No Water, No Moon
In this episode, I explore the practice of Zen koans, which are not riddles to be solved but rather tools designed to disrupt our addiction to certainty and train us to be comfortable with not knowing. I explain that koans, like the story of Chiyono and her broken pail, are meant to jam up our thinking mind, creating cognitive dissonance that opens us to insights beyond logical reasoning. The key takeaway is that embracing "don't-know mind" or beginner's mind, and sitting with confusion rather than seeking immediate answers, is crucial for genuine understanding and resilience. This practice is directly applicable to real-life situations where we face ambiguity and uncertainty, teaching us to hold space for the mystery of life without needing to resolve it, ultimately leading to a deeper sense of peace and a greater capacity to navigate challenges.
