Ever worried because you're not worried?

[bayamo]

This is really d1ck3d up. I had a really bad week. I lost my favorite rosary. My smartyphone went psycho. I had a "strong" difference of opinion with my girlfriend. Now, 25, 30 years ago I'd be wigging out and be on full Hulk smash, Hulk destroy mode. But, I'm not. I'm just "these things happen" shrug my shoulders and move on. Maybe I only noticed because all this happened so close together, but I'm really concerned that I'm not concerned.
#sattoday

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[Jundo]

So what's the problem?

There's an old Woody Allen joke, I think, in which he feels nervous about being too relaxed.

Gassho, J

STLah

[Risho]

This is really d1ck3d up.

I'm stealing that; I love it! hahahahahhahhahah

Gassho

Risho
-stlah

[bayamo]

I'm stealing that; I love it! hahahahahhahhahah

Gassho

Risho
-stlah

Well, I stole it from AJ on The Sopranos, so feel free

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[Sekiyuu]

It's usually too easy to get worried about stuff that doesn't actually matter, so I actually really appreciate moments where I "should" be worried but I'm not.

I would take the win.

Gassho,
Kenny
Sat Today

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[Nengei]

Similarly, I am so accustomed to having my schedule packed from one end to the other that when I don't, I feel nervous because I am not being productive. I suppose that is also having something to worry about vs not.

Zazen has the side effect of helping me out with both an overloaded schedule and time off.

Gassho,
Nengei
Sat today. LAH.

[Jundo]

This is really d1ck3d up.

Hmmm. More gentle speech around here please, even if half disguised. Thank you.

Gassho, J

STLah

[Jundo]

One of the great "rules of thumb" of how Zen Practice is impacting our life is when the "Dharma hits the fan" (** maybe I just did what I asked Bayamo not to do. ), when we are faced with some life disaster, the forest fire that one of our Treeleaf priests faced this week in which she just grabbed the animals and left the house for a time, the cancer diagnosis I had a couple of years ago, the small stuff life traffic jams and unfair situations at work, someone cuts in line in front of us, the political situation in the world seems so ugly, etc. etc. We just don't react the same as before.

I have told the following story 100 times, so it is okay for the old folks to jump ahead:

I will leave you with one more story that I like to tell. It is about two flat tires I had years apart, both on rainy days when I was late for an appointment, wearing a nice suit. In the first case, I had only been practicing Zen and Zazen a short time. POP! went the tire, down came the rain, I was soaked and late … and just miserable about it. I hated the tire, I hated the rain, I hated missing my appointment, I hated the busy street and my soaking wet suit. I changed the tire, but I hated myself. I think that I actually kicked the flat tire, stubbing my toe and making myself even more miserable.

Some years later, almost the same scene: POP! went the tire, down came the rain, I was soaked and late … However, this time, the tire was the tire, and the rain fell like rain. I noticed that the drops were beautiful. I was soaked, but it was a cause to laugh. I was late, but time did not seem so important, and I even sensed a certain timelessness reminding me not to rush through life. The busy street was the one place to be in that moment. I changed the tire, I was content with myself. I remember quite clearly offering a bow of gratitude to the flat tire and the rain.

In both cases, I was just as soaking wet, just as late. In both cases, I changed the tire and got on my way. In both cases, I missed my appointment, and was not able to reschedule.

But in one case, it was terrible. And in one case, it was fine, even nice. Beautiful in fact.

So, I hope you find your switch and learn to use it.

Gassho, J

STLah

[Onka]

I get worried when I stop laughing at myself, others and the world in general. If I stop laughing then I'm taking everything too seriously especially the serious stuff.
Gassho
Onka
ST

[bayamo]

Hmmm. More gentle speech around here please, even if half disguised. Thank you.

Gassho, J

STLah

Sorry... I have a potty mouth and I really do try to keep it under control. Noted and I'll be mindful of this in the future.

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[Risho]

Sorry... I have a potty mouth and I really do try to keep it under control. Noted and I'll be mindful of this in the future.

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I apologize as well for being a bit too cavalier in my enthusiasm; my wife asked me to guve up my “colorful metaphors” for ango, which I will.

gassho

rish

[Jakuden]

I apologize as well for being a bit too cavalier in my enthusiasm; my wife asked me to guve up my “colorful metaphors” for ango, which I will.

gassho

rish

Is the term "colorful metaphor" from the Star Trek IV movie by any chance?

Gassho,
Jakuden
SatToday

[Eva]

This is really d1ck3d up. I had a really bad week. I lost my favorite rosary. My smartyphone went psycho. I had a "strong" difference of opinion with my girlfriend. Now, 25, 30 years ago I'd be wigging out and be on full Hulk smash, Hulk destroy mode. But, I'm not. I'm just "these things happen" shrug my shoulders and move on. Maybe I only noticed because all this happened so close together, but I'm really concerned that I'm not concerned.
#sattoday

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Hello Bayamo,
It's quite natural that novel things wear out: after some time, things are not so novel anymore; after even more time, these are pretty worn out and after endless kalpas you will not even notice that some things used to exist (for you) .

On the different note - did you just create an extra worry about not worrying right now?

Gassho,
eva
sattoday and also LAH

[Risho]

Is the term "colorful metaphor" from the Star Trek IV movie by any chance?

Gassho,
Jakuden
SatToday

guilty as charged; i was going to put a reference but i wanted to see if their were any fellow trek nerds out there hahaha

[Michael Joseph]

guilty as charged; i was going to put a reference but i wanted to see if their were any fellow trek nerds out there hahaha

Thank you. [emoji120] I had forgotten that reference. [emoji16]

Gassho

Hobun

Sat

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