution
By Hakuin Ekaku
From Orategama
Sources
Orategama: Letter to a Sick Monk on Introspective Practice