Sitting Zazen in a Truly Disturbing Place

[Kyonin]

Re: Sitting Zazen in a Truly Disturbing Place

The story goes like this. I was driving to work while listening to one of the Treeleaf podcasts. As everyone knows it ends with Jundo's famous(to me anyway) line "Shall we sit with that?".
So I figured why not.

HAHAHA That's hardcore zen indeed! The most that I've done in that sense is while running, cooking or shaving. I don't have a car, but if I did, I would totally do that.

[Kyonin]

Re: Sitting Zazen in a Truly Disturbing Place

I have to confess that quite a few times I have been turned down by noise up to the point that I don't feel like meditating at all. And I know I need to work on that.

You see, I live on a very busy street. Since I get up pretty early (4:40 AM), I get to meet life with no noise at all. So I can write, read and meditate before madness begins.

I have tried to meditate on the afternoon, but it gets too noisy and I just don't feel like meditating.

I think I'll give it a try and let you know how it went.

Awesome thread.

[Shokai]

Re: Sitting Zazen in a Truly Disturbing Place

I sat at Pukuji in Hiroshima for several months. It was after about one year of zazen experience and the first evening sessions I attended. It was (I found it) difficult to adjust to the neighborhood sounds of dinner dishes being washed, children playing in the park, car driving by. However, I sat with it and it eventually was the parking tickets that turned me off. Later, at Shokoji, we sat at 6:00 am and the sounds were birds in the mountains, wind in the trees and the occasional tolling of the temple bell by an early morning practitioner. And, it slowly sank in that noise/sound is what it is and all good. 8) all part of the experience so to speak.

[Hoyu]

Re: Sitting Zazen in a Truly Disturbing Place

Of all the wierdness that should have brought to mind, the thing that I kept thinking about was the absurdity of the whole thing, particularly being in a situation where I found it necessary to choose whether to sit zazen or grab a rifle.

Hi Ankai,

Interesting juxtaposition of two seemingly opposite actions to have to choose between! I bow to your choice. However at the same time I do understand that choice was also a rare opportunity as a soldier.

Gassho,
John

[Onshin]

Re: Sitting Zazen in a Truly Disturbing Place

I found it necessary to choose whether to sit zazen or grab a rifle.

KvonNJ, This sounds like the Buddhist version of "Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition" :twisted:

[will]

Re: Sitting Zazen in a Truly Disturbing Place

I was once sitting at LSA Anaconda in Balad, Iraq when one of the almost daily mortar attacks started. The first "boom" was a disyant thud; the next much closer, the third shook the walls. It crossed my mind to get up and head for a bunker, but I figured by the time I got my boots, helmet, vest, weapon, and medic bag together, it'd either be past or I'd already be hit, so, I stayed and sat. Two more dropped, then it was quiet again. Of all the wierdness that should have brought to mind, the thing that I kept thinking about was the absurdity of the whole thing, particularly being in a situation where I found it necessary to choose whether to sit zazen or grab a rifle.
Strange world we live in.

Definitely strange. But that's our practice isn't it?

I got home today, and well, it was "home". I got a little pissed off at a couple of things. Sat a bit, maybe 30 minutes and cleared my head. Good stuff.

I've always been reluctant to sit in open, crowded places. There's always something there that's really self Conscience. Anyway, I tried to do that more over the past few days. Not much, didn't actually "sit Zazen" anywhere, except my hotel room. But just tried to be more aware, just sit etc.. ie. Busy center Beijing, on the train and so on. Didn't work out really, but that's practice. As compared to the last time I traveled and such, it was a bit different. Still iffy, but not too bad.

I mostly walked all day yesterday (with a backpack, ouch). Sat in a park on a bench (some Zazen), had Häagen-Dazs cone (shhhhh), and took 2 hours to catch a taxi. Before I would have been really tense, maybe even angry and impatient at such a thing. This time I was a bit, but also more open, took a rest, and eventually one came. hung outside of the "Huge" train station, had some supper (mcdonalds, beggers can't be chooser, guess I could of ate something else. I kind of cringed at it a bit lol.) Slept on the train, yadayadayada.

Gassho

Will

[murasaki]

Re: Sitting Zazen in a Truly Disturbing Place

Karl: Wow...I will never complain about sitting with my neighbour's obnoxious music again. Thank you for sharing that.

gassho
Julia

[pinoybuddhist]

Re: Sitting Zazen in a Truly Disturbing Place

The most disturbing "place" I've ever "sat" in was when I had my wisdom tooth removed. During the process, I kept bracing myself for the pain that didn't quite come (thanks to the anaesthesia). Then later, as the drugs wore off, I "sat" - okay, more accurately I lay down and writhed - with the pain, discomfort and weakness. It seemed like forever but it only a took a few hours. Isn't impermanence a wonderful thing sometimes?

[Hoyu]

Re: Sitting Zazen in a Truly Disturbing Place

Pinoy wrote:
Isn't impermanence a wonderful thing sometimes?

Hi Pinoy,
You make a very good point here. Impermanence is most often associated with things as being an undesirable state. The impermanence of cars, houses, money, and other possessions. Or of our health, youth, and life.
It's is important to remember there is more than one view/side when looking at the nature of impermanence. Which is the one you bring up here.
I have also, during difficult times, reminded myself that they too are impermanent. Only to then realize that sometimes impermanence is ok with me! Thinking this way blurs the lines and makes it harder for me to define and subsequently dislike the overall idea of impermanence.
Perhaps this is one of those instances in which Jundo refers to in his famous line as "Two sides of a no sided coin"????

Gassho,
John

[ChrisA]

Re: Sitting Zazen in a Truly Disturbing Place

Heading into 30 minutes of sitting with an Independence Day party next door, including a live band belting out your favorite Motown hits and, of course, plenty of random fireworks. I admit to being glad that the current version of "Margaritaville," in particular, is impermanent.

[Fuken]

Re: Sitting Zazen in a Truly Disturbing Place

My "Office" on the U.S.S. Essex is directly under Harrier Landing spot 7. It took 4 patrols to be able to just sit with the landings.

[ChrisA]

Re: Sitting Zazen in "a Truly Disturbing Place"

Riding on a bus to NYC today and just spent ~ 50 minutes sitting. Makes one appreciate the relative stillness of one's usual chaos!