What does being overwhelmed mean?

[RichardH]

Thanks for sharing these personal life experiences.. It can have an uncomfortable exposing quality, maybe... TMI and all, but since this is Sangha and not just another forum with theoretical debate, sharing what it is like in both good times, and getting burned to the ground .... there is a sense of shoulder to shoulder practice that is really suppoting the sitting. Thanks. Gassho.

[Shugen]

Thanks for sharing these personal life experiences.. It can have an uncomfortable exposing quality, maybe... TMI and all, but since this is Sangha and not just another forum with theoretical debate, sharing what it is like in both good times, and getting burned to the ground .... there is a sense of shoulder to shoulder practice that is really suppoting the sitting. Thanks. Gassho.

Gassho


Shugen

[alan.r]

there is a sense of shoulder to shoulder practice that is really suppoting the sitting. Thanks. Gassho.

Yes, yes, for me too.

Gassho,
a

[Seizan]

I find that I get overwhelmed when I'm attached to things- when expectations exceed the reality, like Risho said. Also love the Buddha story he included.

I find that when I sit zazen, and after zazen really reflect on my mind garden, I can find a common root to the current overwhelming circumstances. For example, I always found myself in explosive situations- people flying off the handle at me, for no reason, serious fits of rage. I realized it was how I was responding that was continuing these circumstances, so I worked to be passive and calm through the ordeals. I still have insane weird situation karma that I'm working on, and in fact last weekend was put in a spot where I had a SEVERE anxiety attack with a group of good friends, due to one person's negative reaction to a minor incident... might sound vague, but this is the root to me being "overwhelmed" recently, since I actively try to please everyone and manipulate every situation to avoid any awkwardness. I was so distraught when I got home, thinking that I just did not UNDERSTAND why this kept happening. The next day, instead of having months of strain on our relationship per the usual blow ups, things went back to normal with me and my friend. When I had the anxiety attack, I let go of the situation and became passive- I stayed quiet, on the sidelines, didn't further react and BAM a shorter, less overwhelming outcome popped up.

For me it just takes calm soul searching, which I can only really reach after a mantra session or zazen, and then things sort out. I've been learning my lesson and learning to practice nonattachment. If I didn't have expectations on that situation, it wouldn't have unfolded as it did and overwhelmed me. I find that it's true in almost all overwhelming situations I've placed myself in- I frequently overload my plate with all these THINGS I have to do, but when I was reflecting on Taigu's recent post on Sawaki Kodo, I really thought about the excerpt "isn't it evident that the greatest happiness consists in doing what you have to do?" I really had an attitude change.

So Zazen, mind gardening and a little philosophical reflecting help me to stop the overwhelming waves from flooding my island!

Hope this helps some, it's just how I approach things!

Gassho,
Dani