BOOK OF EQUANIMITY - Case 36

[RichardH]

Just a little note about silver linings. The principle of my son's school called and offered a very generous bursary. It kind of blew us away. It will still be tight, but William can attend again in 2014/15. Maybe if we just chop wood, carry water, and do our best, silver linings can sometimes just present themselves?

Gassho Daizan

[Amelia]

For now, that's good news, Daizan!

[Mp]

Just a little note about silver linings. The principle of my son's school called and offered a very generous bursary. It kind of blew us away. It will still be tight, but William can attend again in 2014/15. Maybe if we just chop wood, carry water, and do our best, silver linings can sometimes just present themselves?

Gassho Daizan

This is wonderful news Daizan. =)

Gassho
Shingen

[Matt]

Great news, Daizan. Deep bows to you and your family. Matt J

[Kantai]

Case 36: Baso's Illness


Question: We have a lot of folks in this Sangha who have faced times of serious illness and the like. Has this Practice somehow allowed you to be in such times differently than you might otherwise before you walking this Practice? Please tell us.

Gassho, J

Hi!
Before I started really practicing zazen regularly I had a period of psychological illness. I had to quit school and the doctors gave me the diagnosis "Asperger syndrome?", the question mark is because they weren´t shure about was what wrong with me. This was like twelve years ago. I did get better with the help of therapi and medicine.
Now a days I feel very well. However, two years ago I had a feeling of getting ill again. Instead of panicking, like I did the first time, not knowing what was happening, this time I could see the illness coming and knew how to handel it. I went to a therapist and got help before it actually broke out. Of course this is due to that I recognized the symptoms because it happened before.
But I also think that my practise of Zen and zazen helped me to be in connection with myself, being able to spot my illness before it actually "got hold of me". Both in the way of seeing that this wasn´t a part of me, that the sickness was not who I am, and also by accepting it, to not push it away, pretending it wasn´t there.

Sun-faced
Moon-faced
both one Buddha

Gassho
Kantai

[AlanLa]

It is hard to express how much this koan meant to me here. I had to draw it and frame it and put it up in my room. I have been familiar with the phrases sun-faced buddha and moon-faced buddha for quite some time, but reading this story somehow made it real for me in ways I can't express in words. I get it now!

WOW