Grass Hut - 4 - After Eating I Relax / The Middle Way

[Joyo]

Hi Jinmei, you know I've been wondering for several days now, what to comment on this particular part of the book, and have not been able to get the words out properly. And you came along and said just beautifully everything that I was thinking. Thank you for your lovely thoughts! And I am in agreement, discipline is the key, a routine is also the key, but not to be so inflexible that it causes unnecessary stress when life gets in the way.

Gassho,
Joyo
sat today

[Jika]

I want to share an experience I had about two weeks ago, and how this lets me see the text.

Our supervisor talked to me, mainly about the complaint that I seem not to be taking sick leave when I should.
And that her team was getting very upset, not trusting my self-judgement, not trusting my professional judgement any more.
She said, she does not want me to go home sick for sneezing once, but to show that I am handling the situation in a responsible way, taking decisions myself.
"What is the middle way?", she asked.
I stared at her and asked, if she could wait a second for me to write that down.
(So, to overclarify maybe, using every excuse to go home and enjoy reading a nice book would be lying and indulging. Forcing myself to work when I feel really bad is like asceticism.)

On p. 24, Ben is writing about the old Zen saying.
Nobody else can tell you if and when you are hungry or tired.
It is your very own experience.

I have knowingly ignored being exhausted, being confused, unable to retrieve words, to look more "reliable", to contribute to work "normally", and it went wrong.

So to me, the Middle way means listening to my personal experience at that moment, and acting accordingly.
I am often struggling with that, because there is an immense load of how I would prefer things to be, or how I think others would prefer me to act.

That is the practice now.
Gassho,
Danny
#sattoday

[Rich]

It's not always easy to relax in this world. There always seems to be something that needs to be done. I think our capitalist culture makes us feel guilty if we rest too much.

Sat today

[Risho]

Jinmei/Rich,

You speak to my heart. I notice that I can't relax when I'm separate from the idea of relaxation. ok this sounds cliche, but I don't have better words for it. It's like sitting.. If I'm worried about sitting, not sitting enough, or I'm thinking too much, then I'm not really sitting. I'm worried about an idea of sitting... the same with living or doing whatever task it is. But it's better to just jump in and do it.. When just sitting (even with the clouds), or just doing, there is no separation.

Zen on the cushion, zen in life, zen during work, during laughing, cleaning up dog shit, is just doing those things without being somewhere else (not that you can't do multiple things, I mean where your heart and mind aren't wishing you aren't doing what you are doing, but even if that is happening just be there with it... almost like you are a parent and when you hear your mind chattering, instead of lashing out you sort of smile at this child that still has much to learn). This practice is a retreat, and I mean the practice even when we aren't explicitly on the cushion, although that cannot be skipped. It is retreat from the grasping and pushing, the push and pull of the likes and dislikes. It is a retreat because it forces us to retreat from our dreams and face and be with whatever it is or wherever we are. Where but here anyway? Well even if we are physically here, sometimes our mind is in the past, with the girlfriend that broke our heart, with the bills and the tasks. That's no way to live.. we all have "issues", but what if they were no longer issues or problems? What if they were us, and we thrust ourself into those tasks?

I hate expense reports. I had to submit one today, and I was crabby, but when I dropped that and focused on doing it properly, and got down to basics of a good expense report, I sort of just melted into it. I had to meet it and accept that this was happening to relax into it. I used to hate flying because I wasn't in control. But when I'm in the air, there's nothing I can do anyway; might as well relax and enjoy the ride.

This relaxing and zen remind me what it is to live one's life to the fullest. A lot of times, you read that you need to do some bucket list or go to exotic places. But what zen has taught me, and what I forget and have to remind myself time and time again, is that I can live a full life by fully submitting my expense report. That is part of life. I can live my life by giving my practice, by receiving the gifts of a smile, by holding a door for someone. This grasping bullshit of having to have certain things or be a certain weight before one can be happy is bullshit. I really think that that is our treasure right now... I think that zen gives us permission to be happy amidst the loss in this world, or the permission to be happy with who we are, that we are good enough now (despite what advertisements say to the contrary) and AT THE SAME TIME still pursue ways to better ourselves, but not bettering with some obsession to get something. Bettering to get better, while fully and completely enjoying the ride. I think relaxing into life is like that; if I can't enjoy a cup of coffee without worrying that I might lose my job, then I need to start there. The practice is available in the most (what may seem but really aren't) insignificant things that we do.

The Middle Way is hard for me when I try to bite off more than I can chew - which means it's not such a Middle Way anymore. I try to get better all the time, but mostly the grasping better in the sense that I'll be happy if I get that thing or if I'm thinner, etc. So I need to regroup, breath, come back.. adjust my middle way may be not eating fried foods, or not drinking more than a couple of beers on the weekend.. it's very personal. But also remember how much I have; how I'm just eternally grateful to be here... a gratitude that is so overwhelming. My Middle Way is definitely a sustained and consistent practice. But I know when I've been too ascetic or gotten too loose. It's something I practice with ( I was going to say struggle, but it's practice) every single day.

Gassho,

Risho
-sattoday

[Mp]

I think our capitalist culture makes us feel guilty if we rest too much.

Couldn't agree more, thank you Rich. =)

Gassho
Shingen

SatToday

[Jishin]

Couldn't agree more, thank you Rich. =)

Gassho
Shingen

SatToday

Our Zen culture encourages us to sit on our asses and do nothing.

Gassho, Jishin, _/st\_

[Myosha]

Hello,

The Middle Way is no attachment, no non-attachment. It's importance is none of my business.



Gassho
Myosha sat today

[Mp]

Our Zen culture encourages us to sit on our asses and do nothing.

Gassho, Jishin, _/st\_

Who says that when we sit on our asses we are doing nothing? In nothing is where we find everything. =)

Gassho
Shingen

SatToday

[Jishin]

Who says that when we sit on our asses we are doing nothing? In nothing is where we find everything. =)

Gassho
Shingen

SatToday

In everything is where we find nothing. Get with the program man.

Gassho, Jishin, _/st\_

[Joyo]

It's not always easy to relax in this world. There always seems to be something that needs to be done. I think our capitalist culture makes us feel guilty if we rest too much.

Sat today

I also agree, Rich.

Gassho,
Joyo
sat today

[Heikyo]

Retreats in Europe

Most Zen groups holding retreats and Sesshin and wholesome and good, no cult activity.

There are exceptions, like in anything (a couple of very bad groups in Europe for example), but the few bad apples are far outnumbered by the hundreds of sincere, good, dedicated folks. Unfortunately, the couple of real pieces of work capture most of the headlines.

Gassho, Jundo

Can anyone recommend some good retreats in Europe this summer? I'm in London and every summer it is hard to find somewhere that seems authentic. Jundo would you be able to private message me groups to avoid?

Gassho
Paul
Seat today

[Joyo]

Our Zen culture encourages us to sit on our asses and do nothing.

Gassho, Jishin, _/st\_

Where does it encourage this?

Gassho,
Joyo
sat today

[Jishin]

Grass Hut - 4 - After Eating I Relax / The Middle Way

Where does it encourage this?

Gassho,
Joyo
sat today

Sit=drop body-mind=expression of essential nature

Nothing=emptiness=everything

Gotta do lots of nothing sitting on my arse to get anywhere in this zen world.

Gassho, Jishin, _/st\_

- from Bendowa and the Heart Sutra

[Joyo]

Sit=drop body-mind=expression of essential nature

Nothing=emptiness=everything

Gotta do lots of nothing sitting on my arse to get anywhere in this zen world.

Gassho, Jishin, _/st\_

Hmmm, I'm trying to see where you are coming from, but I just don't see sitting on my ass as doing nothing. Many times sitting has been where I face my demons, the ones I've tried to hide from by finding distractions during the day.

Gassho,
Joyo
sat today

[Jishin]

Hmmm, I'm trying to see where you are coming from, but I just don't see sitting on my ass as doing nothing. Many times sitting has been where I face my demons, the ones I've tried to hide from by finding distractions during the day.

Gassho,
Joyo
sat today

I know Joyo. I am playing with words and being worthless as usual.

Gassho, Jishin, _/st\_.