The Radical Effort of Non-Effort Meditate is Not A Verb)

[acss1]

Hi Everyone,

I've been a member here for some years but don't post much. This isn't a reflection on this wonderful community, but rather my time constraints.

I chanced upon this wonderful article by Domyo Burk(whom I believe is currently president of the SZBA, I could be wrong though). I thought everyone here would appreciate it. Enjoy!

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/myjourneyofconscience/2015/05/13/the-radical-effort-of-non-effort-meditate-is-not-a-verb/

Al


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[acss1]

I was in error, she is not the SZBA president.


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[Shugen]

Thank you for the link.

Gassho,

Shugen

#sattoday

[Mp]

Thank you for the share Al. =)

Gassho
Shingen

#sattoday

[Jundo]

Thank you. Domyo is the current Administrator of the SZBA, and has been very friendly to this place (I should invite her as a guest Teacher!).

There is a little danger in how she phrases this, cause some people may assume that she is saying that Zazen is "just sitting around, doin' nothin', twiddling one's thumbs". That is not what is meant by her "doing nothing". I like to say that it is sincere, energetic sitting of "nothing in need of doing, for nothing lacking", but that is just how I like to put thing. One might say that it is vigorously doing-non-doing, sitting as the one action needed in the whole universe in that time of sitting.

For me, that avoids the misunderstanding that Shikantaza is just sitting "like a bump on a log", or that merely crossing the legs and straightening the back is the whole deal.

As she says at the end ...

We already have everything we need. When we sit, we are sitting buddha – no matter how admirable or insufficient our meditative concentration. Buddha does not depend on this. By our sitting, by our not doing, we place ourselves in alignment with this truth. Naturally we want to consciously realize it, and this is passion behind our effort, but the irony is that we consciously realize it when we become completely immersed in nondoing.

Gassho, J

SatToday

[Joyo]

Thank you Al, and Jundo as I did feel a bit confused after reading this. (although it is a great article!)

My mind wanders all the time while sitting, and I just gently bring it back to just sitting. Nothing else to add, or think about, or do....just sit. It's interesting how difficult it has proven to be (for me at least) and how much studying can be done on the art of sitting and doing nothing. I'm still trying to figure it out, in a non-figuring it out sort of way.

Gassho,
Joyo
sat today

[Troy]

Thank you for the link


..sat2day•合掌

[Kaishin]

Thank you
-satToday

[acss1]

Jundo,

Thanks for your take. I agree. I suppose I found the piece encouraging during a time in my practice where everything feels too effortful. I need to relax a little [emoji57]

Gassho,

Al

sat today


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