Leonard Cohen Tells us How to Meditate

Actually, Lenard Cohen tells us how to live.

The quote comes thanks to Zen teacher Brad Warner writing in response to something Sam Harris, who is many things, some delightful, but not a Zen teacher said about the relative merits of Zen meditation and Dzogchen. So, thanks, Brad, for pointing us to Zen priest Leonard Cohen’s advice.

“Sometimes when you no longer see yourself as the hero of your own drama, expecting victory after victory and you understand deeply that this is not paradise. Somehow, especially the privileged ones that we are, we somehow embrace the notion that this veil of tears, that it’s perfectible, that you can get it all straight. I found that things became a lot easier when I no longer expected to win. I tried to put this into that song called A Thousand Kisses Deep. When you understand that, you abandon your masterpiece and you sink into the real masterpiece.”

Kind of reminds me how zazen and life, properly engaged, each, is simply a love song.

Nothing more…