Zen Is Good For Nothing

I recently recorded an interview with Muho Nolke, who lived as a zen monk in Japan for 30 years. We discuss a range of important topics, including the true meaning of zen, meditation, suffering and liberation, the nature of the self and reality, and much more.

I really enjoyed the conversation and thought we covered some meaningful topics. You can watch/listen to the podcast here if you’d like:

And a note on the idea that “Zen is good for nothing” — Muho said that in his tradition they often say zazen (seated meditation) is good for nothing, and that is exactly why they do it. The reason is if you think it is good for something, then you will do it with the idea of gaining something — peace, freedom, enlightenment, etc. — and this prevents you from truly being present.

By doing the practice without that gaining idea, one is simply present with what is, and this takes them out of the ego’s game of constantly trying to achieve, accomplish, and be greater. The aim is just to be with what is, and to allow that practice to do its work on you without your ambitions, desires, ideas, expectations and goals getting in the way.

Over time, one is certainly transformed through the practice — but not by force and not with the idea of what that should be or how it should look. We discuss this in more detail in the episode. Hope you enjoy!