The Ten Oxherding Pictures: Stages of Practice When You’re Going Nowhere

[Tairin]

This year marks my 4th year of dedicated practice. I had an unstructured practice on and off prior. Lately I’ve been feeling that there has been a change in my practice. Not something I can put my finger on and I feel completely ill-equipped to even try explaining it.

Domyo Burk posted this podcast which touched on several of my feelings.

https://zenstudiespodcast.com/ten-oxherding-pictures/

It is a lovely talk that I thought I’d share. I hope you enjoy.


Tairin
Sat today and lah

[Shokai]

Tairin;
Thanks for sharing that. Domyo has done a nice job of explaining those pictures.

gassho, Shokai
stlah

[Jakuden]

Thank you Tairin! I have fallen behind in her podcast, I will give it a listen!

Isn't it amazing, that subtle change that happens with practice... it reminds me of the rock tumbler my daughter used to have, we would put random rocks in and afterward, all the rough edges were worn away and there were brilliant, smooth stones that reflected beauty both inside and out.

Gassho,
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH

[Joyo]

Hi Tairin,

congratulations on 4 years of practice!! Thank you for sharing this podcast.

Gassho,
Joyo
sat today/lah

[Jundo]

Dan deleted his message before I could respond.

He suggested contributing to support the podcast, and also consider to join Domyo's "Zen Studies Sangha" for a monthly donation. Lovely suggestions.

Gassho, Jundo

STLah

[Shinshi]

Thanks for sharing this Tairin, and for sharing your practice with us.

Gassho, Shinshi

SaT-LaH

[Kokuu]

Thank you for sharing, Tairin. I enjoyed listening to that.

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday-

[Jundo]

Thank you. It is another lovely talk by Domyo.

The Oxherding Pictures have been the subject of a variety of interpretations over the centuries, and I like Domyo's. I also appreciate interpretations in which we become more skilled in finding how the absolute and relative fit together in this missing world, and having a self and not being such a "stubborn bull" self come together (which is not different from what Domyo is talking about at all, even though she really does not mention so in so many words).

This is a "proof is in the pudding" practice. It may seem that nothing is coming from it. It constantly changes each day, each sit. And then, once in awhile, the "sit hits the fan" (I just coined that! ) ... a flat tire, a cancer diagnosis, some surprise happy or sad, how you respond to the usual opportunities for greed, anger and divided thinking in the world ... and it is just clear. All has sneaked into your bones. One is just a good ox rider. The ox is the Buddha who is riding you as you are it.

Gassho, J

PS - For non-native speakers who may not get my incredibly witty witticism. Order your bumper sticker now!

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=When%20the%20shit%20hits%20the%20fan

[Geika]

For me, the Ten Oxherding Pictures is an excellent visualization of how most things in life (usually the stressful things) tend to go!

Sat today, lah

[Seishin]

Thanks for sharing Tairin.

I found the martial arts analogies a very interesting way to describe this, having experienced and witnessed that as both student and teacher,
I've just completed 800 days of more dedicated practice (missing one day of sitting after the first few weeks). I often beat myself up for maybe not doing things right, as I've yet to see or experience any "TA-DAH" moments but I keep going, knowing there is no right or wrong. Just this.

Guess that puts me moving towards picture No 3. I know the Ox is out there. I follow its footprints, lose them now and then, only to get back on track so to speak. I've "herd" it call and will keep sitting knowing one day it will make an appearance, as its already here but I just can't see it. Then I will make friends with the "Ox" until it goes its separate way again, when we both are free.

[Lex]

Thanks for sharing this. Sometimes it seems like I'm forever staring at an ox's backside!



Sat today

[Daiyo]

Thanks for sharing.

It was useful to think about my relation to practice, and I think I've been stuck in picture number 2 for a couple of years now.
However the wise advice of many of the "senpai" here, about not being so hard on myself help me to keep returning to the path.

Does someone here know about articles, teachings or whatever regarding abandoning and resuming practice?

I'm struggling very hard to overcome the lack of motivation that sometimes invades me, I was suggested to seek for help from the more experienced ones in the sangha or in the other environments I interact with people. It's been always very hard for me to seek for help, because I tend to live it as a sign of weakness and failure. However, I must admit that I can not deal with everything the way I would lke to.

Gassho, Daiyo

ST/LaH

[Geika]

Does someone here know about articles, teachings or whatever regarding abandoning and resuming practice?... I'm struggling very hard to overcome the lack of motivation that sometimes invades me, I was suggested to seek for help from the more experienced ones in the sangha or in the other environments I interact with people.

I can't point you toward any teachings on the matter-- I can only tell you what has worked for me: start with one minute. You can sit zazen for one minute. Don't sit any longer than one minute, no matter how right it might feel. The next day, sit one minute and thirty seconds. You can do it, but no longer. Continue in this way. Soon it will be a habit, and it will always be easy to return to the cushion.

I do this system for many things in my life that I want to build habits on. It really works for me.

Sat today, lah

[Daiyo]

Thank you Geika.

I've recently noticed that many of the times I didn't sit, I used to say "I'm too tired, it has been a very long day, I really need to go to sleep".
But after going to bed, I grabbed my smartphone and spent 20 or 30 minutes reading twitter or facebook getting engaged in arguments many times born from hatred.
That made me -of course- have a poor sleep.
The day after, I'd grab the smartphone first thing in the morning and waste the few minutes I had before starting my daily routine, again reading news and engaging in arguments, feeding myself with anger.
I started the day angry and carried my anger with me everywhere I went.

I'm lucky of having noticed this, but will have to work hard to avoid falling again in that insane habit. And I feel grateful because If I'd never started practice in my life, most probably I wouldn't have been able to notice this sick behavior of mine.

Gassho,
Daiyo.

ST

[Jundo]

Thank you Geika.

I've recently noticed that many of the times I didn't sit, I used to say "I'm too tired, it has been a very long day, I really need to go to sleep".
But after going to bed, I grabbed my smartphone and spent 20 or 30 minutes reading twitter or facebook getting engaged in arguments many times born from hatred.
That made me -of course- have a poor sleep.
The day after, I'd grab the smartphone first thing in the morning and waste the few minutes I had before starting my daily routine, again reading news and engaging in arguments, feeding myself with anger.
I started the day angry and carried my anger with me everywhere I went.

I'm lucky of having noticed this, but will have to work hard to avoid falling again in that insane habit. And I feel grateful because If I'd never started practice in my life, most probably I wouldn't have been able to notice this sick behavior of mine.

Gassho,
Daiyo.

ST

If you feel so strongly about politics, please come sit Zazen with Trump Buddha (or whichever politician really bothers you in Argentinian politics).

https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?16529-October-12th-13th-Treeleaf-Weekly-Zazenkai-Welcoming-Trump-Buddha

It is not that I don't have strong opinions about Mr. Trump and the state of the world. (Few of us don't have such opinions, one way or the other). Boy, I have such opinions, and when the time is right, I express them and work for social change as I hope to see.

But when it is time to sit Zazen, I put down Trump, the state of the world, and sit with the Light which shines through all of that. So, I recommend that to you. There may be time to pick up Facebook and check on the world, or write a post ... but there is also a time to put all that down, and just sit Zazen. Then, after Zazen, one can pick up the phone and Mr. Trump again ... although maybe that Light will also keep shining too.

Gassho, J

STLah