Experiencing Ango - PLEASE SHARE YOUR ANGO EXPERIENCES HERE

[Shohei]

Re: Experiencing Ango - PLEASE SHARE YOUR ANGO EXPERIENCES HERE

Hi yas
Im taking a fresh approach to my Ango commitment with slightly modified approach

1) Meal chant (I WILL DO THIS!!)
2)sitting 2x daily 1/2hr minimum
3)catching every sitalong except for the weekly zazenkai
4) catching the monthly zazenkai
5) picking up the sewing practice again (fixing my kesa and setting out on a rakusu for warm up to another kesa)
6) reading 1hour daily (shobogenzo/shobogenzo Zuimonki)
7) eating healthier diet and in moderate proportions - fast food is out
8) exercising for min 1 hour daily
9) printing this list and posting in direct line of sight :P

And ill see how this goes.

Gassho
Shohei

[Dosho]

Re: Experiencing Ango - PLEASE SHARE YOUR ANGO EXPERIENCES HERE

9) printing this list and posting in direct line of sight :P

That's actually a really good idea...I think I'll find my original list and do that. Thanks!

[KellyRok]

Re: Experiencing Ango - PLEASE SHARE YOUR ANGO EXPERIENCES HERE

Hello all,

I haven't posted for a while, but I haven't given up my Ango committment. This is just an update.

Dave - I hope the dust has started to settle a bit for you. You will be in my Metta.

- I have done well with saying the meal gatha - my family has now incorporated it into our daily meal routines. My boys really like it and they always make sure their father bows after saying it. :wink:
- I have slacked a little on sitting, I miss a couple days a week - but I try to make up for it while doing daily samu.
- I have increased my volunteer hours. I tutor for Literacy Volunteers weekly, I will be a 'reader' (I simply read stories to children) at the Elementary school, I work the school book fair twice a school year, and have decided to donate (monthly) to our local food bank.
- I still - much to my family's amazement - have not eaten peanut butter. Also, I'm really trying to stop eating so many sweets.
- I watch and sit with the daily sit-a-longs and hope to start participating in the weekend zazenkai's once soccer season is done.
- I am following the discussion on the precepts and Jukai - but I haven't posted there
- I'm doing well with limiting my computer time...unfortunately, my time here is shortened...but I'm with you all daily...I carry you all with me.

Now, off to sit...in the words of Where the Wild Things Are - "Let the wild rumpus begin!"

take care
Kelly (Jinmei)

[Jinyu]

Re: Experiencing Ango - PLEASE SHARE YOUR ANGO EXPERIENCES HERE

Hi everyone!

Just a few words to say these last two days have been a total mess!
My best friend fall down a 3.5m wall during the biggest belgian student party...
since there my mind is totally focused on this, I can't see anything else.
We still don't know if he'll walk again, and radios and tv's don't stop talking about it...
I feel lots of anger against the autorities, because every year they put more and more cops on streets,
but we ask for years for more security and they do nothing!

The only "stable" thing in this life seem to be the "unstabe" practice of zazen...
Thanks to you guys, Thanks to our sangha, thanks to jundo and Taigu...

Gassho to every sentient being,

Luis

[Shugen]

Re: Experiencing Ango - PLEASE SHARE YOUR ANGO EXPERIENCES HERE

The sitting part seems to be the only thing I'm not struggling with. Everything else is kind of hit and miss. I've just about given up on the meal chant. Metta practice is occasional. I just really seem to want to sit everyday. The 1 beer a week thing is going fine. I manage to eat veg. at least once a week. I've noticed that my time screwing around on the internet is increasing, so I'll have to watch that. Haven't managed to incorporate a morning sit routine. When I used to get up early and sit with Roky, I noticed it was more "difficult" than my evening sit - my mind seems to be a lot more active when I first wake up. I think maybe I'm basically lazy . I'm keeping up with the sit alongs and have really been enjoying them lately.

Ron

[monkton]

Re: Experiencing Ango - PLEASE SHARE YOUR ANGO EXPERIENCES HERE

All good wishes to Dave and Luis' friend during these testing times.
As for myself, my low-level ango is still going OK - I'm very impressed with you guys who have lists of intentions, especially ones involving exercise; I missed one sitting last week as I was out to dinner and though I don't drink much (or maybe because I don't drink much), I didn't feel right about sitting later when I wouldn't have been allowed to drive. I know we may be expected to sit with what is but... I dunno.

Anyway, last week was very busy as the two people I work with were off on holiday so I was holding the fort, but the fort is still standing and I'm off on my holidays now. So I'll be a week without them interwebs (yay!) but will be sitting at the seaside in France and hopefully enjoying a quiet time there.

gassho
Michael

[Jikyo]

Re: Experiencing Ango - PLEASE SHARE YOUR ANGO EXPERIENCES HERE

Hi all,

Best wishes to Dave and Luis' friend on their current struggles. And happy holiday in France to Michael.

Ango is still going along fine for me. Keeping my commitments is okay except for posting on Treeleaf's forum and I've spaced on my monthly Skype meeting. Will make a Skype appointment with Jundo this week. My biggest hiccup was due to my brother coming from out of town to visit for 5 days. The guest room is also the zazen room, so zafus were moved to our bedroom, where there isn't enough space, and were crammed right next to the dresser, were tripping hazards, etc. Except for one day, sat my morning sit each day, but I got completely off track and did not sit my evening sit the whole time he was here. Chose to stay up too late talking and crawled into bed afterwards rather than onto my cushion. Was interesting to see how easily off course I got by just the one, albeit biggish, change. Reminded me how fortunate I am to lead the very simple life I do - or am I? :wink:

Gassho, Jean

[Jinyu]

Re: Experiencing Ango - PLEASE SHARE YOUR ANGO EXPERIENCES HERE

Hi everyone!

Just a few words to say it is a bit easier for me to practice these two last days. My friend is still at the hospital for a "while" :? But now he is able to move his two legs a bit and at least one of his arms. We hope to see him soon in a "wheelchair"! At least in one of these he would be to able move a bit...
It's "funny" how the way we look to life change so often in life... I feel a bit like a tree leaf fallen into the see... just going with the waves ... Glad to have the opportunity to receive a lesson of impermanence, like a slap in the face...

Gassho to every sentient being,

Luis

[Jundo]

Re: Experiencing Ango - PLEASE SHARE YOUR ANGO EXPERIENCES HERE

Thank you, Luis.

I do not have your friend's permission to do so, and thus hesitate to include him specifically by name, but will dedicate our Saturday Zazen to all people facing such changes in life now in body and health, or who are in hospital.

Each week we chant in our dedication (or "Transfer of Merit" if you will) ...

We especially seek tranquility & well being for all creatures now suffering or ill in health. May they be serene through all their ills. May their lives be at peace and Wisdom pervade the darkness of ignorance ...

Gassho, Jundo

[Taigu]

Re: Experiencing Ango - PLEASE SHARE YOUR ANGO EXPERIENCES HERE

Luis, take care, and compassionate mind is just what it is, sometimes a bundle of knots in the tommy, sometimes tears and fears running down and draining everything away. The best way to help what is beyond what I can comprehend and grasp is to sit, simply sit. You may take his hand and say something or nothing. Whatever. The way the Boddhistava works is much beyond his own understanding.

gassho


Taigu

[Jinyu]

Re: Experiencing Ango - PLEASE SHARE YOUR ANGO EXPERIENCES HERE

will dedicate our Saturday Zazen to all people facing such changes in life now in body and health, or who are in hospital.

Thank you Jundo, I'm sure he will be very touched that you thought about it! And I'm also sure there is a lot of us who feels concern by people suffering in hospitals (an outside :wink: )! :roll:

The best way to help what is beyond what I can comprehend and grasp is to sit, simply sit. You may take his hand and say something or nothing.

Thank you Taigu! And be sure I will! :wink:

Gassho to every sentient being,

Luis

[Jinyu]

Re: Experiencing Ango - PLEASE SHARE YOUR ANGO EXPERIENCES HERE

Hi everyone,
I just take a minute before zazenkai to say I won't be sitting with you guys on ustream,
but sitting in live from my friend's room at the hospital ( ... well I'm at the Hospital coffee shop now, but I'll go in his room in a minute!.

Gassho to every sentient being,

Luis

[Dosho]

Re: Experiencing Ango - PLEASE SHARE YOUR ANGO EXPERIENCES HERE

Hi everyone,
I just take a minute before zazenkai to say I won't be sitting with you guys on ustream,
but sitting in live from my friend's room at the hospital ( ... well I'm at the Hospital coffee shop now, but I'll go in his room in a minute!.

Gassho to every sentient being,

Luis

And gassho to you and your friend who I hope feels better!

[SunnyP]

Re: Experiencing Ango - PLEASE SHARE YOUR ANGO EXPERIENCES HERE

This has been a long time coming, sorry I haven't done this sooner. Here is how I am doing in my Ango commitments.

Eating mindfully, Was doing great, fell off, getting back on track.
Daily Metta Verse, I started off forgetting it, now it is apart of me on a daily basis.
Meal Chant, I still forget that at times. Still working on that one.
Sitting 20 min. daily, started off well, fell off, back on track.
Raising my voice, I have done quite well up until here lately. Working on that again.
Stop cussing, I have done surprisingly well this whole time.
Reducing my PC time has been easy
Pointless Amazon purchases was a challenge at first but I have overcome that.

This is how I have been doing.

Gassho,
Paula

[Shugen]

Re: Experiencing Ango - PLEASE SHARE YOUR ANGO EXPERIENCES HERE

Bumpy week for me;

Went to a Halloween party, drank more than a couple - didn't sit that night.

Didn't sit the next night either. (It's probably the first time I didn't sit for two consecutive days in the last nine months)

Started drinking coffee again as well.

Felt cranky and mean all week, so the metta practice went out the window.

Back to zero.

Ron