A Season to all Things

There is a season to all things.

Another way of saying this is: nothing last forever; not everything is already available.

Another way of saying this is: There is an art to waiting and there is an art to pouncing.

Zen is cultivated by quiet meditation, sudden calligraphy, cultivating lifeless rock gardens, furious sword fights, and graceful tea ceremonies.

This is not post card philosophy to people who have agency. Businessmen, generals, and politicians know that it is not enough to make preparations, deployments, and speeches. They do not hope for the best. Agency is about making use of opportunities while avoiding being made use of. One makes sudden decisions based on ad nauseum deliberations that took place long before the opportunity arose. One uses techniques that have been practiced to the point of mindlessness.

What is means to be alive is to be aware and purposeful. It is not about being obedient and comfy. A super computer, which might be a thousand times more complicated and effective than a bacterium, is not considered alive for one reason and that reason is its utter obedience.

Get yer zen.