Zazen meditation

[Jundo]

Ha, ha, thank you, so true!! I had a frustrating day yesterday, so I woke up early, decided to meditate right aways and thought this would be a great way to start my day off. I ended up having the worst struggles with not being able to stop my mind, focused on my breath, counted my breath, it didn't matter--20 min of struggling. But, I got up, I said to myself "this is ok, this is all zazen" and I've been able to open and clear my mind from all that clutter throughout the day. And when I start to struggle again, I just start over again. So, I guess that is what zazen is all about.

Wonderful!

Sometimes struggling ... sometimes not struggling ...

... but when learning the Great Timeless Not Struggling (all caps ) with, in and through-and-through both the times of struggling and the time of not struggling ...

... Zazen.

Seen with a Buddha's Eye , rainy days are just rainy ... whether nurturing the flowers or ruining our picnic ...

... sunny days are just sunny ... whether allowing that picnic or just giving us a sunburn! So, let rainy days just be rainy, sunny days just sunny, the times we love be the times we love, the times we do not care for or resist (like that sunburn!) just the times we do not care for and resist. Know the Great Non-Resistance (all caps) found in both resisting and not resisting, manifesting as both the beautiful and ugly weather. A Buddha's Smile of Joy and Equanimity holding both days of human smiles and days of tears.



That is why even struggling with Zazen is good Zazen when we do not Struggle even while sometimes struggling.

Gassho, J

[Joyo]

thank you Jundo. I practiced Zen Buddhism without a sangha of any kind (due to where I live) for a year before finding TreeLeaf. I have learned more in the last week than I did in that year that I was by myself. I considered TNH my teacher, but it's just not the same as having this online sangha. I am so grateful to the teachers and the help I have received here already!!