Zenju Earthlyn Manuel, an ordained Zen priest and prolific author, dives into the chaos of life and how to embrace it. She discusses the significance of sitting with disruption and finding value in the unknown. Manuel shares her unique concept, a 'sip of silence,' as a tool for mindfulness. The conversation also explores her poignant idea of 'death as a doorway to tenderness,' emphasizing that love can be both simple and profound. Personal anecdotes on racial tensions highlight how tenderness and vulnerability foster resilience amidst adversity.
Embracing chaos and disruption is essential for personal transformation, offering valuable opportunities for growth during challenging times.
Cultivating a beginner's mind and practicing meditation enable individuals to find moments of stillness amidst life's turmoil and uncertainty.
Tenderness emerges from vulnerability, proving that true strength lies in the authentic expression of emotions while navigating adversity.
Deep dives
The Value of Disruption
Disruption is often viewed negatively, but it is essential for transformation and change. Embracing chaos allows individuals to navigate through life's messiness, highlighting that significant growth typically occurs during challenging times. Rather than seeing disruption as a setback, it should be recognized as a dynamic opportunity for development and evolution. The speaker draws from personal experiences and observations of societal upheaval, emphasizing the need to adapt and respond to ongoing changes rather than resisting them.
Sitting with Chaos
Learning to sit with chaos is crucial for personal development and mental resilience. A beginner's mind is necessary to engage with the current state of disorder effectively, allowing individuals to experience moments of stillness amid turmoil. Practicing meditation, even in short increments, can help cultivate this state of being, facilitating a deeper connection to one's emotions and thoughts. Over time, utilizing these practices can convert chaotic experiences into pathways for profound insight and self-awareness.
Tenderness and Vulnerability
Tenderness is portrayed as a powerful emotional response that rises from vulnerability and authentic engagement with life's challenges. The speaker discusses how witnessing death can evoke deep tenderness, enabling individuals to feel a sense of openness and connection. Emphasizing the distinction between tenderness and weakness, the speaker proposes that true strength lies in embracing and expressing tenderness while navigating adversity. This journey towards tenderness can also be observed in everyday interactions, highlighting the importance of being present and compassionate in each moment.
The Concept of Being Love
The idea of 'being love' transcends conventional understandings of love as an external force and suggests a fundamental state of existing in emotional connection with the world. The speaker articulates that true love is less about acquisition and more about embracing the experience without judgment or expectation. This concept challenges listeners to embody love in their actions and thoughts, viewing it as an innate quality rather than a goal to attain. By nurturing these qualities from early experiences, individuals can foster a deep and transformative engagement with both themselves and others.
Growth Through Adversity
Personal struggles and systemic challenges serve as catalysts for growth and awakening in one's life. Acknowledging historical injustices, the speaker highlights that these experiences can shape individuals deeply and offer profound insights that contribute to broader societal understanding. By engaging with personal pain and suffering, as well as connecting with the legacies of oppression, individuals can cultivate resilience and compassion. This transformative journey ultimately shows that confronting darkness with openness can pave the way for healing and societal change.
Very few of us relish chaos and disruption, but they are facts of life, given the nonnegotiable nature of change. In this episode with Zenju Earthlyn Manuel, we’re going to talk about how to tune into the value of disruption, and learn how to sit with the chaos.
Zenju Earthlyn Manuel is an ordained Zen priest, holds a Ph.D., and worked for decades as a social science researcher and development director for non-profit organizations. She is also a prolific author.
In this conversation we’ll explore:
what to do with the unknown and not having any answers
the power of a “sip of silence” (her term)
what she means by the phrase “death as a doorway to tenderness”
how she defines tenderness - a word that can easily get bogged down in sloppy sentimentality
and what she meant when she wrote “I'm not advocating love as an answer to all of the ills of the world. Then again, it is just that simple to be love.”
Content Warning: There are brief mentions of assault; spiritual, sexual, and substance abuse; and racism, including an incident Zenju experienced herself.