Special Treeleaf Event - Guest Teacher, Rev. Heiku Jaime McLeod - Sunday January 28th

[Tai Shi]

It is about time I returned to "be" at these events, not just articles, words, etc. and Zazen.
Gassho
sat/lah

[Alina]

I didn't comment much yesterday due to lack of time, but I just really really loved the conversation. Specifically, I think sometimes I read or listen to dharma talks and just absorb them, and I don't always personalize things especially if they don't make sense. It's refreshing to hear someone tell Yunmen what for - hold on a second, not every day is a good day. Not that I disagree with "Every day is a good day", but I really appreciate the absolute personalization of practice and owning it, really owning it even owning not understanding a teaching or disagreeing with it. I felt a deep disagreement from a longterm practitioner; sometimes I disagree but I think it's more on a superficial layer.

I also appreciate the not glossing over suffering. I mean what Kokuu brought up with his personal struggles really hit home that this practice isn't to be done when conditions are perfect; those don't exist. At the same time, it doesn't take away from "every day being a good day" which my current but limited understanding is something akin to Jundo's teaching on Big G Gratitude - be grateful for all of it. To me it reinforces what this practice is all about. We aren't perfect, and that's what makes this life - this messy craziness unique and special and also Perfect.

This was also echoed when Heiku spoke about keeping the precepts; it's none of your business, these are my precepts to keep. I never thought about it that way, and I found it very helpful.

It reminds of the idea - this practice is not just for me but only I can do it. It really provided some good perspective for me.

Just a really great talk

Gassho

Rish
-stlah

Thank you Risho for sharing this, all your comments really resonate with me, as days go by what stayed with me the most from Heiku's talk is her "absolute personalization of practice and owning it, really owning it even owning not understanding a teaching or disagreeing with it" and the "not glossing over suffering". We do the practice, so for it to be real, we have to do it.


Gassho

Alina
stlah