11 Jun Can religion save the world?

It is quiet in the dojo. Barbara Kosen, a Zen master from Madrid, leads the sesshin. She looks both friendly and sharp from her eyes. ‘Who has a question?’ she says. Luc stands up and sits face to face right in front of Barbara. In the Zen practice I follow, it is customary to ask your questions directly to the master in the presence of the entire community. It takes some courage to take a seat in the middle and ask your question. Luc articulates his question clearly: can activism be reconciled with spirituality?

I think of the wars raging at this moment. I think of all the suffering caused in the name of religion.

Feeling Connected
Barbara refers back to a theme she has addressed before: the distinction between the material world and the spiritual world. ‘In the material world, you can be idealistic, have compassion, and perform good deeds,’ she says, ‘but in the spiritual world, you also let go of the ego. I once attended an activist gathering,’ she recounts, ‘where there was only shouting against another group. I found it exhausting.’ Barbara shakes her shaved head and gazes into the distance. ‘I left the meeting; the polarization bothered me. When you let go of the ego,’ she continues, ‘you connect with the other. You can never see yourself apart from others.’

No morality
In the Zen Buddhism that I practice, very little morality is taught. This encourages you to think for yourself. You cannot rely on a written text or dogma. What is right at one moment may no longer be right at another moment.

This was certainly one of the main reasons why I was drawn to Zen. In my parents’ Catholicism, I saw a lot of good intentions but also a lot of hypocrisy. Your actions could be compared and judged. In Zen, you were encouraged to feel for yourself what the right action is at that moment and to take responsibility for your actions.

‘Yes,’ says Barbara, ‘you can certainly combine a spiritual practice with activism. But at the same time, it is important to feel connected on a deeper level with those you want to change. That makes a big difference.’

Insignificant and imperfect
I think to myself that she is exactly hitting the sensitive spot with this. In Zen you practice intensely, but you can’t gain anything from it. You won’t feel better than others because of it. On the contrary, you realize how insignificant and imperfect you are, just like everyone else. And from there you set your course. A course that can be adjusted at any moment.

Barbara folds her hands together and bows to Luc, and Luc bows back to Barbara at the same time.

Can religion save the world?
If you look around you would say: no. In the name of religion, the most horrifying acts are committed. But in Zen, you take a vow that is repeated every day. That promise is: ‘I vow to save all living beings and to be the last to reach the other side.’ I do like those seemingly impossible wishes.

For the workshops I offer, you do not need to meditate or be Buddhist yourself. However, the foundation on which the method is built does come from my practice. Transformation occurs on a basis of complete self-acceptance. This prevents you from rejecting your current personality in order to become a better future version of yourself. You are already completely good as you are, and at the same time, you are working on yourself. That too is connection, but then with yourself!

*This post has been automatically translated from Dutch