A Jewish Mother’s 10-point guide to the Religious Philosophies of the world.

My friend Susan Piver got me started on this by sharing this letter from her dad.

1. Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.
2. Be here now. Be someplace else later. Is that so complicated? 
3. The Tao does not speak. The Tao does not blame. The Tao does not take sides. The Tao has no expectations. The Tao demands nothing of others. The Tao is not Jewish. 
4. Wherever you go, there you are. Your luggage is another story.
5. There is no escaping karma. In a previous life, you never called, you never wrote, you never visited. And whose fault was that?
6. The Torah says, Love your neighbor as yourself. The Buddha says, There is no self. So, maybe we are off the hook. But if there is no self, whose arthritis is this?
7. Drink tea and nourish life; with the first sip, joy; with the second sip, satisfaction; with the third sip, peace; with the fourth, a Danish.
8. Accept misfortune as a blessing. Do not wish for perfect health, or a life without problems. What would you talk about?
9. Deep inside you are ten thousand flowers. Each flower blossoms ten thousand times. Each blossom has ten thousand petals. You might want to see a specialist.
10. Let your mind be as a floating cloud. Let your stillness be as a wooded glen. And sit up straight. You’ll never meet the Buddha with such rounded shoulders.