Zazen is intimacy.  This is not an intimacy between you and others, between you and the universe.  Zazen is intimacy; zazen is our life that is the universe.  Not seeing this clearly is a problem that stems from the ordinary understanding of intimacy, whereby intimacy becomes another aspect of dualistic self-centeredness.  We feel intimate with another in a relationship as long as they fit our expectations, as long as the experience is what I want.

Clarifying intimacy is tied to clarifying commitment….  Whether it is commitment to practice or to a relationship, true commitment grows out of who we truly are, and true commitment manifests who we are.

Everything is the Way by Elihu Genmyo Smith