After The Rain

Cherry blossoms after the rain

Pattern the ground

With no purpose

Only a rest after a fall.

Balance ~ The Middle Way

A Yogi practicing her asanas one day realized that the plantar wart on her left foot seemed to have grown and was, she believed, throwing her balance off. So she decided to use a remedy to remove the annoying plantar bump.

This same Yogi also had a regular meditation practice. Often her emotions would arise to the surface and she would struggle with overwhelming feelings of anger and grief. Tears of anger would fill her eyes and drip down her cheeks filling her hands cupped in mudra. She thought if only I could get rid of this anger, I would stop crying. So with great determination she practiced being firm, unmoving and non-preferential to all her feelings.

After some time, the plantar bump was disolved away and in its place was a hole. To her utter disbelief, she found that the hole in her foot also put her off balance. When she discovered this she cried out with anger and grief.

"How can I find and keep my balance?"

The moral of the story is balance like all in the middle way is not fixed, firm and lasting.
Sometimes there is a deep precipice on one side, and a steep cliff on the other, yet the middle way is finding a place where comfort meets discomfort over and over again.

A Discourse On Compassion

Tommi: I've heard you say that you believe your life is a path of compassion. Could you explain this?

Hoyu: Well, this is through personal experience. Turning away from adversity and challenges in life lead (and have led) to suffering. Through the experience of investigating and immersing into the cause of suffering there is the opportunity to become aware even of its transient nature. Suffering arises and then after a while dissolves. (Just as non-suffering does) This change is not an option or even a choice. The only choice is how we respond to the obvious nature of change.

Perhaps, the practice is to move mindfully along the path of suffering/compassion until awakening to the realization of it being the doorway. The understanding that there truly is no separation.

A favourite quote from "There Is Nothing Wrong With You" by Cheri Huber seems to ring true.

The only way out of this life of suffering is through the doorway of compassion.

"But how do you find the doorway?"

You can't find it because you are it. The moment there is nothing left of you but compassion, you ARE the doorway. The door is wide open and you are free.

This is accompanied by a wonderful line drawing of a face looking down towards the chest/heart which displays an open door with a dancing figure in it.

Suffering becomes an option when you experience suffering and non-suffering.

Tommi: Okay, so that is the personal journey. How do you extend compassion to others?

Hoyu: First by being compassionate with yourself. This is an incredibly difficult practice because western social conditioning is focussed on "shame and blame". Moving beyond this and really understanding that mistakes happen. And not only do mistakes transpire but accidents happen, tragedies occur, errors exist, unskillful thinking is followed by unskillful behaviour. Becoming aware, correcting where possible, understanding that everyone makes mistakes and applying liberal self forgiveness all can be a precursor to compassion. Only through self forgiveness and compassion can the same be accorded to others.

Of course, this explanation because of the nature of words infers that this existence is linear. The explaining is only intended to be a finger pointing at an idea.

The Way of Illness

I have decided to take a different tack with this viral infection.

Instead of fighting it, I now make peace with it.

Embrace it, with love and understanding, as if it were a dear friend.

After all it is here to teach me to slow down, remind me that I am not immortal and show me what a blessing good health is. It too has a life that it must live, the natural course of things is that it will arise and then it will dissolve. Instead of offering anger and fear, I will make offerings of Kama c.a.z.e., Happy Planet Cold & Flu Remedy shot, hot ginger tea, hot epsom salt baths, deep, healing breaths, gentle yin yoga, more zazen, peppermint and lavender oils. I will sacrifice dairy products, negative thoughts and long waking hours for more rest, sleep and gentleness to my-self.

As the life of this virus draws to a close, I will thank it for visiting me and teaching me more about true me.

Sangha Sunday in a Salmon Forest!

Thanks everyone for a wonderful morning. Best kept secret: the Goldstream Visitor Centre http://www.goldstreampark.com/freeman_king_visitor_center.htm

Maggie, I thought you might like to see the green buddha trophy in its new temporary home.

...I want to thank my mom and my dad, and my ex-sister-in-law Hiroko, who gave me the wonderful striped hat...

ps the cat pictured looks like Mr Bingley aka His Princeliness, but is in fact dear sweet Annie, the most protective and motherly cat you could wish for.

True You Haiku

Wake now sleepy self

True you has no-thing to do

Yes! Arise dissolve

Perhaps

Perhaps the cherry blossoms of youth

Plant the seeds to inner truth

But as the cherry blossoms fall

Return to earth, still one~with~all.

Virtual Zendo

I attended Eshu's two "virtual zendo" web conferences this week...it was a powerful experience to sit at home and yet with the sangha. What was usually a challenge for me became much easier, as I sat for 45 minutes. Monday morning's sit inspired me to sit on Tuesday for 45 minutes on my own...

Thanks to Eshu and to everyone that participates!

I've attached a picture of my butsudan at home, complete with the VZC virtual zendo streaming on my iPhone (you can download the Adobe Connect app for free from the App Store).

Suchness

Practicing meditation in every moment; posturing asanas in every movement.
The limitations of the words describe the moment as separate; the limitless practicing flows so there is no separation.

~

Jiki is firm but loving; stern but sweet.

Practicing both giving and receiving corrections.

Ego sits in a corner minding its own business.

Popping up occasionally to remind true self that it is there to tease and taunt to test and torment ... and remind.

~ ~

A Haiku ~ 3 = 1

when three become one

subject object distance

subobjdis true love

Noble Truth of Suffering

Dear friends,

I wanted to write to you all to talk about some of my challenges and struggles on the path. I read last night the vows that I took at Jukai and reminded myself of the commitments I made. I came to Zen practice in response to the noble truth of suffering as it manifested in my own life. I was going through a period of anxiety and insomnia and I needed to find a way forward. Through the years that I have been involved with the Centre, I have seen many positive changes happen in my life and some major shifts in my awareness and responsiveness to the world around me. Yet, through this, I continued to hit against the old patterns, the battles with sleep, the anxiety and self-doubt. Recently, I have found myself struggling again with many of the same challenges. Pounding anxiety with no obvious source and the struggles to gain rest. The teachings have been a great source of strength, yet the challenges persist. I am committed to following the teachings of Buddha, to apply his antidote of awareness, meditation and no-self to the suffering that is present. The practice does not protect me from difficulties - it is not an insurance policy. But, in time, with faith and persistence, I hope that I can bring better balance to my speech, body and mind. “May all beings be well, free from harm and difficulties, may they be peaceful and happy”. Nine Bows.

Caution

Faster

Faster! Do it faster!! Do more!!! Do it all at the same time.

Why do we hurtle through life at break neck speed? Why do we want to race toward death without experiencing the precious moments of life? Most have experienced that the more we do to free up time the less time we have.

In fact, the faster we do "our stuff" the more likely we are to make mistakes. Mistakes which as we correct use more of our precious time that we are trying to save for... who knows what. Perhaps, the remedy to "not having enough time" is simply to slow down.

Slowwwwwwwwwwly and methodically brushing every tooth surface, flossing between every single tooth, tracing around each tooth with the rubber tipped tool, brushing the tongue, then rinsing and savouring a lively mouth feeling.

Or patiently and carefully cleaning glasses, plates, cups, cutlery, plastic tupperware before greasy cookware, wiping the sink, the counter, the front of the stove where we dripped spaghetti sauce, wiping behind the taps where grime deposits live, polishing up the taps to a twinkle. Fully, submersed in the detail of a complete activity, treating every moment as a shining precious jewel, we find each moment is full and complete.

And what do you know, there is more then enough time.

However, don't believe me. Try it for yourself.