Empty Board

Playing in a Noisy Room
April 21, 2003
by William Cobb

Zen sitting meditation is a way of being in the present moment. Because it's usually done in a quiet, serene place, people often think of "being in the present moment" as something you can only do in peaceful surroundings with small natural sounds, like a bubbling stream. This is a mistake. 

Sitting meditation allows you to practice being in the world in a way which you then hope to employ in less tranquil situations. As you master the skill, you are able to achieve a clear and inclusive awareness of what is happening around you that appreciates what is there for what it is and follows the path of your own choosing through it. For the Zen master there are no "distractions" because everything is accepted as part of the present moment. People meditate in a quiet place because it's easier, not because it's a requirement for the activity.

Many times playing go is like sitting meditation, but what about when your opponent rattles the stones in his bowl or the players next to you start discussing their game? Most of us find this very distracting and can't hold our focus on the game when it happens. 

Why are these things so distracting? They are just noises, a normal part of the world around us. The noise of a stone hitting the board isn't a distraction, so why do we let those things take over our minds? If we pay attention to the art of focusing on the game when the room is quiet, we may learn how to maintain that focus when other things are happening. Being in the moment doesn't require eliminating things from the world, it requires accepting what is there without losing control of your focus. Noises are able to grab our attention because we haven't learned well enough how to control our minds. Just let those noises slide by and stay with the game.

Expect this to take a little practice.

Past columns by William Cobb are archived at http://www.slateandshell.com/billcobb.asp

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