Please offer any advice

[Longdog]

congratulations

Sorry there seems to be a shortage of emoticons here suitable for the result

[Fuken]

Thats great Lynn, Glad everything worked out so well!

Gassho,
Jordan

[Jundo]

Jundo

[PapaDoc]

Sweet!

[Undo]

Congratulations on the promotion. I think they chose well

[TracyF]

I went in, got the sterling review, the pay raise, and then, before asking me for my feedback, I was told that they want to move me up within the company into a supervisory role on the newly formed "Safety Committee." This Safety Committees tasks will be to oversee and ensure the safety of both clients and caregivers, as well as making sure all legal guidelines of care are being followed through the appropriate match of client with a caregiver's abilities and training. The first meeting is later in the month and they asked me to bring any and all suggestions I might have regarding this matter with me to put on the table to start the discussions.

They then asked if I had any feedback.

Holy cow, Lynn! That couldn't have worked out better. Congrats and good luck on the safety committee. You'll be an excellent asset.

[louis]

Excellent! So now when your sticking it to the man,
your sticking it to yourself.

Best Wishes,
Louis

[Gregor]

Great News Lynn, I'm so happy things worked out the way they did!

[Bansho]

Hey Lynn,

Super, that's terrific! I guess I was sound asleep while everyone else here was offering you that sound advice. Anyway, I'm glad to hear things turned out like they did.

Gassho
Ken

[Lynn]

Excellent! So now when your sticking it to the man,
your sticking it to yourself.

Yes, and, if they sussed that maybe I was sitting on the edge of blowing a whistle, they sure did the smart thing, eh? Give me a carrot and draw me further into the bosom of the company in an attempt to ensure additional loyalties, etc. Meh. I am not unaware of these tactics, but I think it is all with a pure intent rather than an attempt to cloud my judgements. Anyway, they'll certainly get my drift at the first meeting. ;-)

[will]

I think the one point that's missing is how through our buddhist practice these affairs and politics should be seen for what they are. What are those people, what is the situation really? If a situation is handled truthfully, with dignity, mindfully, and openly, then what wrong can there be? How can "I" possibly be effected by any outcome? "I" can be really tricky and I'm sorry, but this talk of how things are going to effect "You" Lynn is a little of topic. No matter what those people do or think they are still "you". Find your strength through your practice and do what you feel is right. Come on Buddha.

Gassho Will

[Jundo]

Hey Will,

From one perspective you speak Truth. But from another we have to worry that "I" might be out of a job or "I" might be responsible indirectly for a patient being hurt. Sometimes, even if we handle a situation truthfully, with dignity, mindfully, and openly, we have to worry about such outcomes. Corporations often do not appreciate such characteristics in their employees, even if the Buddha does. I think.

Gassho, Jundo

[will]

Jundo

But from another we have to worry that "I" might be out of a job or "I" might be responsible indirectly for a patient being hurt. Sometimes, even if we handle a situation truthfully, with dignity, mindfully, and openly, we have to worry about such outcomes. Corporations often do not appreciate such characteristics in their employees, even if the Buddha does. I think.

Well...the choice is yours. It is possible to make a decision that reflects what the situation needs. No? However; if practice is off then the decision making is off. I have a lot of faith in this practice, it won't make you superman, but it will help you see more clearly a given situation and without hesitation act or not.

Of course work is neccessary. What you do with it is your decision. If a buddha thinks too much about the outcome of their actions, then that Buddha is not acting, but is caught up in their thinking. Everyone has the answers in them. Why is Lynn asking for advice when the only advice she needs is her own or the advice she gets from the cushion? If she makes a wrong decision, then she makes a wrong decision. Do what needs to be done.

I guess it all comes back to the shut up and sit (or practice) motto.

Do you agree Buddha Jundo?

Gassho Will

[Lynn]

Will, the moment I think that sangha is not a useful refuge because all "I" have to do is sit on a cushion and "I" will have all the answers "I" need is the moment "I" am truly mired in delusional thinking and am most likely to create suffering for myself and others.

This is why sanzen exists, this is why we seek each other out. Yes, ultimately, my Buddha Nature always knows the Middle Way in each situation. But, I am not enlightened. I am still caught in my greeds, angers, and delusions. I am human and experience confusion and get caught in dilemmas and walk straight into the Don't Know mind. I have no problem asking for help when I really need it. I do not see it as a sign of weakness or a failure in my practice. Quite the opposite: for me, it is a greater sign of strength, of trust, and of a maturity in my practice. It is a willingness to be vulnerable and transparent before the sangha.

In Gassho~

*Lynn

[will]

Thanks for the post Lynn.

Will, the moment I think that sangha is not a useful refuge because all "I" have to do is sit on a cushion and "I" will have all the answers "I" need is the moment "I" am truly mired in delusional thinking and am most likely to create suffering for myself and others.

hmmm...I guess from my perspective, a Soto Zen Sangha is a group of people who come together to practice Soto Zen in the sense of dealing with the things that come up in their experience through practicing. Always revolving around sitting and practice. There is usually a teacher in the Sangha who has achieved some amount of realization who guides students on the path of realization using whatever means she/he sees fit. Why does that guy teach? Well, I guess, he must have realized something that he sees as being useful or true. However; I have limited experience with traditional Sanghas.

Yes. There are probably moments in your life where you feel the need to take refuge in the Sangha. We do get confused sometimes. However; for that, I say sit.

Blah, blah, blah is all I hear. I'm not convinced by the frustration, confusion, anger, greed, worry that is so intimately attached to experience. Knowing what these things are is, I think, part of the reason why we practice. Insight, Realization, Truth, non-grasping. Shattering the mirror. Knowing fully who and what we are, by sitting everyday and moment. Learning moment to moment the ways that we cause trouble and make mistakes. Not being convinced by our little worries and feelings. Not ignoring them, but coming back to the moment and just letting them go. learning how we get confused and what confusion is. Building character, strength, compassion, understanding, intimacy and EXCRUTIATING HONESTY. understanding hesitation, fear, lust, passion, tension, calm, joy, sadness. Learning to deal with people, understanding people, understanding ourself, Noticing how, when we are angry, the person we are talking to, if not mindful, has a reaction to that. No? You never noticed that before? You never noticed that when you feel uncomfortable or tense that sometimes this reflects on others? However; what ever insight we might have, WE KEEP SITTING, standing, walking, eating, working, and lying down :shock:

However; sitting is the base of the rest. Myself anyway.

You see. This is where modern society clashes with a certain teaching: "Don't get caught up in useless affairs."


Ok.


Gassho Will