"Simple Living" - Chapters 33 and 34

[Jundo]

Just jump in if joining, no "catch up" ... just today is today ...

I will include chapter headings, as we discovered some differences between the US and UK editions regarding chapter order.

Chapter 33 - Take Pleasure In Your Work - Do a task that you find tedious, and see it as an art to master no matter how small or ordinary (even making breakfast, making copies or washing the clothes). Do it with a felt dedication and sincerity in heart, enjoying it just to do, without complaints in mind such as "this is tedious" or "I wish I were doing something else." You will be a master of the art of just doing this.

Chapter 34 - Simply Immerse Yourself - Undertake a task with "clear mind," not letting it settle on other things or wander. Nonetheless, keep you mind relaxed, free and open.

Gassho, J

STLah

[Amelia]

These two seemed tied together, and they go well with Muho's "just die on the cushion" advice that I am trying to keep in mind lately.

Gassho
Sat today, lah

[Jundo]

... Muho's "just die on the cushion" ...

Jundo's "just live on the cushion" ...

Gassho, J

STLah

[Amelia]

Jundo's "just live on the cushion" ...

Gassho, J

STLah

Of course, much better.

Gassho
Sat today, lah

[Meitou]

Just jump in if joining, no "catch up" ... just today is today ...

I will include chapter headings, as we discovered some differences between the US and UK editions regarding chapter order.

Chapter 31 - Take Pleasure In Your Work - Do a task that you find tedious, and see it as an art to master no matter how small or ordinary (even making breakfast, making copies or washing the clothes). Do it with a felt dedication and sincerity in heart, enjoying it just to do, without complaints in mind such as "this is tedious" or "I wish I were doing something else." You will be a master of the art of just doing this.

Chapter 32 - Simply Immerse Yourself - Undertake a task with "clear mind," not letting it settle on other things or wander. Nonetheless, keep you mind relaxed, free and open.

Gassho, J

STLah

One of the many little gifts that Buddhism has given me, the ability to drop the heavy 'I don't want to do this' narrative when doing my housework, which made every task more difficult and feel 10 times longer than it actually was. I bow to samu.
Gassho
Meitou
Satwithyoualltoday lah

[Horin]

Both chapters are great.

#33: it's very powerful, yet hard to do. When I go into a tedious task with the attitude of doing it as passionate as things I really like to do it works. No resistance to it, no "I would like to do something else". I try to remind me more often to keep this attitude for things I don't like to do that much. But in the busy and sometimes hectic daily life it's really a challenge.

#34: I just made pizza with my family and the way I prepared the dough and the tomato sauce and cutted the onions and stuff was according to that chapter. Yet, my wife was kinda impatient with me. I will repeat this practice more and more with many other tasks

Gassho

Ben

Stlah

Gesendet von meinem PLK-L01 mit Tapatalk

[Tairin]

#33 - I try to do this often when faced with a task that I don’t want to do. I find it is particularly hard as my mind tends to wander but like Zazen I try to patiently and continually bring my attention back to the task at hand

#34 - this one seems to be very closely related to #33 except, somewhat like the difference between Shikantaza and mediation methods that introduce a point of focus, this exercise seems to be emphasizing doing the task with open awareness.

Yesterday I cut the lawn. It is a roughly 2.5 hour job. I used that time to try both exercises.


Tairin
Sat today and lah