Shared by Chris on 12/17
What is the relationship between comfort and growth? Often, discomfort is the gateway or catalyst to growth, which means we should be wary of being overly focused on comfort. A reading from “The Prophet” illustrated this:
And tell me, people of Orphalese, what have you in these houses? And what is it you guard with fastened doors?
Have you peace, the quiet urge that reveals your power?
Have you rememberances, the glimmering arches that span the summits of the mind?
Have you beauty, that leads the heart from things fashioned of wood and stone to the holy mountain?
Tell me, have you these in your houses?
Or have you only comfort, and the lust for comfort, that stealthy thing that enters the house a guest, and then becomes a host, and then a master?
Ay, and it becomes a tamer, and with hook and scourge makes puppets of your larger desires.
Though its hands are silken, its heart is of iron.
It lulls you to sleep only to stand by your bed and jeer at the dignity of the flesh.
It makes mock of your sound senses, and lays them in thistledown like fragile vessels.
Verily the lust for comfort murders the passion of the soul, and then walks grinning in the funeral.
On the other hand, too much discomfort is damaging. A good metaphor is the oyster that produces the pearl–just enough sand creates the jewel. Too little and now jewel. Too much sand and the oyster chokes and dies.
Hakone Zendo 