Sin, Zen and Archery

The original meaning of the word sin in the Christian tradition is to "miss the mark." Thomas Keating speaks of the root of sin being the psychological experience of a separate-self sense (from Ultimate Reality). And when learning Zen in the art of archery one learns to release not only the arrow but also the "seperate-self sense." When such arrives hitting the "mark" ("bullseye") happens without effort.

"What must I do then?" I asked thoughtfully.

"You must learn to wait properly."

"And how does one learn that?"

"By letting go of yourself, by leaving yourself

and everything yours behind you..."

Zen in the Art of Archery - Eugen Herrigel

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