Zencage is an idea based on a major theme in my book: 7 Steps to God

Zen

"Zen" is roughly defined as "contemplation." It is often associated with finding insight through meditation. It is often seen as a "direct path" to insight.

Zen-"cage" is too much Zen. It happens before or after you reach awakening or enlightenment whenever you mistakenly think there is something you might be able to do to reach for and grab at enlightenment. It is a misplaced focus -- like building a physical tower to heaven, or using drugs to reach a higher state of mind -- you can't climb a ladder to heaven; you can't force your way to bliss.

On the other hand, a sincere effort and desire to actively do good -- to be good, live morally, accomplish good things in an ACTIVE state of faith -- is likely a much better way of aligning with the higher good than trying to grab it like it's a retail item at a store.

Faith

In my experience, in your daily life, if you want to be able to function as a normal human being in reality, you must have an active faith. This is true philosophy in my view. It is the active effort and desire to do good rather than grasp it. Faith has been given a bad name lately and has been criticized for being "irrational" and "dogmatically simple." However, in my view faith is a fact of life. In order to function in normal life, one must be able to prioritize values over brute rationality. Rationality is a good tool, but it is not the entirety of what is "good."

How can rationality be used to prove that rationality itself is good? How can a tool justify its own use? There is no way around the fact that decisions must be made. The mind must have a way to focus on one thing at a time, instead of the billions of options and possibilities that it could focus on at any given moment. The prioritization of information into a "good" philosophy or belief system is essential. Even Atheism has a belief system. They have placed their trust in the idea that "faith is bad" or "faith must be done away with." These dogmatic atheistic claims aren't perfectly rational; and, they haven't necessarily been proven as rigorous scientific facts.  Anti-faith philosophy hypocritically assumes its lack of faith is inherently "good." It simply denies. Yet, it has not proven itself worthy of our deepest convictions, spirit, courage, and confidence.

How does one live void of conviction? How does one survive through inactivity? It's impossible. We must have confidence in something, in order to put one foot in front of the other and make it through life. If we are trying to live without spirit, confidence, trust, and courage toward activity -- or, if we are trying to reach God during this life through "Zen" "rationality" "drugs" "a high tower" "grabbing at reality" instead of trying to actually do good -- then we are living in a state of hypocrisy and contradiction.

7 Steps to God

Therefore, in order to leave the Zencage, I searched for the best ideas in the history of the world in order to support my faith and heal my courage. "7 Steps to God" is the process of using ancient wisdom to find faith:

• Christianity
• Islam
• Hinduism
• Buddhism
• Confucianism
• Egyptian Religion
• Socratic Philosophy

In the end, I found 7 universal ethics that provide a foundation for an active deistic morality or faith; this is my way of trying to do good -- to participate and be part of the process of "good" -- rather than purchase it or obtain it through Zen:

• Solicitude
• Devotion
• Acknowledgement
• Alignment
• Humility
• Lawfulness
• Righteousness

See 7 Steps to God on Amazon.

See Ancient Wisdom collection.