Hello my Wonderful Sangha Family,
Now that we are on the “other side” of Ango and Rohatsu, I felt like I wanted to write about some things I am thinking about and feeling. This was my first Ango and Rohatsu with Treeleaf, and as a practitioner as well, and it was nothing short of intense, amazing, transformative, and inspiring. My practice has deepened, my Ango partner has become a good friend, I have grown closer to a number of my fellow Sangha family members (and hope to continue to get to know even more of you as we move forward together), and I feel as if I finally have found my “home” at Treeleaf. I am grateful for this Ango period and all that it brought! At the end of Rohatsu, Jundo said something that hit home with me. He mentioned how Ango is over, yes, but some people feel that isn’t a reason to stop or go back to bad habits… it made me stop and think…
Ango is in the heart… Rohatsu is in the heart…Our practice and the precepts are in our hearts. All of time, space… everything, are all one thing, which means that Ango’s beginning and end stretch out into infinity in all ten directions, everywhere. It is with you even now… same with our practice and Zazen… the bell rings on into the rest of our day as we carry our practice from the zafu and out into the world.
I personally plan to try my absolute best to still stick to some of my Ango commitments, like my “monastic days” and sitting more than once a day… after all, it’s all in support of and to help deepen my practice. If the last three months have done anything, it was to teach me the importance of doing that very thing. Deepening practice…lifting those Zen weights and “Bodhi building” (I couldn’t resist, that phrase popped in my head this morning and I literally laughed out loud) I do however also realize that there is a need for balance and a “Not Ango” period to appreciate the “Ango” times. (And for rest… we can’t ALWAYS be that intense!) This is why I feel it is important to keep Ango in the heart as we move forward from it… to carry it with us where we go, to sit with the same commitment even if it’s only for one sitting that day… even if for only one minute. To sit with the same fire and intensity that burned during Ango, keeping the commitments and activities that help support our practice burning and driving us forward towards a better understanding of the Dharma.
Thank you
(sorry to run long)
Gassho,
Jay
Sat/lah today
Now that we are on the “other side” of Ango and Rohatsu, I felt like I wanted to write about some things I am thinking about and feeling. This was my first Ango and Rohatsu with Treeleaf, and as a practitioner as well, and it was nothing short of intense, amazing, transformative, and inspiring. My practice has deepened, my Ango partner has become a good friend, I have grown closer to a number of my fellow Sangha family members (and hope to continue to get to know even more of you as we move forward together), and I feel as if I finally have found my “home” at Treeleaf. I am grateful for this Ango period and all that it brought! At the end of Rohatsu, Jundo said something that hit home with me. He mentioned how Ango is over, yes, but some people feel that isn’t a reason to stop or go back to bad habits… it made me stop and think…
Ango is in the heart… Rohatsu is in the heart…Our practice and the precepts are in our hearts. All of time, space… everything, are all one thing, which means that Ango’s beginning and end stretch out into infinity in all ten directions, everywhere. It is with you even now… same with our practice and Zazen… the bell rings on into the rest of our day as we carry our practice from the zafu and out into the world.
I personally plan to try my absolute best to still stick to some of my Ango commitments, like my “monastic days” and sitting more than once a day… after all, it’s all in support of and to help deepen my practice. If the last three months have done anything, it was to teach me the importance of doing that very thing. Deepening practice…lifting those Zen weights and “Bodhi building” (I couldn’t resist, that phrase popped in my head this morning and I literally laughed out loud) I do however also realize that there is a need for balance and a “Not Ango” period to appreciate the “Ango” times. (And for rest… we can’t ALWAYS be that intense!) This is why I feel it is important to keep Ango in the heart as we move forward from it… to carry it with us where we go, to sit with the same commitment even if it’s only for one sitting that day… even if for only one minute. To sit with the same fire and intensity that burned during Ango, keeping the commitments and activities that help support our practice burning and driving us forward towards a better understanding of the Dharma.
Thank you
(sorry to run long)
Gassho,
Jay
Sat/lah today
I haven't heard that before. this could be original....
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