Sheep and Wild Fox in Zen Groups

Last updated on: January 16, 2009 at 8:03 am by Dosho Port

Sheep and Wild Fox in Zen Groups 2009-01-16T08:03:00-06:00 Dosho Port

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Here’s some real talk about pretend animals in Zen groups. This has been floating around in a couple recent blog comments and so I’d like to enter the field of play too. T and I have been kicking this around and so I’d like share the “credit” for this post with her.

Okay. First, there are, of course, many different animals out there but a couple predominate. The most common is the domestic sheep. They tend to get a bad name but they’re the bulk of most groups most of the time. We all depend on the sheep to produce the wool that we all need to keep warm (i.e., they’re largely responsible for keeping the temples and Zen centers going and have been for centuries).

The main reason being that sheep are easy to keep in line. As soon as the word “need” is barked (as in “the center needs…” or “your practice needs…”), a sheep will snap too and do what’s asked. It is convenient for any spiritual group to have a nice sized flock. Congregants are even called “flock” in Christianity and you-know-who is the shepard. Anyway, the virtues of sheep are often presented as the only way to be “spiritual.” That’s a limitation due to the eye sight of sheep.

Strangely, though, Zen sheep don’t think they’re sheep and don’t even notice that they’re getting sheared (a.k.a., “fund raisers” and “temple positions”) from time to time. Make a motion at your next sangha meeting to change the word “membership” to “flock” and hope the path to the exit is clear.

Zen sheep tend to think they’re not sheep – they might even bleat the Diamond Sutra to this effect. Zen sheep are especially strange in this way. Zen practice, after all, calls for a lot of conformity (on the surface) and yet attracts sheep who think they’re lone wolves. This all creates an odd inner dynamic. Especially when conformity is convenient and quite benefical (in the short term) for the group and for the teacher.

In the midst of most groups there is another type, the little baby wild fox.

Originally, they get taken in by the sheep out of compassion. The sheep care for these little ones in their sheep ways, although that isn’t quite what baby wild fox need. Still things go well for a while.

One thing that goes especially well is zazen. That’s one way to spot a wild fox puppy. The Zen teacher is also often quite fond of the little wild fox because Zen teachers (often grown up canines of some kind) are interested in those who are crazy about zazen. And the little fox pups throw themselves into sitting with an uncommon spirit of enthusiasm. The sheep will follow the form and baaa on and on about the form, but their spirit is often rather baaaa.

So the little baby wild fox begins by totally identifying with the herd but a nagging feeling emerges that s/he is different in some basic way. By the time the wild fox reaches those trouble teenaged years, s/he tries even harder to be a sheep – even harder than all the sheep try to be sheep.

But then the wild fox grows up and sooner or later something happens where the wild fox gets a glimpse of her/his wild fox nature. That’s when things get interesting. In some groups, the wild fox is then shown to the door. In others, the wild foxes’ wild fox nature is pathologized and sheep kindly approach and say, “Sorry to hear you aren’t feeling well.”

The teacher’s animal type is pretty important here. As I said, most teachers are some kind of canine, but we all aren’t foxes. There are sheep dogs, of course, some collies and yes, there are wolves among us some of whom are hungry for things other than sex (fame and money, for example) … but that’s another story.

I learned from Wikipedia that a bunch of sheep can be called a flock, a herd, or a mob. When a student’s wild fox nature becomes clear, the mob nature of sheep becomes clear. They are domesticated and the wild fox is wild. The sheep define the boundary of the group and the wild fox is often exiled to just the place the grown up wild foxes like to hang – the periphery.

“Always on the outside of whatever side you’re on,” sings Bob D. about some gangster.

You might think, “If only I could find a wild fox community.” But a whole group of wild foxes become a bunch of sheep acting like wild foxes. There is no escape. A mass of sheep is necessary for any group to function. That’s just the nature of groups.

Any one Zen student may also seem to be a sheep but shape shift at some point and there you have it – a real wild fox. A thorough wild fox also ought to be able to selflessly shape shift and be a damn good sheep … for a while.

But remember: the human realm is the most opportune incarnation for dharma practice.

Peace out,

Dosho

Uncategorized

Previous Post

January 14, 2009

Manifesting “Ahhh!” Japanese Style (Keep Me in Your Heart - Uncut)

Next Post

January 18, 2009 Wasp Nests and Zen Groups

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 August 2021 June 2021 April 2021 February 2021 January 2021 November 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 August 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 December 2016 October 2016 June 2016 April 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 August 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does Paul, as a spiritual father of the Corinthians, beseech them to do?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Be Followers of Him Send Paul Money Eat Pray