Fear

[Jinho]

Re: Fear

Jinho, hardly any words left. Brother-sister brokenhearted monk...

Dear Taigu,

I hesitate to interrupt the poetry, but I have to ask - which of us is brokenhearted? I don't think I am and I do hope you aren't.

(I had a sudden thought that the "brother-sister" might mean that my gender might be unknown to you? I am female, always have been, i.e. I am not a transgender person - although I think perhaps mentally I do transcend gender a bit, it just doesn't usually seem an issue. Although the idea of having ones genitals hanging on the outside of one's body seems like it would be a very odd experience).

gassho,
rowan
who really must get her ass to work (fortunately, as long as I get the books done, they don't care when I come in).

[Taigu]

Re: Fear

Dear Jinho,

Thank you for the reminder, I think I noticed . I would have no difficulty to see a sister side in me, for no sexual resason, just because I always had a sensitivity so close to the feminine. But that's me. And very much like you I prefer what is down there to what is not.

Nevertheless, I kind of disagree with the brokenhearted thing. The more I look around me, the more I see it in everyone. It is something that we take everywhere espeially when we are not aware of it. It is worth invistigating.

Take care and may you experience safety.


Taigu

[will]

Re: Fear

When we are down, our big brother/sister lifts us up. When we can stand, we help in much the same way.

sister/brother yells, disappoints, laughs, offers, gentle, harsh, but most importantly there with us at every step.

W

[frjames]

Re: Fear

We Are Broken
Bob Schieffer, CBS News

I have some thoughts for this season of reflection that began with Passover and ends with Easter.

Last summer at the Aspen Ideas Festival, I interviewed a minister named T.D. Jakes. He is an African American pastor of a Dallas megachurch of more than 30,000 people. He said something that day I shall never forget.

He reminded us that no one is perfect, that we are all broken somewhere.

But he said that is not all bad. A key is broken in all the right places to fit a certain lock. When that key is placed in that lock, there is a quiet click. When we meet a person who is broken in the right places to accommodate our brokenness, there is a click.

It can happen in other ways: An introverted person hears that click when he finds a job that can only be done by a person who works well alone; or when we face a life-altering decision.

Whether it is a job, or a relationship or even faith, something clicks when we find the place that accommodates our uniqueness, or brokenness.

Some religions teach prayer — some call it meditation — but there is within each of us some mysterious, inner thing that tells us when something clicks — we don't know how or why, we just know.

We are all broken. But listening for that click can help us to unlock many doors. The voice is always there — we have only to listen.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/04/ ... 1242.shtml

Or it doesn't have to be that mysterious...we can just sit with it.

[Taigu]

Re: Fear

Cannot agree more, Will. Thank you. Even alone. Not always so.

And Frjames, thank you too. Being broken is important for our practice, a key thing. First noble truth.

gassho


Taigu

[Jinyu]

Re: Fear

Buddhism has (and continues to give) me a foundation, a warm pull-over and sleeping bag - that of being a wandering monk. I have occasionally expressed that zazen is all I really have and is the only thing which can never be taken from me.

Your words profoundly touched me!
Maybe because sometimes I feel exactly the same... for different reasons, we all have got different experiences, but I never have been able to express it...
Thank you !

Gassho to all,

Luis

ps: sorry Zeta, I don't answer about fear... But so much has been said, How to fear the fear after all those advices