What makes you whole?

[Shokai]

Re: What makes you whole?

Nigel;

I feel the state that you speak of is similar to "being in the zone", It's probably most noticeable in sports. It happens during heavy concentration while applying oneself to a task. It just happens; cannot be consciously fabricated. But, practice, practice , practice on the zafu; study of the Darmha, precepts,etc . tend to provide the 'proper' attitude/mental environment/ state of mind that supports the happening. What this practice/study does is clear up the belief system. What you can't do is sit down and say I'm going to "be" this way; it takes a lot of "slow cooking" (Right Peter !! ) The more structured life... you refer to is probably an aspect of attached mind. My experience/training/practice leave me with the attitude that the only reason we grow old is because we expect to.

I like/dis-like/no-like the Yogi Berr-ian quote,

" 99% of Life is attitude; the other half is being here."

cheers,

[will]

Re: What makes you whole?

Timbits. They go in the center of the donut.

Attached files

[Heisoku]

Re: What makes you whole?

Thanks Shokai ....I feel like I could use some Timbits right now.

[Shokai]

Re: What makes you whole?

Hello Heisoku;

A while back, Timmy's started making day-old timbits available as Doggie-bits. Well, all you need do is stand by and watch the dog behaviour in the take out line. They stick they heads out the window to receive they daily handout. Trouble is, our dog is car shy and so we started bringing home a doggie bit for him. Now, he stands at the door and sniffs to see if we've been to Timmy's and if so, you don't get in until you give up the Doggie bits.

Perhaps that is the same feeling you have right about now ?? :roll:

[Heisoku]

Re: What makes you whole?

Maybe... :wink:

I found a bit of inspiration in Taigu's Genjokoan talk number 3 also. Thanks Taigu.

[AlanLa]

Re: What makes you whole?

Nigel wrote: Most of these moments for me seem to be in my younger unattached days where contraints of daily routines were more flexible. I guess the trick now is to develop this within a more structured life...to let it flow and hopefully appreciate the moments as Al has.

First of all, Al has not learned to let it flow and appreciate the moments. The moment I start thinking in that sense of outcome (past tense: "has") I am sure to stumble. More accurate is to say I am in the process of learning better how to let it flow and appreciate the moments more than before, but there is a long way to go. I may have realized "It all fits" but that doesn't mean I don't have to figure out how to make it fit or let it fit itself or just leave the fit of it all alone, etc., because that remains a daily practice issue. Secondly, I do feel I am getting better at this stuff called life as I get older instead of the other way around. I look back on my younger days through the lens of what I am finding out now and am just amazed at the depth of my ignorance. And that's okay; I was what I was then and I yam what I yam now. We all do the best we can within the context of each moment, and then we move on from there to another Holy Now.

[Heisoku]

Re: What makes you whole?

Hi Al...I really meant in that moment you initially described for that moment ... thanks for clarifying.

Much metta to you. Thanks again for sharing your insights ...it really helps me challenge my perspectives.
It was Taigu's lecture as mentioned and in particular the quote that 'We make tea then leave.' Meaning that each moment is complete and we leave it as such...something I am having great difficulty with at present, past, present, past, present....you get the picture.

[Shokai]

Re: What makes you whole?

But, no apologies for past actions, we either did what we thought was best or totally screwed up
but, hopefully learned something at that time. It's the guilt thing that will drag you down :shock:

[Heisoku]

Re: What makes you whole?

Thanks Shokai

[Dokan]

Re: Re: What makes you whole?

I was walking the dog last night and looked up and stared for a while at the moon shifting in and out of the fast moving clouds. I could just as easily describe it as a chaotic or orderly sky, but what I said out loud was this: “It all fits.”

My friend posted this to Facebook last night and I thought of you and this thread and how I should share.

http://vimeo.com/22439234

Grateful.

Gassho,
Shawn

[Hoyu]

Re: What makes you whole?

Jigen wrote:
I was walking the dog last night and looked up and stared for a while at the moon shifting in and out of the fast moving clouds. I could just as easily describe it as a chaotic or orderly sky, but what I said out loud was this: “It all fits.”

Hi Jigen,
This experience of yours reminds me of a similar sentiment of the Buddhist monk and author Yoshida Kenko. He believed that while there is an attractiveness to the unclouded moon, it is the moon which is veiled by clouds that is a still deeper expression of beauty.
I am happy you had this moment with which to grow from _/_

Gassho,
John

[Hoyu]

Re: What makes you whole?

Thanks Shawn that was beautiful! I love the way in one scene the clouds looked just like the dancing of ocean waves

Gassho,
John

[AlanLa]

Re: What makes you whole?

"We make tea, then leave." Yeah, I like that.
We watch that great video, then leave, too...
and that's okay.

[disastermouse]

Re: What makes you whole?

Being complete is to say no, not to the object or situation or people, to say no to the belief system that underlies our so called vision of the world. Dogen coins it: "to forget the self"

gassho

Taigu

[disastermouse]

Re: What makes you whole?

I just wanted to add something from my own experience here..

I frequent the bodybuilding.com forums for advice and camaraderie, especially now that I'm cutting fat...(it's going splendidly, btw).

So many young guys, and not a small number of the women, are overweight and unlucky in love. I think it's worse for the women, but the men are much more vocal about it. For the men and women who have lost a LOT of weight, something very strange happens - they don't know how to handle the newfound attention from the opposite sex. Also, they very frequently find that there are worse things than being 'alone'. They were so sure that they were lacking something - specifically the attention of the opposite sex, and when they get it, they often seem surprised that they are not suddenly happier.

There are many myths about how we are lacking and many messages about how to get those things. I still get sucked in myself quite a bit - but isn't it weird that no matter how often we get duped by this, we still hanker after the next thing?