ears ringing

[Anka]

Perhaps sit with a white noise generator. Something that with ensure there is no our silence that will allow the it to creep in?

Prior to my recent move I could hear a lot of street noise when the TV was off. It was always a pleasure to sit with the soundtrack of life.

Cars passing, horns blowing, children laughing, and even people arguing. Beautiful music.

Jim
SAT

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

[Jundo]

Hi Uggy,

I don't know how you guys deal with that. Trying not to pay attention does not really work (like trying not to think about a pink elephant). Paying full attention makes it louder. So i just let it be, and when i hear it, i hear it, and when i don't, i don't. The problem seems to be when you begin to associate negative feelings to it, and wanting to get rid of it, which is easy to do when you are under stress -> so it leads to more stress, and more tinnitus, and more stress... The more you want to get rid of it, the more it rings. Zazen helps cause there is peace in this moment, tinnitus or not.

I have various whistles in the ear too. Just let them whistle. When they are loud, let them be loud, When they are "annoying", it is only you who is annoyed. Just don't be annoyed. Drop judgments, just resistance, drop the wish that it were some other way than what is.

Problem solved.

To try to decrease the noises is not Shikantaza. To let the noises be the noises, and just what they are, is Shikantaza.

As Jim said, all the music of life. Lucy said it so nicely ...

The only thing I would say is that as well as not pushing the tinnitus away, maybe also try not to push your emotional response to it away...so if annoyance comes up, stress, whatever, just let that be there too - the more you react to stress the worse it gets. So just be there with the ringing, the annoyance about the ringing, and include it all.

Jishin's advice as using the ringing as the center of focus, instead of breath/posture/open awareness, is interesting too. Give it a shot.

Time again to post Suzuki Roshi and the difference between "sound" and "noise" (spoiler alert: the difference is between your own ears, in your own judgments) ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHNyCAJXUXE

I bet that you find lots of stuff in life disturbing and annoying, not just this. Most human beings do. We are very judgmental, often displeased creatures. Zazen is the medicine for that.

Gassho, J

SatTodayLAH

[Jundo]

Ps - Let me add this on disturbing noises in general ...

At our Zendo in Tsukuba, for our Saturday morning Zazenkai, birds can usually be heard chirping prettily in the surrounding trees ...

... but also, a truck or cars will frequently be heard rushing down the nearby road, carpenters banging fixing a neighbors roof, or a military helicopter passing overhead (I do not know why, but our house must be on some route they use to one of the nearby bases).

It has become one of the most powerful teaching tools I have for new students. I tell them that it is not to think "Oh, the birds are very lovely and peaceful ... but the trucks and helicopters disturb my nice Zazen". Rather, "the birds are singing as birds ... the trucks are trucks ... the copter just copters. Do not think one pleasant but the other ugly or detracting from the atmosphere. Then, there is a certain quiet and stillness that one can come hear behind and sounding right through all the sounds and noise."

I learned this sitting many a morning at Nishijima Roshi's old Zendo ... located right next to a NOISY child's playground and a highway. At Taisoji temple, it was traffic sounds from the street outside and the train passing every few minutes. There has never been perfect quiet until the heart is quiet amid any noise.

By the way, I was not sure why Suzuki Roshi found the Blue Jay's cry so intrusive, so I found this ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwImsK2Ggjc

[Mp]

I have various whistles in the ear too. Just let them whistle. When they are loud, let them be loud, When they are "annoying", it is only you who is annoyed. Just don't be annoyed. Drop judgments, just resistance, drop the wish that it were some other way than what is.

Problem solved.

Hey Uggy,

I too have tinnitus and have had it for many years. I was born deaf and had surgery as a young lad. Now I hear, but I hear everything. Sometimes the whistle is load, sometimes not so much. Sometimes it is not even there, even though it is there. What I do for myself is recognize that it is there and let it go ... the more attention I give the whistle the loader it gets. This takes time a practice ... but as Jundo has mentioned, if you judge and resist it will become a problem - if you don't judge and resist, no problem. =)

Gassho
Shingen

SatToday/LAH

[Seishin]

Ringa ding ding. Same here folks but all self inflicted. A life of loud motorcycles and louder music which continues to this day, especially when playing my guitars (headphones on). I try to just let it be and give no heed. In fact at times after reading Will Johnson "Posture" I sometime make a conscious awareness of it when sitting and it helps the mind quieten. No difference to being aware of sensations on the scalp or feet, knees or hands in mudra. But for most of the time I'll leave to its own devices, just a constant friend and companion.

STMIZ

[Shinshou]

Thank you, Jundo, for mentioning the spots in the vision! My eyesight is bad, and on some days the spots try to get to the center of my attention. I know they must have something to do with sensory deprivation, and the white wall. (The spots also bother me on bright, snowy winter days. For some reason I thought I was the only one that sees those cursed spots!) ("Cursed" comes from Shakespeare, it wasn't me!)

I have an immense amount of floaters in my field of vision. I usually sit in a dim room which leads me to notice them much less, even when staring at a white wall.

As far as ears ringing (I'm putting on my nurse cap now), I think it's important to realize that everyone's ears make noise. It's just the way our ears work, specifically the cochlea. Unfortunately, when faced with quietness, not only does our attention focus on the sound (because the mind wants something to do), but the cochlea actually produces a louder noise (because it wants something to do, too). Chances are if ringing in the ears goes unnoticed until we're faced with silence, it's probably normal functioning.

Dan
Sat today

[Ugrok]

Okay, hmmm, well, i'm a bit ashamed there... I went to my gp today, and it turns out i have a massive earwax plug (ewww) in my right ear (the one ringing). This explains that, apparently...

Gassho,

Uggy
Sat today with his wax f(r)iend

[Eishuu]

Great that you've got a solution!

Gassho
Lucy
ST/LAH

[Ugrok]

Yeah, still have to wait til wednesday to get it properly removed, but well, i'll try to make that my practice.

Still, i'm so scared by myself... I mean, if something so benign like this puts me in an anxious state, what will it be when i'll be seriously ill (which will probably happen one day) ?
I have to find a way to end those fears, damn !

Gassho,

Uggy
Sat today
LAH

[Jundo]

it turns out i have a massive earwax plug (ewww) in my right ear

Ah, this is what the Buddha meant by "removing obstructions"! The Heart Sutra says "no eye, ear, nose", but sometimes one needs to consult an Ear Nose and Throat specialist.

Yeah, still have to wait til wednesday to get it properly removed, but well, i'll try to make that my practice.

Still, i'm so scared by myself... I mean, if something so benign like this puts me in an anxious state, what will it be when i'll be seriously ill (which will probably happen one day) ?

So, you are worried now about someday worrying later?

Gassho, J

SatTodayLAH

[Ugrok]

It only SOUNDS dumb but in fact it is really really intelligent.

Hum.

Not.

Gassho,

Uggy,

Sat Today

[Eishuu]

Uggy, it's not a bad thing to have a wake up call, however small. I started sitting Zazen daily 2 years ago in the middle of a health scare when I was really overwhelmed and scared; before that it had been a bit on and off. After 6 weeks of tests it luckily turned out to be nothing serious but it motivated me.

Enjoy your ear syringing! You'll be able to hear everything after - it can be a bit much until your ear starts to compensate.

Gassho
Lucy
ST/LAH

[Jundo]

If it seems like I am not sympathetic ... just this morning, I was at the the Ear Nose and Throat doctor (Otolaryngologist) with something very similar.

Now, I have to consider some surgery where they drill a hole in the sinuses, a few days in the hospital. All good.

By the way, what happened to the Buddha after his ear cleaning ...



Gassho, J

SatTodayLAH

[Ugrok]

His forehead exploded ? Damn ! I hope not !

For me, especially when tired, the smallest thing sends me flying high in the hypochondriac stratosphere (and the oh so great world of what ifs)...

Hope it will end up okay for both of us, Jundo !

Gassho, my thoughts are with you !

Uggy

Sat today

[Jundo]

the smallest thing sends me flying high in the hypochondriac stratosphere (and the oh so great world of what ifs)...

Ugrok, the first step in Buddhist Practice is to recognize our mind games. Now, at least, you are aware of what you do. You can just witness the game without playing.

Me? I am fine. I just need to get a Third Eye transplant. (Just kidding. Merely some dull but pesky sinus thing).

Gassho, J

SatTodayLAH