living zen

Getting Back into Balance

2012-02-09T15:04:00.004+01:00

Does you feel your life is out of balance at times ? I certainly do. However, I usually not label it this way, I rather call it “a bad time”, “unfortunate circumstances” or “just a lot going wrong”. But I found thats not true, at least I’m guilty to bring my life out of balance myself all too often.
In winter in example I’m often rather bad in shape. Scientists say its the lack of light during these month., the so called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). However I actually add to this problem. In winter I’m often too lazy to put on warm clothes to go out. I not enjoy the cloudy days, the wet cold on my skin. So I stay much more inside then in summer. This way I manage to get even less light and on top I almost never exercise.

The good news is that I don’t think its too complicate to remain in balance, just be inside and be outside. Sit still and move. Relax and engage. Eat not too much and not too few, eat balanced amount of fruits, salads and well, why not, some french fries or whatever you enjoy particularly. Drink enough and the right stuff, water is best. And so on. I found that for myself it is the balance that matters.

I even kept a check list for a while to remember me to go out each day, to have at least one fruit (way too less btw) a day and so on. After following my checklist for a few weeks most of it became habitual.

What does it have to do with Zen ? Well, everything and nothing. When I’m more present and aware and not indulge in wasting time with watching TV, I more likely notice when I drift away from the middle way, the balanced living.

Thanks for reading

Gassho

Myoku

Han

2012-02-03T09:54:00.000+01:00

"Great is the matter of Birth and death; Life slips quickly by; Time waits for no one; Wake up, wake up; Don't waste a moment!" typical writing on a han

right livelihood

2012-02-01T08:23:00.000+01:00

This post is inspired from a discussion at treeleaf.org (I cant link to it, as its on a members-only forum)

Taking the buddha path means to pay attention on every moment. When sitting zazen we are just sitting, paying attention to nothing particular but at the same time to everything.

Part of our precepts is to not engage in jobs which cause sufferings to others. Not sell weapons, not deal with alcohol or drugs (except for medical purposes of course), do not kill,… there is a lot. But is it all clear and easy?

When I sit zazen there is no question. When I get up, I wont sell guns or alcohol. I rarely eat meat, but when I do I'm aware that I created suffering. I cant see it, but I know about industrial meat production.

But whats better: not to sell alcohol at all or to do it with an compassionate mind, trying to minimize negative effects ? Thats indeed a tricky one, but I believe only when we intellectualize it. When it comes to doing, I'm clear about it in every moment.

do it now

2012-01-24T15:56:00.000+01:00

Now that I started this blog, I found myself having high expectations. I feel the need to write something really useful, something really wise and deep. Do I have to ? I feel like. But honestly, everyone can blog, and many people make use of that fact.

The main reason I never started to blog in the past was, that I felt its already written enough, said enough, teached enough and from people much wiser than me, so what useful blog can I add ? But here I go, blogging as good as I can.

Isn’t it like that always in our life ? Are we not sometimes hesitating to do something just because we feel we’re not good enough, not prepared enough ? But shouldn’t we just do, give it a try and give our best. And then lets see. If what we do is of value for others thats great. If not we can stop it at any point.

If I think of how long I read about zen before taking place on a cushion … I wasted years. So thats what my post is about, just doing it, not waiting for the perfect time and ourselves being well prepared, do it now and improve while doing. Maybe there is something you thought about doing for a while too ? Why not starting today ?

Thanks for reading and Gassho

kick off

2012-01-20T15:05:00.000+01:00

So ... finally this blog goes online. Thought about it for a while, not sure whether to do it in my native language German or better go with English I finally go with what I expect more (potential) readers to prefer.

Anyway, here it is. Finding a address thats not already taken is quite a tricky thing as everyone seems to want a "zen" blog of the one or other kind, which is not a bad thing per se. So I went with "zazendo.blogspot.com" which is at least related to a zazendo (or often just zendo), so a place of particular importance on the zen path.

Having said this, yes, there is nothing of more or less importance from some point of view, and there is no place where we not possibly could sit zen. What counts, really, is to do zazen every day. I didn't believe that at first but finally I got it.

Expect more about practice and especially about bringing zen into daily life - every single part of life - during the next posts.
Thanks for reading and Gassho