BOOK OF EQUANIMITY - Case 27

[Kokuu]

Thank you, Galen. Yes, balance can be found no matter how dire. Chogyam Trungpa said 'the present moment is always workable'.
Gain and loss are only there through comparison with the past. In the present moment, there is no such thing.

That said, understanding it is easy, living it quite a different matter!

Andy

[galen]

So true.

Living It, is the matter at hand. It seems we have a choice; to concentrate `in the biggest mind we can fathom or fall to victimhood. It has been said... 'mind is host, body is guest'. Being a good host to the vehicle carrying us through this life, seems to be what matters most, even when the transporter is showing signs of weakness.

My best, Andy.


Gassho

[Heisoku]

So much gain and loss in life leads us to where we are. Analysing what to lose or gain now only distracts us from how we are living at the moment. We could all do with gaining some money and losing poor health, but isn't that just an academic exercise? What comes just arrives and what leaves just goes. We have to accept each karmic moment, it's what our practice teaches us in each sit.
Sitting beyond the karmic moment, well that's something else but not elsewhere.

[santosh]

- What, if you gained or lost it in your life today, would make you happy? Please describe that desire. Do you feel yourself a prisoner of that desire, or do you clutch it (and let it clutch you) lightly?
We're trying to build our schedule around our toddler. I'm sure there are parents out there who've had nights where the kids just won't go to sleep. I've been trying too hard to stick to a schedule and now I'm a prisoner to the effort. I clutch at the schedule as I'd like to get an early start and I believe I've linked many ideas with getting an early start. For instance, I like to get to Zazen first thing in the morning in getting ready to take on the day.

- Is there a certain peace and freedom that might come to you by dropping that need for gain or loss? The moment the thought 'schedule' crosses my mind, I'm filled with images of how I got a late start, essentials got pushed around, or disorganized. If I were to drop the need to investigate and justify past failures, I'd be a lot lighter. Free to get up and go with the time as it were.

- Is it possible to be all of the above at once ... seeking loss or gain, while free of loss and gain? What would that feel like?
That'd feel like I'd be ready to work at it refreshed. Ready to ask for help if I can get it. Ready to work at it now that I know it'll take a little longer to get there.



Gassho,
Santosh.

[Kaishin]

What could I lose...oh about 30lbs would be nice, and THEN I'd finally be happy right!? Silly, I know this, but mental conditioning is hard to change. Working on accepting myself and life as-it-is, even as I work to improve my health and fitness. I put a little note on my bathroom mirror that I repeat aloud whenever I enter. It says, "I accept myself, unconditionally, RIGHT NOW." Slowly it is sinking in.
Gassho, Kaishin

[Jundo]

What could I lose...oh about 30lbs would be nice, and THEN I'd finally be happy right!? Silly, I know this, but mental conditioning is hard to change. Working on accepting myself and life as-it-is, even as I work to improve my health and fitness. I put a little note on my bathroom mirror that I repeat aloud whenever I enter. It says, "I accept myself, unconditionally, RIGHT NOW." Slowly it is sinking in.
Gassho, Kaishin

I also believe in the power of positive thinking, Norman Vincent Peale ... it really is powerful! I encourage this, try to practice this too. When I was a kid (even now quite often) my head often fills with pessimistic views of life and my self worth. I try to replace those thoughts when possible with more balanced, objective, positive, optimistic, accepting appraisals. (Sometimes the negative appraisals are right though! )

Our Shikantaza way goes a bit further though. It is the "Power of Non-Thinking"! Dropping all thought of gain or lack, anything to change ... anything that can be changed ... dropping all thought of anything or anyone in fact! What remains is a very complete and content "Things Just As They Is", something that is a kind of subtly Positive which holds and contains within all little positives and negatives and neutrals of this world.

Then, living in this world of gain and lack, things to change, place to go and people in need of seeing, beautiful and ugly ... we find that the whole catastrophe too is "Not Two". We can work to make things better ... sometimes succeeding and sometimes failing ... all while there is nothing ever in need of doing! All At Once, As One.

That's Norman Vincent Buddha!

Gassho, J