Mercury Goes Retrograde

According to the calendar, at 7:08 p.m. this evening, the planet Mercury goes retrograde for three weeks. That is, instead of appearing to be traveling across the sky toward the west, it will appear to be traveling in an easterly direction for the next three weeks.

So what does this mean? Nothing, really. It might be gratifying to reflect on how this used to confuse the hell out of pre-Copernican astronomers if you get off on that sort of thing. Astrologers probably ascribe some meaning to the retrograde motion, if you're naive enough to believe in astrology.

I just take it as a good excuse for any behavior I need to justify. You should try it. If you're late for work, just tell your boss that he couldn't possibly expect you to be on time "what with Mercury going retrograde and all." If someone asks why you're dressed the way you are, say "because Mercury's in retrograde." Ladies, if you need an excuse for your husbands, tell them "Not tonight, honey. I can't while Mercury is in retrograde." The possibilities are endless.

This week went by in a blur of seminars and conferences. Wednesday, I went to the first day of a two-day conference for Georgia waste-water plant operators at the new Georgia Convention Center. I can summarize the day by simply saying that waste-water plant operators do not necessarily make dynamic public speakers. There was a keynote speaker over lunch, but I honestly can't recall a word that he said. Thursday, I bailed on the conference and instead went to a one-day seminar for environmental attorneys. Much better. It was held in the Buckhead Westin, the coffee was Starbuck's, and trial lawyers at least know how to speak and attempt to hold an audience's attention.

Here's the conclusion to Julie's email:

What is the role of buddha in zen buddhism, is he a god like figure? What kind of role does he play in the lives of the people of this world?

I can't say what role the Buddha plays for "the people of this world," but I will say in human nature there is a tendency for people to want a savior, someone who can do things to/for them. It's handy to have a being like that around, as responsibility for oneself is a difficult and lonely business sometimes. So, the last words of the Buddha's lifetime are, "work out your own salvation diligently," and yet today there are branches of Buddhism which seem to advocate the idea that if practitioners just pray enough, or say the right mantra enough, they will get what they want, whether it be a Mercedes or an extended vacation in the Pure Land. With Jesus it's the same: if you read the Gnostic Gospels, he spends a lot of time telling his disciples that they are no different from him & that if they want to see the Kingdom of God, they should just open their eyes in the here and now. Yet contemporary Christian traditions de-emphasize this aspect of his teachings and centralize the idea of Jesus and the Church as intercessors.

There is this Zen idea that the Buddha is us, and we are the Buddha. In essence, we are all already just as we should be, but we run around being distracted and thinking we just need to perfect this, study that, get the right teacher, or eat the right balance of whole grain foods, in order to get something we lack. The Buddha's teachings, the Zen teachings, are there to put a stop to this spiritual scavenger hunt. Knuckle down, says the Buddha! Quit goofing off and pay attention.

Could you briefly discuss the origins of zen buddhism/the history of its creation. Just the history specific to zen buddhism?

On a scholarly level, the history of Zen is better learned from books or people besides me. On a personal level, I can tell you Zen comes from a movement within China and then Japan, away from heavy ritual, priestly intercession, and other trappings, back to the Buddha's original teachings about clear awareness in the present moment. So, much as Buddhism itself can be seen as a reform movement within Hindu practice, Zen is a reform movement within Buddhism, and within each practitioner.

So, let's see, that should just about cover everything I wanted to say this week while Blogger wasn't working: what I did this week (check), the crime wave (check), emails (check). As for an answer to GreenSmile's question, I can see that I still haven't addressed the topics about which he was asking, that is, the three wheels and Kabbalic practice, but, hey, you can't expect this finger to point directly at the moon when Mercury's in retrograde, now, can you?