Apathy, Nihlism, or Non-Action

[Daitetsu]

no thing needs to be added.

Timo

[Mp]

We can have objectives and plans, but we drop all expectations and mindless desires.

Like the samurai said: Be ready for everything, but expect nothing.

I say this because this is how I became a runner. One day I realized I was just too fat and spent too many hours a day sitting. So I begun walking.

With nothing to prove to anyone, with no particular goal in mind. Day after day I walked, until I noticed that I wasn't getting tired anymore.

Then I started to run a few seconds. Two years later, seconds became minutes and minutes became hours.

My goal for this year was to run half a marathon in September. But when the time for registration came, I had no money. And that was the last local race of the year for me.

I felt a little disappointed but I just let it all go, since the important part was to get myself in shape for the race, not the race itself.

Maybe next year I'll run that race. Who knows?

Gassho,

Kyonin

Nicely put Kyonin, thank you. Also, I have to add a little example to this reference to running and your quote "Be ready for everything, but expect nothing". Yesterday I ran in a 10k mountain race and I had in my mind what I wanted to achieve in this race ... but little did I know how it would end up to be. At sign in I ran (no pun intended ) a good friend of mine that I had not seen in awhile and she too was running in the race, so we decided we would run together. Well, it turns out she really struggled and suffered through the race, but for some reason my whole goal of what I wanted for that race changed ... just like that and I stayed with her, running, walking, stopping, etc.

In the end we finished the race in last place, but it was amazing to see people cheering and supporting each other. I could feel that this was not about getting the best time, being the fastest, better than anyone else, or being first or last. It was about sharing and supporting each other ... experiencing the beauty of nature, together ... being a part of something, together ... about being ready for what ever may come, together. This practice of just being, just doing ... being prepared, yet have no expectation of result. Wonderful.

Gassho
Michael

[Omoi Otoshi]

It has changed ... "More devout" used to mean "as opposed to ordinary life".... leaving family, work, societal responsibilities,messy humanness, and retreating to a kuti in the woods, or a monastery (still messy and human), so as not to be distracted from.... what, exactly? Now "devout" is family, work, societal responsibilities, and messy humanness. So the desire to be "more devout" now translates as not running from life as is, what needs done, regardless, and realizing the suchness and peace in/as this every day.

Gassho, kojip.

So very true. Saving all sentient beings doesn't mean you have to accomplish world peace. To me, it's more about your direction in ordinary, everyday life. How you interact with the world before you.

Gassho,
Pontus

[Jinyo]

Nicely put Kyonin, thank you. Also, I have to add a little example to this reference to running and your quote "Be ready for everything, but expect nothing". Yesterday I ran in a 10k mountain race and I had in my mind what I wanted to achieve in this race ... but little did I know how it would end up to be. At sign in I ran (no pun intended ) a good friend of mine that I had not seen in awhile and she too was running in the race, so we decided we would run together. Well, it turns out she really struggled and suffered through the race, but for some reason my whole goal of what I wanted for that race changed ... just like that and I stayed with her, running, walking, stopping, etc.

In the end we finished the race in last place, but it was amazing to see people cheering and supporting each other. I could feel that this was not about getting the best time, being the fastest, better than anyone else, or being first or last. It was about sharing and supporting each other ... experiencing the beauty of nature, together ... being a part of something, together ... about being ready for what ever may come, together. This practice of just being, just doing ... being prepared, yet have no expectation of result. Wonderful.

Gassho
Michael

Thanks Michael - that is really heart warming.




Willow

[alan.r]

I would say: sit a breath or a moment and remember the mystery at the heart of all things and that you are that mystery too. You are the mystery reflecting on the mystery and what an awe-full thing that is. Then just do your thing and forget your remembering because it is what you always are and no book or study or devotion can make you better at being it.

Gassho,
alan

[disastermouse]

no book or study or devotion can make you better at being it.

[Risho]

Excellent posts! I just have to re-emphasize what Chet said about letting this sink in. It just takes time. There is no rushing this. It's all about dropping so we can see this as it is now. I struggle with this grasping constantly. I truly feel the dissatisfaction in my bones. I feel it when I sit. The power of this practice is the not running away from it; that really is incredible to just stay with whatever it is you are feeling at that moment and then observe it as it drops away. But it certainly takes time, and I suck at it right now (while at the same time I drop my judgements that I suck of course. hahahaah). These are a lifetime of habits after all.

I've always been a sort of all or nothing person.. That's how I saw practice at first. If you aren't adding then you must be doing nothing; so on one hand I felt like I wasn't doing enough and on the other I could just not do anything. But it's certainly not nihilism, this is very, very active. It's non-doing, not not doing. Again the subtlety of practice just sort of opens up as you are ready for it.. I don't know if that makes sense; I'm sure as heck ( I gave up swearing for ango. lol) just a beginner like you. I've only been sitting for a couple of years, I've just observed a natural ease with sitting now as compared to when I first started. It's like there is no road map. There are some general guidelines, but the more you sit, the more you study your nuances and get acquainted with yourself.

The same thing with practice. As it has already been wisely pointed out, this is being devout, our practice here and now while we take care of our daily errands... even as we brush our teeth we are faithfully taking care of what has been given to us. If brushing and flossing isn't being devout, what is? lol

Gassho,

Risho

[Geika]

I would say: sit a breath or a moment and remember the mystery at the heart of all things and that you are that mystery too. You are the mystery reflecting on the mystery and what an awe-full thing that is. Then just do your thing and forget your remembering because it is what you always are and no book or study or devotion can make you better at being it.

Gassho,
alan

Gassho, alan, that is beautiful and I needed to read it, too.

[Mp]

Thanks Michael - that is really heart warming.




Willow

Your welcome Willow, I am glad you enjoyed as well.

Gassho
Michael