Practice or no practice.

[MalleableGirlParts]

I just realized that signature is attaching to my posts. ????

[Bion]

I just realized that signature is attaching to my posts. ????

The idea behind “Gassho, sat and lah” is for them to be mindfully added to our replies, as a public statement that yes, we do not come to chat unless we first dedicate ourself to sitting ( so, sat today ) and secondly that we’ve done something, whether big or small, that was selfless, good, beneficial ( our lah ). Gassho is our Hi and Bye That kind of the spirit of these things.
The thing that really gets to me is the forum software jot recognizing my phone emojis ..
Gassho
sat lah

[ZenJay]

Hi!

I think my issue with sharing is really about me not hijacking the forum or posting irrelevant things. I don't mind sharing about myself with people. I quite enjoy it, but I can definitely tend to ramble on.

I don't ever mind questions!! And I love books too! If I could somehow have a life where I rent a corner of the Strand bookstore in NYC and live there, I totally would. Lol

I have a lot of them, on lots of subjects and also lots of fiction. In fact, the very first books I ever bought (my dad bought for me actually), I still have here on my bookshelf. I was probably...seven maybe? A book on Judo and a book on Jeet June Do.

Anyway, I'm reading "The Art of Living" by Thich Nhat Hanh and "Country Cooking of Ireland" on the Hoopla app. I also have "Silence and Noise: Growing up Zen in America" and "The Most Important Point" physically from the library. I go back and forth into "Three Pillars of Zen" and "Mindfulness: a Practical Guide to Awakening". Oh, and "The Story Collector" by Evie Woods. That's my fiction book right now.

Nothing like being present for one thing at a time..hehe. Also, I have Anatomy and Physiology and Nursing Concepts for school.

I know, I'm all over, but I try to gain interesting perspectives from different sources. I find inspiration for one aspect of life in places you'd never expect. Tennis and cooking don't seem to have much in common, but you'd be surprised. Or weight training and meditation. Then of course there's a Zen approach to better experience any thing we do.

I'll stop. I'm keyed up tonight. I got rear ended earlier on my way home from school. But nobody's hurt and I definitely noticed I was quickly able to let go of my anger. Better than I would have in the past so that's good.

Gasshō (I almost wrote yahoo there)

Jenn
Sat lah

Hi Jenn,

Oh no! I am so glad you all are ok! I don’t blame you for being angry, as I’m sure anyone would be upset with that, but fantastic you were able to let it go! I have a hard time with that sometimes, although I too have noticed a change since beginning daily practice. Things just don’t get to me like they did…

I hear you, I’m pretty sure I would live in a bookstore if I could! I’d love to own my own bookstore, but mom and pop bookshops are becoming a thing of the past thanks to the giant corporate book companies. Ah well, such is life.
I find myself reading a lot of non-fiction as I get older, especially on Zen and Paranormal topics, but I do love me a good Fantasy epic or sci-fi tale.

I love that you look into “different” topics and find the connections… after all, it’s all one thing isn’t it? I’m currently reading “Opening the Hand of Thought” by Kosho Uchiyama Roshi. I’m really enjoying it and have gotten some wonderful lessons from that book! I also picked up Jundo’s books and want to start those soon. I am really looking forward to “The mind of Clover” to go along with my study of the precepts.

I’m also amazed at how much you can read at once! Nothing wrong with having a diverse exploration through reading! Do you find it difficult to navigate, or are you able to keep it all compartmentalized? Just curious as my memory is not what it once was and I know I would start to blend books together if I have too many going.

Gassho,
Jay

Sat/lah today

[michaelw]

(“Opening the Hand of Thought” by Kosho Uchiyama Roshi)

Gassho
MichaelW

satlah

[Jundo]

I also picked up Jundo’s books and want to start those soon.

Thank you. I do recommend Zen Master's Dance for people new to Soto Zen and Master Dogen (LINK), but if you also got "Building the Future Buddha" (LINK), that is not really a traditional Zen book ... unless you are into robots, space travel, saving civilization through Precepts and Tech, and such topics.

Gassho, Jundo
stlah