11/2 - Relationships Don't Work p.93

[Jundo]

(Love stinks)
Love stinks yeah yeah
(Love stinks)
Love stinks yeah yeah
(Love stinks)
Love stinks yeah yeah
(Love stinks)
Love stinks yeah yeah

J.Gyles Band ...

Is that the point here? Perhaps not.

By the way, I am thinking of switching at the start of the New Year from this book to Uchiyama Kosho Roshi's "Opening the Hand of Thought" ... I know it is a favorite of many of you. What do you think?

Gassho, J

[Gregor]

Dearest Jundo,

I am most in favor of your proposition. For I have desired to read that particular text myself.

Regards,

Gregorious

[Bansho]

Hi guys,

I second the motion. Not that I have anything against the current book, but Opening the Hand of Thought is also one of my favorites.

Gassho
Kenneth

[Eika]

It's OK with me too . . . I'll finish the Beck book on my own if we move on to another book before finishing it.

Bill

[Gregor]

Word to the wise. . . .

I'd recommend that everyone order their copy of "Opening the Hand of Thought"
soon.

I just finished ordering the book from Amazon, and they won't ship it for three weeks, must be a hard book to get a hold of. The wait is no big deal since we wont need it for a few months, but I thought I'd warn those that need to acquire it for January.

I also ordered the complete collection of Poetry by Thomas Merton!!!

[Jundo]

Hi Greg,

Thanks for the tip, and I am glad everyone so far seems to like the idea. I was going to use the recently issued edition. I do not think it matters if someone has an old edition around, as I imagine the content is largely the same (I haven't looked to compare, however).

Gassho, Jundo

[Shohei]

I would like to take part in the with the new book in the new year. I amm probably a bit late to start on the current book, I was going to order it on monday but i will look into the Opening the Hand of Thought first and pick up and read the other on my own.

Gassho
_/_
dirk

[Fuken]

Re: 11/2 - Relationships Don't Work p.93

By the way, I am thinking of switching at the start of the New Year from this book to Uchiyama Kosho Roshi's "Opening the Hand of Thought" ... I know it is a favorite of many of you. What do you think?

WOOT :!: :!:

Gassho,
Jordan

[John]

Good idea. I've read three of his books - the one on the Bendowa and the one about 'cooking your life' as well as ' The Hand of Thought'. I think I read too much. I like Uchiyama's simplicity, openness and frankness.

[Lynn]

Just joining the Me Too chorus! This was one of the first books I read when I began exploring Buddhism and it's really lovely. I'd welcome the chance to share it with others.

In Gassho~

*Lynn

[paige]

I've not read Opening the Hand of Thought before - have just ordered a copy off Amazon.

I'm still keeping up with the reading for Everyday Zen, but haven't been able to think of much to say for the past several weeks.

In other words, another 'aye' for changing books in the new year.

[Eika]

on p.93 Charlotte Joko Beck wrote:
In a way life can work—but not coming from the standpoint that we are going to do something that will make it work. p.93

I liked this a lot. It was another way of saying that our resistance to the way life really is creates our problems (relationship or otherwise). Life can work when we adjust our way of seeing it. My wife and I have been married for 13 years and I know that the smoothest periods have been when I have not been trying to bend the dynamic between us in my favor.

p. 95
There is nothing wrong with wanting it {comfort}, unless it is at variance with that which is more important than comfort, my primary orientation in life.

Then later:
If something doesn't emerge from practice that is more than just what I want, what would make me life more pleasant, then it's not practice.

I liked this paragraph because she helped me with a trap I get in sometimes. Comfort is not to be avoided (ours is not an ascetic path) unless it is in conflict with our practice, BUT I must also avoid complacency—practice is not about making my life more comfortable.

Jundo, Beck mentions the labeling-type meditation. Is that common in Soto or simply an peculiarity of her's?
That's it for now,
Bill

[Jundo]

Jundo, Beck mentions the labeling-type meditation. Is that common in Soto or simply an peculiarity of her's?
That's it for now,
Bill

Hi Bill,

This came up in an earlier chapter. It is not standard Soto practice, which is 'just sitting' Shikantaza. When this came up in an earlier chapter, I guessed it might be something that she had picked up from Vipassana practice, although Joko confuses me a bit in this chapter as she seems critical of such practices.

I will tell you that I also advocate the practice of labeling, just not --during-- Zazen itself (when we are not to be doing anything). Labeling is, however, a very important part of learning to observe our mind's workings. So, for example, instead of just feeling angry, greedy or tired, and instead of just saying to ourselves even "I am feeling angry/greedy/tired now), we should learn to say to ourselves such things as "this is my mind now temporarily feeling angry/greedy/tired during present conditions". When we learn to do that, experiencing the emotions of the mind becomes just watching a bit of theatre.

All that is good, just not a practice for "during" Zazen, when we observe everything and nothing.

Gassho, Jundo

[Eika]

Thanks!

Bill

[John]

p. 95
There is nothing wrong with wanting it {comfort}, unless it is at variance with that which is more important than comfort, my primary orientation in life.

What does she mean by 'primary orientation in life'? Maybe it's an American expression? Is it one's job or career vocation or what one should mainly do with their time in order to help others? I heard or read somewhere lately that most of what we do is pretty pointless anyway. Maybe it was Jundo in connection with the Samu exercise of polishing coins.

I am getting a bit confused about the idea of doing things with no goal in mind and having no thought of attaining anything. It is so alien to our ordinary way of living our lives. Or is it that it's alright to attain things for others but not selfishly for ourselves? Or perhaps it's just that the calculating, thinking, goal-seeking part falls away and we then know naturally what is the next most appropriate action? Reminds me of the koan 'Wash Your Bowl'. Sorry for rambling on but writing this has helped clarify this a little for me!

Gassho,
John