Hello my fellow Treeleafer's,
I hope all of you are well and getting ready for spring. I had a wonderful experience the other day from a not so wonderful situation and thought I would share it with you all ... here goes. =)
This morning I shared a story with our friend and Sangha member Joyo about an experience I had today and thought I would like to share it with the rest of you. It might be long, so I apologize in advance, but I feel it needs these words to express each moment completely. Recently my truck died and it has been a mystery of why it won't start. So onto the web I went to try and understand what is going on with it and how I may be able to fix it. It has been a challenge in a way to where it has broken me outside of my routine of my day to day activates and responsibilities. Go here, go there, do this, do that and a lot of the time without really thinking of experiencing each of those moments in our daily lives. It is interesting how when we sit upon our cushions and just being with these moments to come to see and understand our lives in such a different way - and yet when we get up we are pulled back into that maze and back and forth.
I had an experience today that I would like to share with you in regards to these moments in our lives, but more specifically being present "right there" in those moments. The hear the soft encouraging tune flow from the speaking of my clock telling me it is time to rise, time to get up and get ready to face the day, to face these moments. But this morning was a little different for I needed to get my stuff ready to carry on my bike while I ride to my Aikido class. A clear, brisk, and dark morning was waiting for me to embrace it - to open up and experience it exactly how it is. I jump onto my bike start peddling and woooossshh, right there in that moment I was reminded of that clear, brisk morning air. So I pedalled a little bit faster to warm up and as I did the felt this calm quiet stillness rush over me ... I smelt the smoke that linger in the moist morning air as others in my community started to rise to face their day, their moments. In this moment I truly felt alive, present, and grounded. As my legs continued to spin the cranks on my bike I felt gratitude - gratitude for this practice that we all share; gratitude for my teacher; gratitude for this Sangha; gratitude for that stuffed ball of fabric for allowing me the opportunity to learn and grow to just be present in each and every moment, just as it is.
When I bowed onto the mat I could feel a sense of calmness, different then others times when I have bowed onto the mat. I also felt relaxed and fluid with my movements, as if there was no other place that I needed to be, and nothing else I needed to do other than what I was doing at that moment. Walking outside after Aikido the sun was shining bright in the sky and the birds were chirping away. Again I could feel this true connection to that very moment. I always enjoy a nice cup of coffee after Aikido, so off I pedalled to the local coffee shop for a cup of java and a muffin. When I was finished and riding home again I felt this flood of joy and stillness wash over me once again ... it is hard to explain, but I felt completely at peace. Just the day before I was worried about my truck and what was wrong with it? Can I fix it? How much is it going to cost me? What am I going to do if I can't afford to fix it? But all those worries fell away when I was on my bike. It was almost like the truck breaking down was giving me the opportunity to learn to stop, take a breathe, and live in this moment right now - completely right now. Sometimes life has it's own agenda and we can get caught up in it needing to do this, needing to be that, etc. Again I was thankful for this moment to be present.
The sun continued to stay out shine nice and bright, so I was happy for that as I had a Chiropractor appointment that I needed to bike to. Again, thanks to my broken truck, I was able to be present fully to what life was going to offer me. I ended up being about 10 mins early to my appointment and the Dr. was running a bit behind, so as I was waiting this old fella asked me if I bike a lot. I said I do, but not so much in the winter time as I am a wimp =), but now that it is getting nicer, I do enjoy a good ride. But as I was wiping the sweat from my brow I told him that normally I drive here so I am not all sweaty. He smiled. So for the next 15 or so minutes we just chatted about this and that ... a little politics, a little about bikes and fixing thing, the importance of family and friends. Then when I was called for my time with the Dr. I smiled to the man got up and started to walk away, but right then I stopped, turned around offered my hand and said, "I'm Michael, thanks for the great chat". A smile from ear to ear followed with a joyous, "Thank you"! Normally I don't do these sorts of things as I am fairly shy out in the real world, but today for some reason I felt totally connected and part of each and every moment.
After my treatment with the Dr. I was chatting with the receptionist and she was saying how nice it was that I sat and chatted with that older fellow. Turns out that his wife had just left him and he was feeling out of sorts. You see he was 82 years old and his life that he had know for so long was gone. I didn't know this at the time and if it wasn't for my truck breaking down and encouraging me to be more present to each moment as I go throughout my day, I may have lost that opportunity to connect, to share a story or two, and a smile. So you see, sitting on our cushions is vital to our practice as it gives us the opportunity to learn and grow. To come to understand and accept life just as it is, but also at the same time to give help and support and make change where we can. =)
Gassho
Shingen
#sattoday
I hope all of you are well and getting ready for spring. I had a wonderful experience the other day from a not so wonderful situation and thought I would share it with you all ... here goes. =)
This morning I shared a story with our friend and Sangha member Joyo about an experience I had today and thought I would like to share it with the rest of you. It might be long, so I apologize in advance, but I feel it needs these words to express each moment completely. Recently my truck died and it has been a mystery of why it won't start. So onto the web I went to try and understand what is going on with it and how I may be able to fix it. It has been a challenge in a way to where it has broken me outside of my routine of my day to day activates and responsibilities. Go here, go there, do this, do that and a lot of the time without really thinking of experiencing each of those moments in our daily lives. It is interesting how when we sit upon our cushions and just being with these moments to come to see and understand our lives in such a different way - and yet when we get up we are pulled back into that maze and back and forth.
I had an experience today that I would like to share with you in regards to these moments in our lives, but more specifically being present "right there" in those moments. The hear the soft encouraging tune flow from the speaking of my clock telling me it is time to rise, time to get up and get ready to face the day, to face these moments. But this morning was a little different for I needed to get my stuff ready to carry on my bike while I ride to my Aikido class. A clear, brisk, and dark morning was waiting for me to embrace it - to open up and experience it exactly how it is. I jump onto my bike start peddling and woooossshh, right there in that moment I was reminded of that clear, brisk morning air. So I pedalled a little bit faster to warm up and as I did the felt this calm quiet stillness rush over me ... I smelt the smoke that linger in the moist morning air as others in my community started to rise to face their day, their moments. In this moment I truly felt alive, present, and grounded. As my legs continued to spin the cranks on my bike I felt gratitude - gratitude for this practice that we all share; gratitude for my teacher; gratitude for this Sangha; gratitude for that stuffed ball of fabric for allowing me the opportunity to learn and grow to just be present in each and every moment, just as it is.
When I bowed onto the mat I could feel a sense of calmness, different then others times when I have bowed onto the mat. I also felt relaxed and fluid with my movements, as if there was no other place that I needed to be, and nothing else I needed to do other than what I was doing at that moment. Walking outside after Aikido the sun was shining bright in the sky and the birds were chirping away. Again I could feel this true connection to that very moment. I always enjoy a nice cup of coffee after Aikido, so off I pedalled to the local coffee shop for a cup of java and a muffin. When I was finished and riding home again I felt this flood of joy and stillness wash over me once again ... it is hard to explain, but I felt completely at peace. Just the day before I was worried about my truck and what was wrong with it? Can I fix it? How much is it going to cost me? What am I going to do if I can't afford to fix it? But all those worries fell away when I was on my bike. It was almost like the truck breaking down was giving me the opportunity to learn to stop, take a breathe, and live in this moment right now - completely right now. Sometimes life has it's own agenda and we can get caught up in it needing to do this, needing to be that, etc. Again I was thankful for this moment to be present.
The sun continued to stay out shine nice and bright, so I was happy for that as I had a Chiropractor appointment that I needed to bike to. Again, thanks to my broken truck, I was able to be present fully to what life was going to offer me. I ended up being about 10 mins early to my appointment and the Dr. was running a bit behind, so as I was waiting this old fella asked me if I bike a lot. I said I do, but not so much in the winter time as I am a wimp =), but now that it is getting nicer, I do enjoy a good ride. But as I was wiping the sweat from my brow I told him that normally I drive here so I am not all sweaty. He smiled. So for the next 15 or so minutes we just chatted about this and that ... a little politics, a little about bikes and fixing thing, the importance of family and friends. Then when I was called for my time with the Dr. I smiled to the man got up and started to walk away, but right then I stopped, turned around offered my hand and said, "I'm Michael, thanks for the great chat". A smile from ear to ear followed with a joyous, "Thank you"! Normally I don't do these sorts of things as I am fairly shy out in the real world, but today for some reason I felt totally connected and part of each and every moment.
After my treatment with the Dr. I was chatting with the receptionist and she was saying how nice it was that I sat and chatted with that older fellow. Turns out that his wife had just left him and he was feeling out of sorts. You see he was 82 years old and his life that he had know for so long was gone. I didn't know this at the time and if it wasn't for my truck breaking down and encouraging me to be more present to each moment as I go throughout my day, I may have lost that opportunity to connect, to share a story or two, and a smile. So you see, sitting on our cushions is vital to our practice as it gives us the opportunity to learn and grow. To come to understand and accept life just as it is, but also at the same time to give help and support and make change where we can. =)
Gassho
Shingen
#sattoday
for positive poetry 優婆塞 台 婆
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