My Second Life: Rethinking What It Means to Organize One's Life (Part 3)
In the previous installment (Part 2), I explored the idea of "how to face others" through the lens of Zen philosophy and the philosophy of dignity.
This time, I would like to shift my perspective slightly and write about how to face myself.
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Zen and Cleaning: The First Step to Organizing the Mind
In Zen, cleaning is considered extremely important.
There is a Zen saying, "First cleaning, second faith," which places cleaning even above faith.
Wait, cleaning over faith?
To be honest, I was surprised at first.
However, cleaning in Zen is not simply about tidying up a space or removing visible dirt.
Cleaning is an act of purifying and polishing one's own mind.
By cleaning with all your heart, you brush away the dust of the mind that has accumulated unknowingly, thereby organizing your spirit.
That is how Zen views it.
If there is no dust, and if it is already this clean, is it really necessary to clean every day?
That was a bit of a painful thought for me, as I used to think that way.
Cleaning repeatedly every day.
Paying attention not only to visible areas but also to places we usually overlook.
In a space organized in this way, there is indeed a certain dignified, clear air flowing.
The quiet tension and freshness one feels when standing in a neatly swept garden or on a polished hallway.
I now believe that this is proof that not only the space but also the human heart is being organized.
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What Zen Teaches About "Freedom"
Freedom in Zen means not being bound or attached to anything, and while changing freely, never losing sight of oneself.
Do not compare yourself to others.
Do not be bound by the past.
Do not be trapped by "how things should be."
It is not about living selfishly, but about fully accepting who you are now and living with flexibility.
Now that I am older, this concept of "Zen freedom" has quietly seeped into my heart.
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The Prescription for Eliminating Worldly Desires is "Breathing"
In Zen, one does not try to forcibly eliminate worldly desires.
Anger, anxiety, impatience, attachment.
The more you try to "get rid of" them, the more conscious you become of them.
That is why breathing is considered so important.
Right here, right now, quietly inhale and exhale.
By focusing on your breath, the distracting thoughts that occupied your mind gradually lose their power.
You don't have to struggle to change anything.
Just regulate your breathing.
With just that, your mind settles a little, and the way you see the world changes.
I feel this is a very gentle prescription that can be used over and over again in daily life.
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What It Means to Organize One's Life
Organizing one's life is not about starting something special, but perhaps about small, repeated actions:
• Cleaning
• Regulating breathing
• Not blaming yourself too much
• Accepting who you are now
Such small, repeated actions might be the key.
Zen teachings and the philosophy of dignity both eventually arrive at the same place.
To show respect and kindness to others and to yourself.
I now feel that this is what it means to "organize one's life" in order to live a second life peacefully and resiliently.
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Thank you for reading until the end.
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