How to find joy ?

[Ugrok]

Let's just say that lockdowns and the whole world right now do not convey a lot of joy or happiness. For a lot of us, what brought joy into our life disappeared (drinking at the bar, practicing aikido, going to the movies or museums, having parties with lots of friends, teaching "live" to my students, for example, for me). I think, talking around with people, that i'm not the only one to get a bit stuck in anxious, dark feelings ; today in zazen i understood something that i wanted to share : my own frustration to not feel joy anymore is in itself a big barrier to feeling joy. It's like by wanting to feel it, and by being frustrated cause i don't feel it, i'm blocking and freezing my feelings. As soon as i let go of that "internal blockade", letting myself FEEL the sadness, anxiety, and the whole package, it became much more bearable and i could even feel like it was ok.

How do you find joy nowadays ?

Thanks, zazen !

Gassho,

Uggy,
Sat today,
LAH

[Jundo]

I like your description.

First, feel equanimity, sitting and living with an acceptance and embracing, deep in the bones, of all things as they are.

Next, appreciate all things, all moments, up or down, sick or healthy, win or lose, beautiful or ugly as ... each and all, without exceptions ... a shining jewel of infinite worth in a universe of shining jewels of infinite worth. We just in such trust, such faith, until we really come to know so.

Finally, keep a good sense of humor about it all (this is more ethnic humor than "zen" perhaps, but my Jewish grandma would say to laugh as the house burns down).

Find power and beauty in being of service to others, especially now in this time of crisis when people need each other.

I am sure that other folks here will have some good tips to add too.

Gassho, J
STLah

[Shonin]

Im an introvert, so staying at home most of the time is normal for me. Other than the unemployment part, still not used to that. But i just find little things I like to do. Change it up sometimes. Like I check the forums here as often as most people check their facebook. Sit with others or sometimes in the free sitting room. One thing I have been doing is making a list of positive things I'd like to change in my life. Have some books im ready to read. In sitting I realized that I should have waited to take Jukai ,so I have come back to learning the basics from the ground up. Some tv or radio. Gaming.

I know there is no earth shattering jewels of wisdom in what I wrote but I just mix things up. Try to make each day a bit different.

Dave
SAT

[Inshin]

I was reading about joy in Dharma practice yesterday and thought of sharing this talk by Roland Yuno Rech. If you have a minute it's a nice read. https://www.abzen.eu/en/teaching/tei...e-du-dharma-en


Gassho
Sat

[Getchi]

Thats beautiful.

Life is too short to chase perfection.

The fact you still fell equal is giving me happiness.

[Jakuden]

I was reading about joy in Dharma practice yesterday and thought of sharing this talk by Roland Yuno Rech. If you have a minute it's a nice read. https://www.abzen.eu/en/teaching/tei...e-du-dharma-en


Gassho
Sat

Wow, lovely! Thank you Inshin!

Gassho,
Jakuden
SatToday

[Getchi]

Jakuden, that is beautiful.

I extracted the line "and giving in particular is an important source of joy."

Could you, or anybody , elaborate on why this is so?



Gassho.
LaH.

SatToday several.

[Risho]

Jakuden, that is beautiful.

I extracted the line "and giving in particular is an important source of joy."

Could you, or anybody , elaborate on why this is so?



Gassho.
LaH.

SatToday several.

IMHO I think it is because giving is a natural way to "forget the self". It sort of goes hand in hand with gratitude; when I feel down or wanting, etc I try to remember all that I have to be grateful for; it's overwhelming how fortunate I am.

Gassho

Risho
-stlah

[Jundo]

I was reading about joy in Dharma practice yesterday and thought of sharing this talk by Roland Yuno Rech. If you have a minute it's a nice read. https://www.abzen.eu/en/teaching/tei...e-du-dharma-en


Gassho
Sat

Yes, this teaching is wonderful, quite lovely! Thank you.

In the practice itself, we content ourselves with simply being sitting. The expression "contenting oneself with" means that "that it is enough", and therefore, the joy coming from the practice does not depend on achieving something, but simply on the fact of practicing in itself, through letting go. And of course, the fact of "not wanting to obtain something" is in itself a great Liberation, and therefore a source of infinite joy.

...

The practice of Zen doesn't eliminate all these sufferings, but it does allow us to bear them and not despair of existence, and thus finally to maintain a joy of life, despite the fact that there are all sorts of reasons not to be joyful in our life. When we listen to the info news in the morning, all we hear is about disasters, about suffering everywhere. And to remain joyful during the day, we could either say to ourselves: "But that's not possible", or, to be happy, cover our ears and close our eyes. But no! I believe that we can still be joyful, if we live in harmony with whom we really are, and live it from the practice of zazen, as if the sound of the gong at the beginning of zazen, this vibration of zazen, was prolonged in our daily life.

...

Incidentally, we don't try to suppress the thoughts or the emotions which rise to the surface of our consciousness in zazen, but we are simply happy with seeing them, accepting them, and then letting them pass. And as a result, it makes a lot of things of our life less dramatic: the fact that at the same time we don't repress them and also, we don't remain attached to them. So, it's really being fully conscious, but not attached to what we are conscious of.

Gassho, J

STLah

[Onkai]

I was reading about joy in Dharma practice yesterday and thought of sharing this talk by Roland Yuno Rech. If you have a minute it's a nice read. https://www.abzen.eu/en/teaching/tei...e-du-dharma-en


Gassho
Sat

Thank you, Inshin, for the link.

Gassho,
Onkai,
Sat/lah

[Yokai]

Thanks Inshin for sharing Roland Rech's talk. It's a joy to read

Gassho, Yokai (Chris) sat/lah

[Rousei]

As long as I give awareness to posture during Shikan-taza, a straight back gives a feeling of joy and peace. The open chest which makes breathing easier overflows the body with a feeling of calm, tranquil naturalness. In the book “The Three Pillars of Zen” there is the line

“The innate dignity and nobility of a human being is revealed in a straight back”

During Shikan-taza, and for a period after I have a fulfilled feeling of tranquil joy. Outside of this practice I, like yourself it seems, am also a Teacher (TEFL) who takes great joy in helping people grow. Not to mention getting fresh air by going for a nice long walk in nature! Feels a little claustrophobic being inside for too long!

I believe a healthy amount of curiosity and passion is very important in life. So I spend a lot of time reading books. Even the Dalai Lama talks about how we should feel desire/interest.

"In order to develop unbiased infinite love, you first need the practice of detach[ment]. But "detach" does not mean to give up desire. Desire must be there. Without desire, how can we live our life? Without desire, how can we achieve Buddhahood? Strong desire to become Buddha"

https://www.pbs.org/thebuddha/blog/2010/Mar/9/dalai-lama-buddha-nature/

Because I only have a partial understanding on an intellectual level of some words used in Buddhist texts and commentary I spend a fair amount of time researching Buddhist specific context for them.

I think people who enjoyed spending a lot of time interacting socially face to face will have to be extra conscious of mental health. I can only hope that an increase in online social activities and events can in some way satisfy some of those desires. I’ve been wanting to join some online Dharma talks but being in Japan my time zone makes it incredibly difficult!

Gassho
Mark
ST

[Jundo]

As long as I give awareness to posture during Shikan-taza, a straight back gives a feeling of joy and peace. The open chest which makes breathing easier overflows the body with a feeling of calm, tranquil naturalness. In the book “The Three Pillars of Zen” there is the line

“The innate dignity and nobility of a human being is revealed in a straight back”

During Shikan-taza, and for a period after I have a fulfilled feeling of tranquil joy. ....

But do not assume that the point of Shikantaza is to attain a feeling of joy or peace, calm or tranquility. Shikantaza is bigger than that, vast, boundless. This is a Peace and Calm (big P and C) which embraces all the peace and disturbance, calm and chaos of life. This is a Peace that holds all the broken pieces, and a Calm that does not expect, desire or demand to feel "calm" all the time. Do not use Zazen as a tool.

Thus, when the sky is clear, it is clear. What the sky is filled with rain, it rains. Likewise the mind of Zazen. Know that the sky is always Clear even when it rains.

Gassho, Jundo

STLah

[Rousei]

Thank you for your reminder!

The more I read about Shikan-taza the more I see this as so, and it's reasoning becomes more and more vivid, staying with me. I've been reading "The Three Pillars of Zen" recently and it had a wonderful section about this.

"The very foundation of shikan-taza is an unshakable faith that sitting as the Buddha sat, with the mind void of all conceptions, of all beliefs and points of view, is the actualization or unfoldment of the inherently enlightened Bodhimind with which all are endowed. At the same time this sitting is entered into in the faith that it will one day culminate in the sudden and direct perception of the true nature of this Mind—in other words, enlightenment. Therefore to strive self-consciously for satori or any other gain from zazen is as unnecessary as it is undesirable"

Gassho
Mark
ST

But do not assume that the point of Shikantaza is to attain a feeling of joy or peace, calm or tranquility. Shikantaza is bigger than that, vast, boundless. This is a Peace and Calm (big P and C) which embraces all the peace and disturbance, calm and chaos of life. This is a Peace that holds all the broken pieces, and a Calm that does not expect, desire or demand to feel "calm" all the time. Do not use Zazen as a tool.

Thus, when the sky is clear, it is clear. What the sky is filled with rain, it rains. Likewise the mind of Zazen. Know that the sky is always Clear even when it rains.

Gassho, Jundo

STLah

[Onka]

I don't do anything to feel joy. I practice Shikantaza and sit with what is. I don't feel joy or particularly peaceful but I was literally just saying to my partner that I feel content at the moment.
Gassho
Onka
Sat today with broken ribs and covered with deep ouchie bruises.