Drivin' Dogen - Understanding "Open Spacious Awareness"

[Tai Shi]

I've been sitting, trying to sit, had not been driving since well before I joined Treeleaf Zendo. I discovered myself, when counting and mantra weren't working so well, using the driving anlogy. Low and behold I'm breathing down the turnpike of the mind. Not left, not right, then down the middle of the lane rhythmically drive my breathe through the countryside and observing right and left. Because my arthritis restricts my breathing,? My breath is always labored, but driving helped, down the center of the highway way down I breathed new life into practice.
Tai Shi
say/ lah
Gassho

[Onka]

Must have missed this for some reason. Great analogy. I find myself thinking of zazen when out riding nowhere in particular on my motorcycle. And sitting I occasionally get reminded its like the freedom of riding, where everything is just one.

Yep. When I tell people about motorcycling these days I always relate it to Zazen on wheels. Even in peak hour traffic when people are getting steamed up in their cages as I find a flow through them all I feel the connection between myself, my bike and everything around me in all directions.
Gassho
Onka
ST

[moyomoy]

I've been sitting, trying to sit, had not been driving since well before I joined Treeleaf Zendo. I discovered myself, when counting and mantra weren't working so well, using the driving anlogy. Low and behold I'm breathing down the turnpike of the mind. Not left, not right, then down the middle of the lane rhythmically drive my breathe through the countryside and observing right and left. Because my arthritis restricts my breathing,? My breath is always labored, but driving helped, down the center of the highway way down I breathed new life into practice.
Tai Shi
say/ lah
Gassho

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[Kyōsen]

Oh this is a really helpful and relatable metaphor! I'm going to use this one instead of the sky/weather one I've been using. Things appear and vanish in the mind so quickly sometimes, it really is more like driving than the weather. Sometimes you spend quite a while driving through a "bad" neighborhood but every block is different even within that neighborhood. Sometimes you drive by some beautiful trees and flower, but the trees and flowers are always changing moment-to-moment whether driving slow or fast. But also there are people: On the sidewalk, in other cars, even as passengers.

Thank you, Jundo!

Gassho
Kyōsen
Sat|LAH

[Seikan]

Digging through some older threads and had to comment on this gem. This particular driving analogy is probably the best thing I have read on Zazen practice in ages. It's just spot on (or at least it feels so to me right now).

Thank you for this Jundo.

Gassho,
Rob

SatToday

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[Tai Shi]

I have left some behaviors out of life, and, therefor I feel this deep down respect, and gratitude, and if this is equanimity, that is what I feel. However, sometimes it is masked by bodily sensations. These negative sensations in my body are my own pain. It helps to have busy times for my own pain. I emphasize my situation because each of us is different. I suppose the old behaviors were masking some feelings. I can have a body scan, this ancient technique for relaxation, a form of meditation which is not Shikantaza just to rid myself of sensations. Still, just sitting can allow valuable ideas as ideas are left out. If this is obtuse information, it is only what happens to me. I feel this equanimity now because I am relaxing, and thinking of others. and I have kept busy. I can just sit for about 25 minutes, and part of this is busy time leading into no time.
Tai Shi
sat
Gassho

[Inshin]

Reminds me of a movie Ford vs Ferrari
“There's a point at 7,000 RPM where everything fades. The machine becomes weightless. It just disappears. All that's left, a body moving through space and time. 7,000 RPM, that's where you meet it. You feel it coming. It creeps up near you, and it asks you a question. The only question that really matters. Who are you?”

[Timchenko_Oleg]

[Anchi]

[Tai Shi]

Daughter gave me cushioned fashioned with my disease in mind. Gave me a beautiful calligraphy essential to The Lotus Sutra, metaphor for Buddhism in Mahayana, above desk upstairs a Gatha. I have a Gatha above my alter. This morning I sit with straight back chair.
Gassho
sat/ lah
Tai Shi

[Dall]

This was a great explanation, Jundo. I found the link to this post from a more recent one and it answers what I’ve been trying to express in question wonderfully. Thank you.

Gassho, Dallas
ST

[Steve Rossiter]

Wow! Thank you Jundo. This is incredibly helpful, and also makes me feel as though I am not alone. All of the experience you have in the analogy are what I've experienced in one form or another since I started my practice. Sat, Gassho

[Tai Shi]

I have driven down my highway since I heard about the car/Highway a couple of years ago. I am thinking about my car/the road. I think less of the car, some "compassion," then the candle I have, back to the car, and there is nothing but the road, driving the car, slipping away not to look at highway, stuff on the side, then nothing but breathe, I'm not thinking just, not about anything. I am not thinking/thinking/nothing.
Gassho
sat/lah