Act I Conclusion: Seeing that awareness, not advancement, is the real awakening.
Some updates before we begin on today’s topic. Happy Thanksgiving to those in the US that are celebrating a holiday this week. Today marks the conclusion of Act I – Awakening, we will be moving into the second act with the next post. I am aiming to spend about a month or so on each act, perhaps 5 or so posts per act, as I seek to have this completed within a 12 month timeframe. There was an error with the forums that I believe has been corrected now, kindly, send me a message via “Contact Us” if you notice any errors on the website.
Some additional housekeeping items, I am working consistently on my second work of fiction, with the release date still tentatively scheduled for May 2026, but that may need to move depending on external factors such as editing and other professional services.
The Chase for More
We, as a species, we have an innate drive to push forward, to advance, to progress towards a better future. Our eyes always on what life could be like in the future instead of enjoying how life is today. We seek the newest phones, the fastest computers, and the highest resolution TVs; we consume more, thinking that the next item or the next upgrade will improve our lives and enhance the way we are currently living.
I believe we have this desire to progress our lives based on evolutionary needs. It makes sense to improve your home or tribe to become safer, more protected against the elements or wildlife, and this desire for progress comes from these ancestorial roots. However, we are still dealing with these instincts, even though we’ve reached diminished returns on progress and what meaningful impact it has on our everyday lives.
I’m sure that there are technological advances to come in the medical or pharmaceutical field that will improve the quality of life for some people, or there will be progress made on a vehicle that saves someone’s life that would’ve otherwise been lost had those improvements not been made.
Progress, in and of itself, is not a bad thing. It’s a deep desire that humans have to improve their lives and those around them, but I think we ought to shift our focus from the end-goal to living in the moment. It’s completely fine to be working on something that progresses humanity forward, and enjoying the process. It becomes cloudy when the only thing someone cares about is the end result, and they are only happy when they reach that end result. This is called chasing the dragon, and it is a source of anxiety.
Obsession with Moving Forward
Western folks have a mindset that progress must be made no matter what, and that it’s failure if we’re not advancing towards our end goals. Closing the deal, making the sale, finishing the project, all of these are end goals and none of them take our current position into consideration. Let’s take a look at a couple of different woodworkers, they receive an order to make a hand-crafted dining room table.
The first one is focused on the end goal of delivering the order and tries to get through the project as fast as possible. They grow irritable during the process, hating their cuts, despising the sanding process, mad at the stain, and so forth. Only when they finally finish, they release a sigh and exchange the table for money. Then they’re finally happy for a moment or two, until the next order comes in and they have to repeat the process.
Now, contrast that to the woodworker who loves their craft. They get interested in the entire process. No one sees them, they’re not manufacturing their enjoyment for clout or some sort of external approval, they simply enjoy the process of building quality furniture. They smile as they make the intricate cuts, they hum when they sand, and they pay attention when they stain. They’re so invested in the moment-to-moment process of their craft, that they don’t even pay attention to the end goal of selling the piece. Sure, they appreciate the exchange and the money in their pocket, but they weren’t focused on it, and thus did not suffer the anxiety of the chase.
Become Aware of the Now
Having goals and a way of earning a living is great, for the western way of life, and I believe that you should have goals that you are working towards. I myself have many goals that I am working on simultaneously, all of them likely aimed at improving the quality of my life. Writing is an easy example for me. I’ve been involved in creative writing since 9th grade and I’ve always enjoyed my time writing, reading and editing my work. It’s the process that I enjoy, not only the end result. I love writing this post right now. If I didn’t, then I wouldn’t be doing it, because there is no clear end goal for me here with this website nor any of the time I’m spending talking about Zen. I am earnestly enjoying the process of writing.
I am not chasing anything when I decide to write because I enjoy the entire aspect of this project. We need to become aware of our surroundings, and what we are working towards. If your end goal is “get more money” then I can assure you that you will not enjoy the process of getting there and you certainly wont be happy when you “have more money”. There are myriad of examples of famous people, millionaires, high profile money makers that have not enjoyed their lives once they made it. The saying is true that money does not buy happiness.
Awareness and practicing Zen will teach you how to enjoy life no matter where you’re at on the spectrum of wealth. There’s always someone that’s richer than you and poorer than you at any given time. Do not compare yourself to others, as that is the thief of joy and does nothing but ruin your excitement of what you have going for yourself.
Become aware of what you enjoy and incorporate that into your life, as much as you can.
Goals are important, but they are not the only thing that matters. Learn to enjoy the moment to moment aspects of what you like, focus on the smaller details of your hobby or whatever it is that you find love in, and delve deep into it, because here and now is all there ever is. There is no promise of a future, no promise of a paycheck, no promise of a dragon at the end of the chase, so just focus on the now and live here today.
Gratitude and Real Awareness
We have our Thanksgiving holiday this week in the United States, which is an easy time for folks to come together and present what they are thankful for. This is a perfect opportunity to discuss awareness with your friends and family. Bring up the things that you truly enjoy and share what you have become aware of lately.
Of course, if you’re from another country or living in another country you can still tell your loved ones about what’s going on with you and what you have experienced lately. If they love you and you love them, they’ll certainly want to know what’s going on with you, so share what you have learned and tell them what you have become aware of. Tell them about a new hobby or an interesting project at work that you have really gotten into lately. Perhaps lend them some information about awareness that we’ve discussed over the past few weeks, about how its important to stop rushing around so much and live in the moment, appreciate our surroundings and listen to nature’s music.
When you go to sit down for a holiday feast with your loved ones near, I want you to stop and take it all in for a few seconds. Breathe in the smells that are coming from the kitchen, listen to the murmur of the conversations around you, be thankful without a narrative or a story that you’ve conceived beforehand, just be thankful for the moment you’re in, because this is the only moment that matters; not some idea of the future when you can look back and remember how great that meal was, you are living in it now! Pay attention to this moment here, describe what you’re feeling to your family and friends and share your love with them. You don’t have to be as dramatic as I’m being now, a few sentences would do I’m sure, but if you want to be bombastic then let your feelings fly out and express your happiness of this moment to them.
Reflect on Awareness
We’ve learned about awareness and how we should aim our attention at the moment we are living in. We’ve learned about the masks people wear, the noise around us and how to take our first breathes of this new life. Remember, Zen is not a destination, it is a path that we continuously walk upon while seeing new things along the route.
You’ve completed Act I and are now moving onto Act II, but with any act’s completion just remember that we are always living in the moment; regardless of whether or not you’ve completed all of the acts, there is no final destination in Zen, we are living in this moment, forever. We’re always experiencing, seeking awareness and deepening our understanding.