Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, contrasts the "positive" and "negative" paths to enlightenment.

Drawing upon ancient Chinese Taoist, Li Tzu, she begins by questioning the value of emptiness. Because emptiness cannot be quantified, traded, or manufactured—unlike the walls of a house or the clay of a cup—it possesses an absolute value that transcends human commerce.

To abide in this emptiness one must embrace stillness and let go of the transactional nature of human existence.

She characterizes the positive path, often associated with asceticism and orthodox religious traditions, as one of accumulation. It involves specific techniques, incremental progress, and explainable methodologies.

While this path is valid, its primary danger is the subtle inf ...