They had the same fears that you have, the same aggressive tendencies and the same attachments, but they were freed in time because they believed.

The way of Zen is to become independent and strong. Don't rely on others for perceptions of life and truth. Do it individually. Go to a teacher of Zen to learn how to do that, not to get answers for individual life situations.

There are a lot of human beings out there who are very hostile towards anything that rocks their perceptual boat.

It takes a number of years to learn to hold the mind perfectly in one place. But each day we do it a little better, and in the doing we're releasing energy that is taking our mind in higher diffuse planes of attention.

There are the samskaras, the tendencies from your other lifetimes, ways of seeing, habits that are so strong, they affect you now. They are the operative situations in your life that are created by karma.

W are all carrying the imprints of our most ancient ancestors. Not simply in the genetic code, but in the imprints of attention that are passed on.

The top of the band would be happiness, contentment and peace of mind.