5 Roots: The Fire of Perseverance

In the latest episode of "The World Through Zen Eyes," hosts Myongahn Sunim and Dr. Ruben Lambert delve into the concept of perseverance (jongjin) as part of their ongoing mini-series about the five roots and their transformation into powers. This exploration offers profound insights into how our innate qualities can be consciously harnessed for personal growth and spiritual development.

The episode begins by establishing a fundamental premise: certain qualities, including determination and perseverance, exist naturally within us from birth. These "roots" operate beneath our conscious awareness, silently informing our behaviors and responses. The challenge, as the hosts explain, isn't acquiring these qualities but rather bringing them into conscious awareness and purposefully directing them. This transformation process is what converts a root into a power—taking something that already exists within us and making it an active, directed force in our lives.

The hosts use several compelling metaphors to illustrate this transformation process. One particularly powerful comparison likens our innate qualities to electricity—a force that has always existed in nature but remained unharnessed until humans discovered how to channel and direct it. Similarly, our inner determination exists whether we acknowledge it or not; the difference lies in whether we recognize it and purposefully apply it to meaningful goals. This understanding fundamentally shifts how we approach personal development—not as the acquisition of new traits but as the conscious direction of qualities we already possess.

A significant portion of the episode addresses the distinction between laziness and capacity, particularly in the context of parent-child relationships. The hosts challenge the common assumption that unmotivated individuals lack determination entirely. Instead, they suggest that everyone possesses determination but directs it toward different goals. They give the example of a teenager who seems unmotivated about schoolwork but demonstrates remarkable patience and perseverance when waiting overnight for limited-edition sneakers. This illustrates how the root of determination exists within everyone but manifests differently based on interest and perceived value.

The hosts also explore the challenges of nurturing motivation, using the metaphor of building a fire. Just as a spark needs progressively larger kindling to grow into a sustainable flame, human motivation requires careful, gradual nurturing. They caution against the common tendency to either smother a newly ignited interest with excessive enthusiasm or to neglect it entirely. Instead, they advocate for attentive observation and measured encouragement—a challenging balance in today's fast-paced world where algorithmic systems are designed to capture and manipulate our attention with precision that human interactions often lack.

The discussion extends to the concept of "leaning" as a practice of perseverance. The hosts describe how consistent pressure—like leaning against a door—can gradually gain ground. This principle applies both positively in spiritual practice (leaning on teachings, sangha, and meditation) and potentially negatively in challenging relationships where incremental boundary-pushing can erode authority or respect. The key, they suggest, is conscious awareness of these dynamics and intentional decision-making about where and how we "lean" in our lives.

Toward the conclusion, the hosts emphasize the practical application of these insights, particularly in meditation practice and self-care. They stress the importance of prioritizing personal practice with the same seriousness as professional obligations—"sharpie yourself in" rather than "pencil yourself in." By recognizing the roots of determination within ourselves and others, we can approach personal growth and interpersonal relationships with greater compassion and effectiveness, acknowledging that we are all "under construction" and working with the same fundamental building blocks.