As mentioned before, I am a proud member of the sangha at the Clear Mountain Zendo in Montclair, NJ. Our sensei (Dharma teacher), Carl, often emphasizes during his talks that the core theme of Zen is “this moment, right now”. That reminds me of duct tape.

Duct tape is a “right now” kind of thing. When you patch something up with duct tape, it’s today that you’re worried about; certainly not next year or next month, maybe not even next week. Duct tape keeps you going for now, but it makes no guarantees whatsoever for the future. It’s not built to last. Duct tape reflects a Zen vision of reality, in a way.

I’m not at all sure that Carl would agree with this. And I can’t imagine the great temples of Kyoto using duct tape to patch up the sitting cushions or the paper and bamboo shoji screens. But hey, Zen is becoming Americanized; and in the process, duct tape might eventually play a role in promoting awakening and awareness. I’m sure there’s a koan in the making somewhere, regarding duct tape’s versatility and it’s “in the moment” character!

PS — with all thoughts and intentions for the suffering happening now in the home of Zen, Japan.