Zen Principle #2: Alignment (interconnectedness)

Zen teaches us that nothing exists in isolation.

Every being, every movement, every breath is part of a larger whole. The wind doesn’t simply blow - it rustles leaves, lifts dust, brings rain, cools skin.

Think about a work environment or community. When we find ourselves in happier environments, surrounded by happy people, we generally are happier ourselves. My happiness will impact you, and yours will impact me. The converse of this is also true. Research suggests that crime is statistically more likely in environments where people are unhappy, and that unhappiness and crime can reinforce each other in a feedback loop. Your sadness and pain will impact me, and mine will impact you. Maybe not directly, but the more pain and suffering there is around us, the more we will feel it. We are like tofu in broth - neutral at first, but porous. Whatever surrounds us - joy, grief, tension - seeps in. We absorb the emotional flavour of our environment, often without realizing it. The road rage we are subjected to on the way to work doesn't just vanish, it sits with us. That person's rage becomes something we bear, too.

"Great, so we're all connected. What's that got to do with horses?"

In the context of horses; my horse’s tension, fear, and pain will become my tension, fear and pain, too. Having been thrown from many horses who were in pain or frightened (before I understood what that looked like) I would know that this is true. My anxiety or happiness will impact my horse, too.

Let's take a look at "Alignment" and "Responsibility", which go hand and hand with "Interconnectedness" to understand this better:

Alignment: Living in Harmony with the Whole

Alignment in Zen is the state of being in harmony with the whole, in attunement with the present moment, and in integrity with one’s inner truth. To be aligned is to move with - not against - the flow of life. It is to listen deeply, act sincerely, and rest in the awareness that self and other are not separate. The Zen principle of "Denial of the Ego" emphasises that nothing happening around us should be taken personally - even when it seems that it is happening to us, personally! It's about becoming responsive rather than reactive. In horsemanship, alignment means recognizing that all behaviour is communication, and that communication is always happening.

Responsibility: The Ethical Pulse of Interconnectedness

When we see the world as completely interconnected and we start practicing alignment, it becomes clear that we have a responsibility to make a positive difference - to help, to heal, to educate so that others may make a difference, too. Even if it is, ultimately, because we believe that another being's suffering is our suffering, and we don't want to suffer. To harm another is to harm oneself.

When it comes to those beings who cannot speak for themselves, this responsibility becomes sacred. We have a profound ethical responsibility to recognize their unique communication and their distress. And more than that, we are called to respond with compassion, clarity, and healing intent, and to help them find comfort, peace, and even happiness.

So, I will be over here feeling connected to everyone and everything, attempting to align myself, and trying to do something about some of the pain and suffering that I witness in the world. A bit like that story about the person walking on the beach and throwing a few starfish back into the ocean, it'll be impossible for me to help absolutely every suffering soul, but I can help a few.

What does interconnectedness and alignment mean to you?

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