- Zen is not about eliminating thoughts but illuminating them. –
Gerald May
Riding is not about eliminating thoughts
but illuminating them. We should not
seek to destroy the horse’s spirit and instincts, but teach them to use those
gifts for mutual enjoyment.
- Zen is not some kind of excitement but concentration on our usual everyday
routine. – Shanryu Suzuki
Riding is not some kind of
excitement but concentration on our usual everyday routine. This sets amazing riders apart from average
riders. Concentrating on doing the
simple everyday things exceptionally makes winning an everyday possibility.
- The ultimate standpoint of Zen is that…the peace we are seeking so
eagerly has been there all the time. – D.T. Suzuki
The ultimate standpoint of riding
is that…the peace we are seeking so eagerly has been there all the time. Quit fidgeting and fixing and messing and
just ride. You cannot create peace with
activity.
- The beauty of Zen is found in simplicity and tranquility, in a
sense of the all – embracing harmony of things. – Thich Thien-An
The beauty of horses is found in
simplicity and tranquility, in a sense of the all – embracing the harmony of
things. If you ask any horse person
where they find calm in the hubbub of their hectic life, many will say, “in the
barn, when the horses are tucked in and munching on their hay.” In that humble, tranquil setting life is as
it should be.
- The whole point of Zen is to suspend the rules we have
superimposed on things and to see the world as it is. – Alan Watts
The whole point of time with horses
is to suspend the rules we have superimposed on things and to see the world as
it is. They show us how the world should
be, not what it is. They are the
ideal. Forgiving, fair, centered.
- Before enlightenment, I chopped wood and carried water. After enlightenment, I chopped wood and
carried water. – Zen Buddhism
So this one can be read as is. Whether you’re at the beginning of your
equestrian pursuits or a pro, you’re going to do a lot of stall cleaning and carrying
water or posting trot with no stirrups.
- Zen: If you try to aim for it, you are turning away from it. –
Anonymous
Horses, if you are trying to catch
them, they will turn tail and walk away.
Okay, maybe that’s not what they meant.
You’ve heard the saying about sand slipping through your fingers if you
try and hold it too tight. With horses
you have to be a bit fluid. Set goals. Make plans, but don’t hold to them to tightly
or you’ll lose them completely.
- Zen is not thinking about God while peeling potatoes. Zen is just about peeling the potatoes.
– Modern Saying
Riding is not thinking about
riding. Riding is just riding. If you get too caught up in the theory and
thinking you can paralyze your ability to react to the moment.
- The only Zen you can find on the tops of mountains is the Zen you
bring up there. – Robert M. Pirsig
The only success you’ll find in
riding is the success you earn by doing it correctly every day.
- There is no need to have a deep understanding of Zen. – Shunryu
Suzuki
I’ll admit it. I didn’t get this at first. I’m an academic. I want to understand everything, but then I
realized that some things are beyond understanding. Take for example the idea of infinity. We know what it is but we have very little
understanding of it. You don’t have to
know everything about horses to enjoy all they have to offer.
There you have it. A
Fresh Equine Perspective on The Ten Thoughts on Zen. I can make anything about horses, just ask my
husband.
“10 Thoughts on Zen” originally appeared at Mind Fuel
Daily.com.
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