We may begin Zen practice with a wish for bliss, a wish for peace. We do taste these in practice at times and more so in long practice, but we may also discover once we get into it, more deeply-seated grief, shame or fear. Feelings and mind states that have never been acknowledged or resolved, can now come up. You may have already noticed that over time in your practice, you taste everything, all the varieties and flavors of experience that are part of our human condition.
Practice does not help us to avoid any part of life, but instead points us straight in, face-to-face with who we think we are, who we want to be, who we are afraid of being. We see our shadow and our brightness and after awhile, are no longer afraid of showing up and being who we are.
This can be joyful and such a relief! We have tools and we have companionship on the path, and gain confidence in the transformative effect of no longer living from fear and no longer having to avoid our own sadness or imperfections. We can bring our whole heart, intelligence and creativity to the conditions that are unique to us — where we came from and where we are right now.