The book "Nothing is Hidden" by Barry Magid

[lostmedstudent]

I just finished reading this little boook. i was wondering if anyone has read it ? the author is a psychoanalyst and a zen Buddhist teacher. In the book, he takes different koans and offers insights from a psychoanalyst point of view on how some of the zen practices is not totally emotionally healthy. 

anyhow. here is a quote that i found very interesting:

The moment we sit down to  do zazen, we are useless, what we are doing has no point outside of itself, outside of the moment itself. We just are, we just sit, and in the very act of sitting, we actualize the completeness of the act itself and we actualize our own full completeness as a useless human being, another name for which is buddha.

 

I would like to hear what you guys think of the quote. it's similar to another quote that i really like: 

Act always as if the fate of universe depended on what you did, while laughing  at yourself for thinking anything you do make any difference at all

 

I guess there's something about everything being useless yet completely meaningful that really speaks to me. 

Edited March 17, 2019 by lostmedstudent

[Breathe]

I'm familiar with Barry. What did he have to say about Zen not being healthy? The quote you posted seems more like an existential koan that alludes to the fact that we have no control. Thy will, not my will be done.