5 Reasons why we fail to apply wisdom
1. We Look for Happiness in the Wrong Direction
We chase experiences, people, accomplishments — hoping they'll finally make us feel whole. But Zen says: what you’re looking for is not out there. The moment you seek something external, you subtly affirm that something is missing now. Zen is ruthless about this. It asks: What is lacking in this moment? Is happiness not already here, when there's no resistance?
2. We Think Our Thoughts Are Reality
Our mind says: “You’ll be happy when…” and the chase begins.
But that “when” is a mirage. It keeps moving. Even when we get the thing we thought would complete us, the mind manufactures a new problem. This addiction to thought — this idea that we are the thinker — clouds our ability to rest in simple being.
3. We Don’t Know Who We Truly Are
We live under the spell of being a “person” — with a history, goals, fears, opinions. But this personal self is a bundle of memory and conditioning. It’s not the truth of what we are. Happiness becomes difficult when we try to protect this “me,” fix it, improve it, make it special. But in reality, happiness arises when the whole fiction of "me" becomes transparent.
4. We Resist What Is
“The Great Way is not difficult for those who have no preferences.” — Seng-ts’an
We suffer because we want things to be different than they are. We crave certain sensations and push others away. Zen turns this completely around: what if there is no wrong experience? What if everything — even sadness, even longing — is part of the perfect unfolding of the moment? When we stop resisting reality, peace naturally flows in.
5. Why Does It Seem So Hard?
Because we are conditioned to seek — to fix, control, improve, avoid, acquire. The irony is: this very act of seeking covers up the quiet joy that’s already present. The moment you stop being a meditator trying to be happy, and fully allow this very moment to be exactly what it is — even with its imperfections — we start to uncover our true nature - and it's there that we find the peace we're looking for.
But to apply any of these ideas to our life - requires practice. Just like riding a bike, or learning a new sport. To apply, we must practice.