8/13 Zen Seeds: Pages 20, 23

[Amelia]

Re: 8/13: Pages 20, 23

Regardless of who or what you believe god to be, the use of a prayer is internal talk with
the universe; of which you are the closest representative at any given moment :shock:

I agree. :mrgreen:

[Heisoku]

Re: 8/13 Zen Seeds: Pages 20, 23

Excellent friends
As you get older your friendships get fewer but your relationships increase with diversity and depth. I guess we all face attrition of childhood, school and college 'friends' but this allows new faces, backgrounds and cultures to enrich our lives.
I have benefitted much from the kindness of relative strangers and sufferred at the hands of those I considered as friends. But all these experiences have helped me to view all as fellow travellers in this life's journey and to understand that we only need to do what is needed when it is needed to be a compassionate friend.

Follow the flow
Truly, what else can you do?

[BrianW]

Re: 8/13 Zen Seeds: Pages 20, 23

Monks Make Excellent Friends

Yes they do, but they can be annoying at times! But that's a good thing! I can have a tendency to just want to go off on my own and sort of make stuff up by myself. Then I find myself falling off a cliff. Relationships are so important in practice because they help us break our delusions.

In my own life, I have seen the importance of the sangha and teachers to pry me away from delusion - time and again. It will probably continue to happen - so brace yourself, friends!

Well stated...Pretty much sums up my experience as well.

'Follow The Flow of The Stream'

This metaphor is so overused that for me its hard to take it serious, but it is

Agreed but, for me its because I often do not want to take it seriously at times. I really enjoyed the passage....putting into practice takes some effort in non doing.

Gassho,
Jisen/BrianW

[Kaishin]

Re: 8/13 Zen Seeds: Pages 20, 23

'Monks Make Excellent Friends':

I practiced, sitting on my own, for about a year before I discovered Treeleaf. I think I would have abandoned the practice had I not found support here. The Whole Way indeed.

'Follow The Flow of The Stream':

Maybe it's just getting older, or now being a parent, but I'm starting to realize that obstacles are not obstacles at all. They are not hurdles to leap over so that one can cross the finish line. In fact, there is no finish line. There's just a big moebius loop with nothing but hurdles! Obstacles are life itself. Not that I don't get frustrated constantly by them, but I must remind myself that breaking down a barrier reveals another.