With palms together,
Good Morning All,
Today is a day you can use to change the world. Rita, a member of my Zen Living Yahoogroups list, my Yahoo 360 friend, and Child Protective Services Worker in California, invited everyone to do something today to Change the World.
I am passing this invitation along.
Each one of us, doing something good, can and will make a difference. Small as a smile and invitation to talk, large as picking up trash along a pathway, each act of kindness to self and others creates goodness in the world.
Now, go change the world.
Be well.
Organ Mountain Zen
Friday, March 31, 2006
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Living
With palms together,
Good Morning Sangha,
In Zen we aspire to leave no trace. That is, to live without self-interest. How do we attain this? We behave for the benefit of others. And if we are acting for others fully and completely then there is no room for anything else.
The value that we place on ourselves should only be the value needed to sustain us for our work. We eat so that we may benefit others. We practice Zazen so that we might benefit others. We clothe ourselves to benefit others. We are in relationship to benefit others. With this right understanding, all other paths of the Noble way unfold with ease and genuineness.
In the absence of self, what is there? Compassion. Our practice is to make compassion a living manifestation in the universe. We do this through continuous , moment-to-moment generosity, morality, patience, diligence, meditation, and wisdom.
We realise that we are the other shore and that we attained the other shore and that we have never left.
Be well.
Good Morning Sangha,
In Zen we aspire to leave no trace. That is, to live without self-interest. How do we attain this? We behave for the benefit of others. And if we are acting for others fully and completely then there is no room for anything else.
The value that we place on ourselves should only be the value needed to sustain us for our work. We eat so that we may benefit others. We practice Zazen so that we might benefit others. We clothe ourselves to benefit others. We are in relationship to benefit others. With this right understanding, all other paths of the Noble way unfold with ease and genuineness.
In the absence of self, what is there? Compassion. Our practice is to make compassion a living manifestation in the universe. We do this through continuous , moment-to-moment generosity, morality, patience, diligence, meditation, and wisdom.
We realise that we are the other shore and that we attained the other shore and that we have never left.
Be well.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Being Present
This morning we awake to the cries of Baby Tate and a telephone call from New Mexico. Tate is grumpy, but always willing to giggle for a moment when Pappy Zen makes odd faces. Susanne, our neighbor at the Refuge, called to say that my old friend, Shaker, was collicking last night. A veterinarian visit later suggested she was OK. This morning Susanne says she is lethargic.
To be alive means to feel. Sometimes we feel good, sometimes not. Sometimes we are happy, sometimes not. To be awake means that when we are hot, we are fully hot; when we are cold, we are fully cold. Enlightenment does nothing to make what is there better. It is what we call being one with the universe and the universe is a vast container. Being one with being sick means fully being sick, present with our sickness, completely. A thought of escaping our sickness leads us to suffering as it adds duality to our consciousness, separating us from ourselves, adding a discernment.
When someone we care for is suffering, we suffer. When we are hot, we are hot. When we are cold, we are cold. As we are these things, we naturally do what we can within them. We care for our suffering. We add a blanket, take off a blanket, but we do so without the effort of mental anguish.
The ability to do this comes with the wisdom of mindful presence.
Be well.
To be alive means to feel. Sometimes we feel good, sometimes not. Sometimes we are happy, sometimes not. To be awake means that when we are hot, we are fully hot; when we are cold, we are fully cold. Enlightenment does nothing to make what is there better. It is what we call being one with the universe and the universe is a vast container. Being one with being sick means fully being sick, present with our sickness, completely. A thought of escaping our sickness leads us to suffering as it adds duality to our consciousness, separating us from ourselves, adding a discernment.
When someone we care for is suffering, we suffer. When we are hot, we are hot. When we are cold, we are cold. As we are these things, we naturally do what we can within them. We care for our suffering. We add a blanket, take off a blanket, but we do so without the effort of mental anguish.
The ability to do this comes with the wisdom of mindful presence.
Be well.
Saturday, March 25, 2006
Driving
With palms together,
Good Morning Sangha,
In the morning we will be leaving for Memphis to visit our daughter, not-son-in-law, and grandbaby Tate. We are looking forward to the drive and the visit. I will post from Memphis when I get there.
Driving long distance is sort of like running long distance: an integration of things occurs as we settle into the drive. At first its all a flutter, did we pack this, forget that? But as the drive continues, just as with running, and sitting Zazen, a natural rhythm develops or settles in. This is our natural state when mind is not overly intruding. It is good practice.
Finding a way to make this naturalness a part of everything you do is the Third Pure Precept in action.
Be well.
Good Morning Sangha,
In the morning we will be leaving for Memphis to visit our daughter, not-son-in-law, and grandbaby Tate. We are looking forward to the drive and the visit. I will post from Memphis when I get there.
Driving long distance is sort of like running long distance: an integration of things occurs as we settle into the drive. At first its all a flutter, did we pack this, forget that? But as the drive continues, just as with running, and sitting Zazen, a natural rhythm develops or settles in. This is our natural state when mind is not overly intruding. It is good practice.
Finding a way to make this naturalness a part of everything you do is the Third Pure Precept in action.
Be well.
Friday, March 24, 2006
Being a Buddha
With palms together,
Good Morning Sangha,
When we sit Zazen we gather ourselves together, fold our legs, and sit down. Our breath comes together with our mind, our skin, eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Mind rises and falls, dances a fast dance, then slow dance, sometimes no dance. There comes a moment of integration. Stillness. Once again things begin to stir, once more thought, once more feeling, taste, touch, and sound. Stillness, motion, no difference, no preference. When sitting, just sit.
This practice enables us to see clearly how we are buddhas in each moment. The moment we set aside our preferences, navigate according to our precepts, manifest the perfections, we are buddhas. This is so in the middle of choppy waters and calm waters; in the middle of stinking garbage and wonderful roses; when we are suffering and not suffering. Buddha means awake. Nothing more or less. Awake.
Living awake changes everything and changes nothing. Living awake means coffee is both coffee and not-coffee at the same time, no difference. Concept and experience clearly seen as separate and the same. So difficult, so easy.
I invite you to engage yourself in this practice. Sit. Gather yourself. Awaken. Move on.
Be well.
Good Morning Sangha,
When we sit Zazen we gather ourselves together, fold our legs, and sit down. Our breath comes together with our mind, our skin, eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Mind rises and falls, dances a fast dance, then slow dance, sometimes no dance. There comes a moment of integration. Stillness. Once again things begin to stir, once more thought, once more feeling, taste, touch, and sound. Stillness, motion, no difference, no preference. When sitting, just sit.
This practice enables us to see clearly how we are buddhas in each moment. The moment we set aside our preferences, navigate according to our precepts, manifest the perfections, we are buddhas. This is so in the middle of choppy waters and calm waters; in the middle of stinking garbage and wonderful roses; when we are suffering and not suffering. Buddha means awake. Nothing more or less. Awake.
Living awake changes everything and changes nothing. Living awake means coffee is both coffee and not-coffee at the same time, no difference. Concept and experience clearly seen as separate and the same. So difficult, so easy.
I invite you to engage yourself in this practice. Sit. Gather yourself. Awaken. Move on.
Be well.
Thursday, March 23, 2006
A Full Cup
With palms together,
Good Morning Sangha,
There is a story about a scholar who visits an Old Zen Master to receive instruction. The Master pours tea into a cup for the scholar; full, the cup overflows until the scholar shouts "stop!"
Unless we are willing to empty ourselves of what we think we know, there can be no room for what presents itself in each moment. Zazen is like a slow leak.
Take your cup and go.
Be well.
Good Morning Sangha,
There is a story about a scholar who visits an Old Zen Master to receive instruction. The Master pours tea into a cup for the scholar; full, the cup overflows until the scholar shouts "stop!"
Unless we are willing to empty ourselves of what we think we know, there can be no room for what presents itself in each moment. Zazen is like a slow leak.
Take your cup and go.
Be well.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Balancing Act
With palms together,
Good Morning Sangha,
With so much going on outside in the world, it is easy to go there and get lost or caught up in the whirlwind. Our perception is that it is outside of us and is so important that we must do something. War, poverty, injustice, disease; these are awful things worthy of our attention and our energy.
Yet, in truth, these things are not out there, but inside of us. In our minds and our hearts. We respond with a disturbed body, we become ill. In such a condition we are not present for our friends and family. We are not fully there for our co-workers and employers.
These things are important. We should do what we can to ease suffering, stop violence, bring health to the ill. We should do so, however, with a healthy mind, a healthy body, and a wholesome heart. This requires us to establish boundaries, maintain these boundaries, and nurture those boundaries.
A boundary is a point where doing begins to hurt us.
Recognizing that there are limits to our power and capacity to be of service, to absorb suffering, and to be present, is a necessary first step. Willingness to say no is the second step. Finally we must nurture ourselves as a third step. Eating well, getting enough sleep, getting exercise, practicing Zazen, openning our hearts to others in discussion: these are ways of taking good care of ourselves.
In the absolute sense we are one with the universe. In the relative sense we are just a finite body with finite energy. Our practice is to live between the two recognizing the truth and needs of both.
Be well.
Good Morning Sangha,
With so much going on outside in the world, it is easy to go there and get lost or caught up in the whirlwind. Our perception is that it is outside of us and is so important that we must do something. War, poverty, injustice, disease; these are awful things worthy of our attention and our energy.
Yet, in truth, these things are not out there, but inside of us. In our minds and our hearts. We respond with a disturbed body, we become ill. In such a condition we are not present for our friends and family. We are not fully there for our co-workers and employers.
These things are important. We should do what we can to ease suffering, stop violence, bring health to the ill. We should do so, however, with a healthy mind, a healthy body, and a wholesome heart. This requires us to establish boundaries, maintain these boundaries, and nurture those boundaries.
A boundary is a point where doing begins to hurt us.
Recognizing that there are limits to our power and capacity to be of service, to absorb suffering, and to be present, is a necessary first step. Willingness to say no is the second step. Finally we must nurture ourselves as a third step. Eating well, getting enough sleep, getting exercise, practicing Zazen, openning our hearts to others in discussion: these are ways of taking good care of ourselves.
In the absolute sense we are one with the universe. In the relative sense we are just a finite body with finite energy. Our practice is to live between the two recognizing the truth and needs of both.
Be well.
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