Grass Hut - 1 - Things Change

[Jika]

Shoka,

beautiful!!

Thank you, you've given me a beautiful picture for something I am experiencing in my workplace.

I've been grounded by my boss, forbidden to do many things that I was quite attached to, because it took me years to learn them.
I rationally understand his reasons, but it felt terrible, seeing others "take my veggies".
The last weeks, I've volunteered to help a coworker who is doing this work now and who is sometimes insecure.
I am not allowed to do the work, but I can pass on my experience.
I can water the "plants", and instead of feeling hurt or threatened in "my" territory, I'm letting things evolve.

Gassho,
Danny
#sattoday

[Risho]

Gassho,

Risho
-sattoday

[Kyotai]

Thank you Shoka,

Gassho, Kyotai
sat today

[Daiyo]

Hi all, sorry if I ruin the nice images Shoka has given us.

I kept thinking about this, and believe it's kind of easier to let go of material things.

But now I'm starting to see my son grow older, he is 12, turning a teenager and changing his mood.
I will have to let him make himself, go out and face dangers, and am deeply terrified about it.
It's not that I can protect him from anything, but as a kid it was always safer to have him at eyesight.
I am also having a feeling of loss of the kid he used to be, of all the hugs I didn't give him and the many times I've rejected him because I was busy or focused on something else.

No matter for how many years I sit, I believe I would never be prepared to "embrace life as is" should something bad happen to my children.
I've a lump in my throat just to write this.

Gassho, Daiyo

#SatToday

[Kyotai]

Hello Daiyo,

In my experience, it certainly is easier to give up the material then an attachment to human life. Our relationships are so important, those we love are loved more then anything in this world. But, they too are attachments just like the material.

The past is the past. Being present now is what is important. Someday you may look back at what your son was like when he was 12. It will seem like so long ago. Enjoy every moment now The good, the bad and the ugly.

My wife Leah and I had a difficult loss some years ago. We knew our little girl for only 24 hours before she passed. It was so very difficult, I could not imagine how difficult it would have been had we known her 24 years. Many many tears.

After sitting each day, years later although emotion comes and goes when thinking of her..that missing void, slowly replaced with a quiet stillness. Just this.

Nonetheless, one of my favorite quotes below,

" I am an old man and have known many troubles but most of them never happened." ..Mark Twain

Gassho, Kyotai
Sat today

[Heisoku]

Hi all. What a lovely thread. I was just enjoying a lie down when my youngest son (18) came in and lay beside me resting his head on my shoulder, listening to the birds and sensing the mellowness of the sun going down after the partial eclipse this morning. I remember when his smaller head rested there and a night so long ago now when my father breathed his last while resting there. All the while the mellowness of universal love of moments passing and the weight on my shoulder slip away and all the while all these are still here in this moment, in this pearl, in this grass hut.

On first reading the grass hut my initial response was to say that we are always in a grass hut, in our body, room, house, street, place of work, city, country, planet and universe. We are never anywhere else. It also reminded me of an Indian proverb from Bruce Chatwin's the Songlines, that 'life is a bridge, so don't build houses on it'.

When haven't I felt this? Well if we don't experience the pain and suffering of impermanence then how can we find the path that leads to understanding? I first discovered this in my selfishness when my first love broke my heart and life. In reality it wasn't love that was broken but my sense of permanence about it and her, and like many the way forward was in learning to let go...... Still is!
Thank you to everyone here for showing me all the different ways that I can still keep letting go.
Humble Gasshos
Heisoku
Sat today.

[Heisoku]

Dear Daiyo, I can only empathise with you. My wife and I had several early terminations and I can't imagine the feeling of your loss. Much Metta to you both.
Gassho
Heisoku
Sat today.

[Daiyo]

Hi Heisoku, my wife and I haven't had any early termination.
Still, I can understand how hard can it be.

I believe your comment was meant for Kyotai.

I also send metta to all.


gassho, Daiyo

#Sattoday

[Heisoku]

Apologies Daiyo and Kyotai. I must read more carefully.
Thank you for pointing this out.
Gassho
Heisoku
Sat today.

[Joyo]

Thank you for the teaching, Shoka. And Kyotai, my heart continues to go out to you and your family. Much love and metta.

Life is just life with it's sad and happy moments. I take my dog for a walk by the creek most days. The water keeps moving, sometimes gentle, sometimes not. But it is always moving.

My husband lost a good friend of his family's yesterday. He was diagnosed with brain cancer and lived for only a few months after. It definitely made me realize, all over again, the reality of our impermanence. So today, I tried to savour each moment. Even the frustrating ones.

Gassho,
Joyo
sat today

[Hogo]

This book looks very good so far, the first chapter hit me on many levels and I am still absorbing it. I am still working through the many post of this forum but thus far the perspectives and sharing I have seen are beautiful beyond description, so I will not even try but thank you all. It is a honor and privilege to practice and walk this path with you.
Thank you all.
Gassho .~ Hogo.

[Jundo]

Hi,

I am closing this thread to keep us together, but feel free to comment on anything in this chapter by posting in any of the later open threads.

Gassho, J

SatToday