Blue Cliff Record, Case 9: Zhaozhou’s Four Gates Embarking on the spiritual path can often come out of a wish to escape from problems and difficulties. We want to find peace on the cushion. But as our practice deepens, we come up against every kind of obstruction. The barriers seem impenetrable. The good news is, the peace and freedom we seek is always available exactly where we are. When we can face our barriers directly, without turning away, we begin to see them for what they truly are: the gates to our total liberation.