"Simple Living" - Chapters 57 and 58

[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 57 - Appreciate Your Connection With Things - Find an object or tool you use daily around the house, very mundane and ordinary, which you give little thought or notice. Take a moment to consider it, feel appreciation for what it does for you, offer Gassho.

Chapter 58 - Try Just Sitting Quietly ln Nature - Perhaps a practice a bit easier in spring than winter if cold where you are, but take a moment to sit Zazen outside, in the open air and near some nature ... even if a leafless winter tree. However, please only do so for a minute or two, because we don't want anyone to catch a chill!

Gassho, J
STLah

[Istra]

Yay! I actually have this book! I can join in!

SatLah

[Istra]

Chapter 57 - I offered Gassho to the pen and felt marker I was using to keep track of what I needed to do during the day. I thanked the garbage bag I use to collect the trash, but used the pen and marker as my chapter 57 items because I thought those I lived with might misunderstand me bowing to the trash bin.

Although I'm reminded of something Robert Fulghum wrote about his wife catching him sticking socks all over himself with static charge in one of his books. "You can't explain everything you do to others, all the time" or somesuch.

Blessings and Gassho,
Theresa
SatLah

[pthwaites]

I finally went out and bought the book. Grateful to be able to join in. I haven't got to Chapter 58 yet. But after reading chapter 57, I've just started paying attention to stuff around the house (wow, I don't know how long we've had that orange mixing bowl, but it's a LONG time!). I'm finding that I'm a bit more connected and a bit more appreciative of the products and artefacts I have. More than that, though, I'm finding the chapter to be a good exercise in impermanence. Cooking a meal a few days ago, I considered my spatulas (where else but treeleaf would I write that sentence?!). My preferred one now is made of wood, from a tree which most likely grew in Vietnam. Before that, I had a bamboo one, from China. This is going to sound odd, but I loved that spatula! It felt just right in my hand. But it has sadly now passed on, thrown out by my wife, who brought to my attention the fact that it had become so thin in the middle that it was translucent. All things must pass - even your favourite kitchenware.

Gassho

ST

Peter

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[Tairin]

Tairin
Sat today and lah

[Kotei]

Thank you.
#57 The toilet brush.
#58 living close to nature, I am regularly doing so. Saw a curious wild fox yesterday.

Gassho,
Kotei sat/lah today.

[Seibu]

Sattoday/lah
Seibu (Jack)

[Shonin Risa Bear]

Gassho to the ash bucket. For forty years it has kept the house from burning down, yet hides unobtrusively behind the wood stove when not in use.

Is raining out (metta to those affected by the many landslides) but I did visit the garden and little Toto's stupa, make offerings and bow.

gassho
doyu sat today and maybe a bit of LAH

[Nanrin]

The flower from chapter 41 has bloomed.

Nanrin

Sat today