"You'll have to forgive me. I have a memory like a... like a... what are those things you drain rice in? What am I talking about?"
[…]
With a puzzled look [Reg] turned smartly round and disappeared once more into the kitchen.
[Dirk] spun round as Reg re-entered, bearing a tray, which he carried round the sofa and put on to the low coffee table that sat in front of the fire.
"Very, well," said Dirk, "Reg..."
"Sieve!" exclaimed Reg.
"What?"
"Thing you drain rice in. A sieve. I was trying to remember the word, though I forget now the reason why. No matter. "
[…]
With a puzzled look [Reg] turned smartly round and disappeared once more into the kitchen.
[Dirk] spun round as Reg re-entered, bearing a tray, which he carried round the sofa and put on to the low coffee table that sat in front of the fire.
"Very, well," said Dirk, "Reg..."
"Sieve!" exclaimed Reg.
"What?"
"Thing you drain rice in. A sieve. I was trying to remember the word, though I forget now the reason why. No matter. "
Just to get your attention.
Actually, I wanted to share some thoughts by Abbot Muho about "Mindfulness" - the following excerpt is actually from two different articles on the Antaiji website:
Abbot Muho from Antaiji:
We should always try to be active coming out of samadhi. For this, we have to forget things like "I should be mindful of this or that". If you are mindful, you are already creating a separation ("I - am - mindful -of - ...."). Don't be mindful, please! When you walk, just walk. Let the walk walk. Let the talk talk (Dogen Zenji says: "When we open our mouths, it is filled with Dharma"). Let the eating eat, the sitting sit, the work work. Let sleep sleep. Kinhin is nothing special. We do not have to make our everyday life into something special. We try to live in the most natural and ordinary way possible.
[…]
But I think that too many people misunderstand "mindfulness", therefore I chose to be a little provoking by saying "stop being mindful" - maybe it would be easier to understand if I said: "Stop thinking that you want to be 'mindful' - just BE mindful".[…]
How can we be mindful without trying to be mindful? […] Just as with zazen, the point is to do whatever you do completely, to disappear inside the action, to be one with what you do - but how do you do that!? Whenever you TRY to do it, you are creating a separation... What I tell people here at Antaiji at times is to do things "quietly, speedily, efficiently". Most people agree that things should be done quietly in a meditative environment, but to be quiet and mindful they suppose it is best to also do things slowly. Sometimes people sweep the floor or work in the garden as if they were moving in slow motion. This is not what I would call "mindfulness" - they are just tardy. If you do things fast and quiet at the same time, and also make sure that what you do is exactly the thing that has to be done at that precise moment (i.e. you are efficient), than you necessarily have to be mindful - without trying to be mindful. Actually, when you are really absorbed in "quiet, speedy and efficient" practice, you will have no time to even think about wanting to be "mindful" - you have to BE mindful in order to function. So my answer to your question is: If you feel that you have to make an effort, direct that effort towards the task at hand, not towards your consciousness that tries to monitor yourself constantly. Just do whatever you are doing - do it the best way you can, do it quietly, speedily and efficiently. If you concentrate your effort in this way, you might realize that really no effort is necessary on your side - the action takes care of itself.
[…]
But I think that too many people misunderstand "mindfulness", therefore I chose to be a little provoking by saying "stop being mindful" - maybe it would be easier to understand if I said: "Stop thinking that you want to be 'mindful' - just BE mindful".[…]
How can we be mindful without trying to be mindful? […] Just as with zazen, the point is to do whatever you do completely, to disappear inside the action, to be one with what you do - but how do you do that!? Whenever you TRY to do it, you are creating a separation... What I tell people here at Antaiji at times is to do things "quietly, speedily, efficiently". Most people agree that things should be done quietly in a meditative environment, but to be quiet and mindful they suppose it is best to also do things slowly. Sometimes people sweep the floor or work in the garden as if they were moving in slow motion. This is not what I would call "mindfulness" - they are just tardy. If you do things fast and quiet at the same time, and also make sure that what you do is exactly the thing that has to be done at that precise moment (i.e. you are efficient), than you necessarily have to be mindful - without trying to be mindful. Actually, when you are really absorbed in "quiet, speedy and efficient" practice, you will have no time to even think about wanting to be "mindful" - you have to BE mindful in order to function. So my answer to your question is: If you feel that you have to make an effort, direct that effort towards the task at hand, not towards your consciousness that tries to monitor yourself constantly. Just do whatever you are doing - do it the best way you can, do it quietly, speedily and efficiently. If you concentrate your effort in this way, you might realize that really no effort is necessary on your side - the action takes care of itself.
Timo
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