Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Perfect


"Practice at any stage is just being who we are at that moment. It's not a question of being good or bad, better or worse. Sometimes after my talks people will say, 'I don't understand that.' And that's perfect too. Our understanding grows over the years, but at any point we are perfect in being what we are."

-- Charlotte Joko Beck, "Everyday Zen"

(Photo: Construction gate in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, Sept. 2008)

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Very zen notion, but it's very difficult to believe in one's self sometimes!

Anonymous said...

If understanding was important, what would I do? The older I get, the less I understand, but the more tolerant I become of it all.

Thanks for the inspiration, Steve!

Anonymous said...

Love the blue door and reya wrote just what I was thinking as I read your posting...

The cats extend greetings to you. Angel, in particular, seems fascinated by the photo. She likes any blue shade that matches her eyes!

Anonymous said...

What a good reminder. Being a "perfectionist," I often lose sight of the present.

Anonymous said...

I sometimes think about what an infinitesimal point in time the present moment is. Five minutes from now I could be a very different flavor of perfect, yes?

Anonymous said...

A good reminder indeed.
Sometimes just 'being' is enough.
(Like the photo.)

Anonymous said...

What a brilliant notion. Perfect were you are.