Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind - a Book Review

Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki, Weatherhill, New York, 2000.
This small book is a series of talks given by Master Suzuki to his disciples during their zazen practice. He speaks in the manner of the great Buddhist masters with many parables from nature and not always so easy to follow - until you let go of the need for understanding and just let the words fall into your consciousness and then let them go.
This "listening/reading" is not easy for this ISFJ personality. But about 2/3's of the way through the book, I realized that that was exactly what I was doing. Everything seemed to come together in a small aah-ha moment. I remember thinking, "Oh, this is what Jerry meant when I asked for a book."
Nirvana and the Waterfall story, page 92, was the story of the aah-ha. That dipper of water, the lake in front of me, the waterfall of individual drops falling 1340 feet and feeling so good to be part of the river again finally got through my big mind.
Other writings which meant a great deal to me include, page 111, But there is no certain way that exist permanently. There is no way set up for us. Moment after moment we have to find our own way. Some idea of perfection, or some perfect way which is set up by someone else, is not the true way for us.
Page 115, It is not necessary to make an effort to think in a particular way. Your thinking should not be one-sided. We just think with our whole mind, and see things as they are without any effort. Just to see, and be ready to see things with our whole mind, is zazen practice. If we are prepared for thinking, there is no need to make an effort to think. This is called mindfulness. Mindfulness is at the same time wisdom. By wisdom we do not mean some particular faculty or philosophy. It is the readiness of the mind that is wisdom.... Wisdom is not something to be learned. Wisdom is something that will come out of your mindfulness. So the point is to be ready for observing things, and to be ready for thinking. This is called emptiness of your mind. Emptiness is nothing but the practice of zazen.
Page 119, But oneness and variety are the same thing, so oneness should be appreciated in each existence. That is why we emphasize everyday life rather than some particular state of mind. We should find the reality in each moment and in each phenomenon.
Page 128, Actually, good and bad is not the point. Whether or not you make yourself peaceful is the point, and whether or not you stick to it.
Page 138, We must have beginner's mind, free from possessing anything, a mind that knows everything is in flowing change. Nothing exists but momentarily in its present form and color. One thing flows into another and cannot be grasped. Before the rain stops we hear the bird.
Anyone who enjoys Zen will enjoy this book. But Zen is not easy, at least not for this thinking, planning, controlling personality. That is why I sit.
May you find the Peace of the River for all your Drops of Water. Cyn