Zazen help

[Jundo]

Re: Zazen help

Dear Onken,
thank you for being so open on this. I can much relate to this, actually I felt the same and do feel the
same at times. For myself I allow myself to get up and stop, and I allow myself to look at the clock. I tried
moving the clock aside, but thats didnt really work for me. When I stop zazen, I had bad feelings about it,
so i came back. Its strange and I must say I have been fascinated by my own minds dealing with zazen,
stopping zazen, being angry about myself, forgiving me, coming back, stopping again and so on.
I believe we all have to find our own way of dealing with such "difficulty"; what really counts
in the end is not to terminate but to stay with the practice, even if its currently very bumpy. In fact
these bumpy times can become the times we learn the most about ourselves. Just my opinion, of course.
_()_
Myoku

Me too! I have had such days, sometimes once in awhile still do. I think it is just part of the process, the resistance of wrestling with the "me, myself and I". Something like learning to sail a kayak by learning to roll and spill the kayak, learning Judo by learning how to take a sudden tumble well.

WHO is resisting, and where is the resistance to be found?

Gassho, J

[Mp]

Re: Zazen help

Any thoughts are welcome.

This is how you ended your question. Now just incorporate that attitude to your sitting.

gassho
Greg

Clever

I totally agree ... being in the moment of the practice letting it come and go. I find those are the times that make me smile the most ... yahhh, I made it through that one.

Gassho,
Michael

[Kaishin]

Re: Zazen help

Thank you, Onken, for sharing. I encounter this frequently.

Thank you, Greg, for your thoughtful post!

_/_

[Kyonin]

Re: Zazen help

Since we don't have a Like button (yet), I like what you say, Ekai.

I guess this is exactly what we must do. To sit even when our the mind rebels and wants to go watch TV.

Sit with the resistance to sit, but develop the discipline to get through the zazen session.

When thoughts or feelings arise of wanting to stop, let them go and keep sitting. You might find yourself letting these emotions go over and over again, minute after minute but that's OK. It's a part of the practice. Sit with your resistance and drop any self-judgements of how your Zazen Is going. When I experience this, I just keep letting the resistance go even if it's during the entire sit.

I hope this helps.

Gassho,
Ekai

[Onken]

Re: Zazen help

Thank you everyone. This discussion has helped a lot.