Ordinary Mind Zen School Responding to life as it is happening
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Feb 22, 2026 A talk about learning to respond to life in real time, using sailing and sitting as metaphors. It contrasts clinging to calm with skillful, adaptable presence. It critiques how language traps fixed ideas and points to Taoist-style empirical attention. It frames practice as an unrehearsed, moment-to-moment responsiveness grounded in simplicity.
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Pleasant Sail As A Sitting Metaphor
- Geoff Dawson describes a pleasant sail yesterday with clean hull, blue skies and steady wind that felt like "fair winds and following seas".
- He uses returning to the mooring as a metaphor for sitting practice where you settle, let go, and stop worrying about navigation or other boats.
Everyday Interactions And A Neighbourhood Conflict
- Geoff Dawson recounts routine social interactions at a local shop where exchanges are pleasant and repeating, illustrating everyday harmonious moments.
- He contrasts this with a recent neighbourhood issue where police were dismissive, then another organisation responded professionally and resolved it.
Calm Is Useful But Not A Refuge
- Sitting practice gives calm simplicity and lets the mind settle, reducing attachment to thinking and increasing embodiment.
- Geoff warns against clinging to that calm as a nest or refuge, which turns practice into avoidance rather than engagement with life.