Slow down and sit to slow down.

I've read about three basic "Buddhist personality types" (I use that phrase with trepidation that it will become used as such.) They are based upon the Three Poisons: Greed (desire), Hate (aversion) and Delusion (confusion); thus people whose natural tendencies are either to Desire, Judge or be Confused. Think about people you know. Which tendency do they predominantly possess? Fun, huh? Now stop that game, it goes nowhere skillful.

We all possess each of these three tendencies. Each will manifest through our thoughts, words and actions dependent on the specific circumstances of a moment and the karma we bring to that moment. Faster than the speed of thought; thus faster than the speed of words and actions. We are controlled by our desires, our judgements, our delusions unless we slow down.

In Zazen we sit and slow down. Yesterday at the Zendog this chant found me while sitting: "No desire, no judgement, no confusion." I was not denying my human nature. I was not wishing them away. I was realizing that in the pure moment itself there is no desire, no judgement, no confusion; there is my breath, my observation of the three poisons as they may arise and my release of them as they arise - all in the moment. (Thanks Jack and Pete for the support.)

May we slow down and observe ourselves before thought, speech or deed, becoming skillful in our thoughts, our words and our actions. For this I am grateful.

Trust opened my eyes

Tonight I went to the Flowing Water Sangha for 1/2 hour evening meditation. The group meets just around the corner from my house but I've only been there for special weekend events, never during the week.

Tonight I'm a bachelor and got home from work dragging a funky mood around with me. I stopped and thought about heading over, realized that sitting would be a helpful response to my mood; and that I am committed to sitting so why wouldn't I go sit.

It was a small group. We sat for half an hour and were done. I got a hug and headed for home. Once outside I heard geese, looked up and saw a V of geese not more than 50 feet above, heading north of all directions. Beauty in flight. Beauty inside.

All was perfect when got home. Just as all was perfect when I had arrived home earlier in the evening also. Blessings do not recognize blindness. Trust opened my eyes.

Effort and ease

We talked at the Zendog last night about effort and ease; about how the negative emotions we bring to a task make it difficult and full of suffering. What a great practice it is to notice any negative emotions we are bringing before we start a task or as we undertake it, to let them go and to do what there is to be done with ease and minimal suffering.

Speaking Truth

Why is China going ballistic over the Dalai Lama being awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor?

The Minister for Religious Affairs (sic) (there's the first clue) says that he is a splitist and has no following. This statement came on the sidelines of the "Peoples" Congress (another clue) that is currently taking place in Beijing. He claims that the DL's statements against Tibetan independence but for significant autonomy are just a lie, a cover for independence.

Well - who do we believe? The above mentioned minister? May he be blessed with the happiness that comes with truth himself. Or the DL? A human like us but one who speaks truth more often than most of us.

Let's all of us speak truth today; to ourselves and to others. Blessings .

A semicolon a day ...

What would it mean to "Live every day as if it were your last"?

But first, why live every day as if it were your last? Because it could be? Sure. Because it is? Yes again, in the sense that we are never the same, every changing. I never drink coffee, I drink coffee now; I am 30, I am 50 now; my parents live in Lorain, my parents are dead now. Each change a gift that calls for me to be grateful. Each change leads to another - thankfully.

For me these days each day is another opportunity to:

• Read more poetry
• Drink coffee
• Make friends anew
• Be present to now
• And most importantly make use of semicolons; not everyone's cup of tea but one that brings me inestimable joy.

Writers & the War Against Nature

Read this essay by Gary Snyder: http://www.resurgence.org/2006/snyder239.htm

I just read it and sharing it is a must. Thanks.

Time alone

Time alone is so important to me. I love my wife and enjoy spending all kinds of time with her. As I do with the two people who call me "dad". I enjoy my friends, both in person and more and more these days in facsimile. Yet if I do not have time alone I often feel like I can't breathe. I like breathing. Breathing likes me.

Cooling skys

Oh how sorrow comes,
Red eyes honor its visit.
Cooling skys are pink.