Bernie Glassman at Upaya Roshi Bernie Glassman: Bearing Witness to the Oneness of Life 2011 (Part 3 of 6)
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Aug 1, 2018 A candid conversation about letting go through zazen and the practice of shikantaza, or emphatic just sitting. A vivid origin story of the phrase bearing witness, linked to an Auschwitz retreat and a startling wartime memoir. Reflections on nonduality leading to compassionate action, clear language for dharma, and balancing local service with personal limits.
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Practice Letting Go Without Forcing It
- Do practice letting go rather than forcing it; zazen (just sitting) trains you to get out of the way.
- Avoid meditating with a goal of attachment-release because that intention itself blocks true letting go.
Shikantaza Means Emphatic 'Just Sitting'
- Shikantaza literally emphasizes an emphatic 'just sitting' beyond the plain translation.
- Yasutani Roshi described this state as deep concentration that can take decades to realize.
The Auschwitz Writer Who 'Became One' With His Oppressor
- Glassman recounts meeting Reza Lea and learning about Katsetnik's book Shaviti connected to LSD therapy for trauma.
- He used the book in an Auschwitz retreat because the author "became one with the SS officer," illustrating radical bearing witness.
