Aversion

[Shugen]

Re: Aversion

Great thread!!

There must be something in the air because I have also been having some trouble getting back on the zafu.

Thank you Jools for expressing things so well and thank you to everyone who contributed, it has been very helpful.

Ron

[paivi]

Re: Aversion

My sincere thanks to all of you!

A moment before reading this thread I decided I needed to do the laundry and then go to work (doing the laundry being an excuse for avoiding sitting, a k a wasting time doing nothing...).

Now I'm going to wipe a tear, put the laptop away, and just sit!

Gratefully, paivi

[Dojin]

Re: Aversion

To quote that old Blue Eyed Buddha, Frank Sinatra Roshi ... "If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere!" :roll:

Gassho, Jundo

Frank Sinatra Roshi
and his dharma name would be the voice

i totally agree, it is hard to sit sometimes... and i have many a times felt i couldnt sit today or now for many different reasons.
and if i did happen to give up and skip on the sitting. i actually felt something missing...
so i guess i better sit

[paivi]

Re: Aversion

Returned briefly just to tell you that I had the worst sitting experience ever... But it's all good. Really.

[Eika]

Re: Aversion

Since it is guaranteed that your life will present difficulty over and over again, why would you want to practice in any other circumstances than life as it is? We want to learn how to live THIS life, not a different one. So we start in our "I don't like it" stance, take a step back and look at what's going on without getting involved. Hard to do? You could say that, you could say it's easy (as opposed, for example, to qualifying for the gymnastics olympic team at this stage of your life). It doesn't matter, it just needs practice.

You are practicing real life, and I'm sure I'm not alone when I thank you for that.

Consider yourself lucky--sitting with aversion is one of the best opportunities to sit. Because, bottom line, one of the benefits of zazen is wearing down your sissy ego's tendency to run away from anything it finds unpleasant. As your practice deepens, the demons are going to come out to play. And facing them is how you develop strength and courage. Consider it a rite of passage...

Great advice everyone . . . We should live the life we have, not the one we wish we had.

Gassho,
Bill

[CharlesC]

Re: Aversion

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[Shindo]

Re: Aversion

Hi Guys

been busy at work and home - I have time to sit and read the posts, but not so much time to type

Charles - yes coffee can make me irritable & as a consequence I drink tea & decaff . I find alcohol is worse & I have to be careful when I have the odd pint of beer or glass of wine - these day's it just sends me to sleep It can also make me cranky, so I tend not to drink until after the kids are in bed.

Thank you again to all those who have posted - its good to know you are there..

Kindest regards

Jools