Colin Beavan, the 'No Impact Man'
Dan Harris and Zen teacher Colin Beavan discuss integrating spiritual practice with social action. Beavan shares insights from his "No Impact Man" project and how Zen principles guide his commitment to global issues, emphasizing "each other help."
Deep Dive Analysis
11 Topic Outline
Introduction: Balancing Ambition, Happiness, and Meaning
Colin Bevan's Path to Zen Meditation
Understanding Zen Practice: Self-Inquiry and Not-Knowing
The 'No Impact Man' Project: Living Environmentally in NYC
Post-'No Impact Man' Lifestyle and Key Learnings
The Aspiration to Benefit Others in Buddhist Practice
From Self-Interest to Compassionate Action
Critique of 'McMindfulness' and the 'How May I Help?' Mantra
Does Enlightenment Matter When Police Are Shooting Black People?
Addressing Systemic Racism in Buddhist Communities
Navigating Personal Challenges and Spiritual Practice
5 Key Concepts
Zen
Zen is a discipline focused on understanding oneself as a human being. It involves constant inquiry into 'What am I?' to move beyond conceptual answers and allow intuition to guide one's actions in the world.
Don't Know Soap
A concept from Zen master Sung Son, it refers to the practice of 'washing your mind' by putting down all the stories and preconceived notions about your life. This allows one to be in a state of not knowing, enabling intuition and a deeper part of oneself to take control.
Bodhisattva Vow
Expressed as 'How can I help?', this vow is seen not as something to inject into oneself, but as an inherent desire that meditation practice helps to reveal. The practice aims to remove obstacles so this natural inclination to help others can shine through.
Human Birth (Metaphor)
In Buddhism, 'human birth' is a metaphor for a privileged state where one is not suffering so much as to be overwhelmed, nor so seduced by luxury as to be complacent. It represents a middle ground where one has the opportunity and capacity for self-examination and growth.
Spiritual Materialism
This term describes the mistaken belief that spiritual practices like prayer or meditation will automatically lead to acquiring all desired material or personal outcomes. It implies a focus on personal gain rather than the deeper transformation into compassion and resilience.
6 Questions Answered
Zen is a discipline focused on understanding oneself by constantly inquiring 'What am I?' and not believing the stories thoughts tell, allowing intuition to guide actions in the present moment.
His practice sensitized him to the suffering in the world, making him more aware of environmental issues like the Iraq war and climate change, which he saw as connected to societal problems, prompting him to take action.
While some criticize 'McMindfulness,' the act of meditation itself is not morally neutral; it causes an internal transformation that naturally leads to greater sensitivity to others' suffering and a desire to help, even if not explicitly intended at first.
One can start by examining their own biases, holding 'How may I help?' as a mantra, and identifying how their personal life intersects with social problems, such as advocating for inclusive hiring policies or supporting organizations run by people of color.
No, spiritual practice does not make one immune to cause and effect or 'karma'; it helps one cut through personal feelings to act compassionately as circumstances change, rather than guaranteeing a life free from challenges.
By holding the question 'How may I help?' as a mantra, individuals can find moments within their day to be helpful, whether through kindness to family or influencing their company, using their position to help regardless of the job title.
22 Actionable Insights
1. Align Self-Interest with World Benefit
Recognize that actions truly beneficial for personal well-being, such as strong relationships and community engagement, are also inherently better for the world, and vice versa.
2. Daily “How May I Help?” Mantra
Hold the question “How may I help?” in your mind like a mantra throughout the day to discover opportunities to be helpful, even within a challenging profession.
3. Practice Zen Self-Inquiry
Engage in Zen practice by asking “What am I?” and observing thoughts as mere phenomena, allowing you to react to the present moment from intuition rather than preconceived stories.
4. Buddhism: A Practice, Not a Belief
Approach Buddhism as “something to do” rather than “something to believe in,” focusing on active engagement and practice.
5. Nirvana Not Sole Practice Point
Understand that the point of spiritual practice is not solely to achieve personal peace or nirvana, but rather to use that peace to perceive and respond to the suffering of others.
6. Wash Mind with “Don’t Know Soap”
Apply the concept of “don’t know soap” to clear your mind, approaching thoughts and ideas with a spirit of ’not knowing’ to allow intuition to rise and react to the present moment.
7. Help Others for Meaning
Recognize that helping others is a fundamental need for living a meaningful and purposeful life, and cultivate sensitivity to opportunities to do so.
8. Leverage Current Position for Good
Rather than making drastic, ego-driven career changes, leverage your current position and privilege to help others and propagate positive ideas in the world.
9. Assess Personal Capacity to Help
Mindfully assess your personal situation, available time, and levers of power in your life to determine the most effective ways you can contribute to helping others.
10. Connect Personal Life to Social Problems
Actively inquire how your personal life and actions intersect with the social problems you observe, seeking ways to contribute to solutions.
11. Continuously Examine Own Biases
Continuously examine your own biases and assumptions, especially concerning race, to understand your personal situation and responsibilities in addressing societal issues.
12. Maintain Daily Meditation
Engage in a regular, committed meditation practice, such as 40 minutes daily, to cultivate inner peace and self-understanding.
13. Combine Breath, Mantra, Inquiry
During meditation, follow your breath, mentally repeat a mantra (e.g., Kwan Sem Bo Sal), and add a layer of inquiry by asking “What is this?” or “Who is this?” to bring attention back to the moment.
14. Maintain Curiosity in Practice
When meditating, don’t believe that simply saying the mantra perfectly is the goal; instead, maintain curiosity and ask “What is this?” to stay present.
15. Trust Practice’s Behavioral Transformation
Continue meditation practice, understanding that it changes your behavior and makes you more compassionate, even if you don’t always perceive the transformation yourself.
16. Cultivate Compassion Amidst Change
Engage in spiritual practices to develop the ability to cut through personal feelings and act with compassion in the moment, even as life’s circumstances change.
17. Spiritual Practice Doesn’t Prevent Challenges
Understand that engaging in spiritual practice does not exempt you from life’s challenges or “cause and effect”; accept that difficulties are a natural part of life.
18. Advocate for Better Living
Dedicate your voice to persuading others to adopt ways of life that are beneficial for both themselves and the planet, as learned from the “No Impact Man” experience.
19. Help from Any Position
Focus on using your current job title and position to help others, rather than being concerned with whether your job title inherently sounds helpful.
20. Advocate Fair Hiring Policies
Advocate for fair hiring policies at your workplace that avoid relying solely on personal networks, ensuring that diverse and qualified candidates have equal opportunities.
21. Support POC-Led Organizations
Actively support and participate in organizations run and owned by people of color by spending money, giving power, and offering your support.
22. Join Anti-Racism Organizations
Identify and actively join organizations that are working to address systemic racism in society.
6 Key Quotes
When you don't know, that is to say, when you put down all the stories that you have about your life and you actually allow yourself to be and not knowing, then your intuition and that part of yourself that acts together with the world can actually rise up and be in control.
Colin Bevan
The act of meditation actually causes a transformation within us.
Colin Bevan
Does Enlightenment Matter When Police Are Shooting Black People?
Colin Bevan
To actually cling to nirvana, first as a meditation practitioner, or any sort of a spiritual practitioner, to understand that having heaven or nirvana is not the point of practice. That's number one.
Colin Bevan
My point is, is just to say that whether we are able to make all the different structures work and the marriage work and this work and that work, it's not really the, it's, it's, it's, it's not a magic trick being a spiritual person.
Colin Bevan
This body is just a rental car. Big question. Who drives this rental car?
Sung Son (quoted by Colin Bevan)
2 Protocols
Colin Bevan's Daily Zen Practice
Colin Bevan- Follow your breath.
- Mentally repeat the mantra 'Kwan Sem Bo Sal' (Korean for Kwan Lin, the Bodhisattva of compassion).
- Add a layer of inquiry: 'What is this?' or 'Who is this that is saying this mantra?'
- Maintain curiosity, bringing attention back to the moment without seeking conceptual answers, but rather seeing, feeling, and hearing what is in the present moment.
Approach to Addressing Systemic Racism (for white privileged meditators)
Colin Bevan- Accept that the Bodhisattva vow ('How can I help?') is already at the center of oneself; practice is about removing obstacles to let it shine through.
- Understand that clinging to nirvana or personal peace is not the ultimate point of practice.
- Ask how one's personal life intersects with the social problem (e.g., racism).
- Advocate for changes in hiring policies (e.g., asking employers not to hire solely through personal networks) to ensure diversity.
- Participate in, spend money with, give power to, and support black organizations or organizations run by people of color.
- Find and become part of organizations dealing with systemic racism.
- Reflect on one's situation: 'What's my situation? How much time do I have? What are the levers of power I have in my own life?' and become mindful of how to use them.