Hello everyone,
I had an interesting experience during zazen this morning, and I wanted a little feedback. At the beginning, I was aware of thoughts arising. Following Jundo, I'll call them "cloud thoughts" because they appeared to arise from nowhere in particular. At this points, such thoughts are not a problem for me most of the time. I am aware of them, and I let them arise and pass like clouds without trying to examine them or wonder about their source. Then, later, I notice fore thoughts arising, but these were more troubling because I seemed to be actively creating them. I'll call these "umbrella thought" since I felt like I was opening them myself and, thus, obscuring the clear sky. Eventually, I settled down when I accepted the thoughts as they were, as though Buddha had opened an umbrella. I feel my practice has deepened over the summer thanks to spending more time with Jundo's talks, and this is the first time I've notice this phenomenon, so I was curious about whether or not others have experienced this--or am I just making distinctions where none exist. Thanks.
Gassho,
Michael Joseph
STLAH
I had an interesting experience during zazen this morning, and I wanted a little feedback. At the beginning, I was aware of thoughts arising. Following Jundo, I'll call them "cloud thoughts" because they appeared to arise from nowhere in particular. At this points, such thoughts are not a problem for me most of the time. I am aware of them, and I let them arise and pass like clouds without trying to examine them or wonder about their source. Then, later, I notice fore thoughts arising, but these were more troubling because I seemed to be actively creating them. I'll call these "umbrella thought" since I felt like I was opening them myself and, thus, obscuring the clear sky. Eventually, I settled down when I accepted the thoughts as they were, as though Buddha had opened an umbrella. I feel my practice has deepened over the summer thanks to spending more time with Jundo's talks, and this is the first time I've notice this phenomenon, so I was curious about whether or not others have experienced this--or am I just making distinctions where none exist. Thanks.
Gassho,
Michael Joseph
STLAH
It's nice to have so many people who can encourage "non-thinking." About all thoughts, I'll remember my mother's advice about wasps: "If you don't bother them, they won't bother you." 
Comment