I woke with anxiety #today. I often do and am learning how better to deal with it. I have to lead a meeting with my new team later this morning. Could be simple social anxiety but may be connected with other concerns about being a new employee.
I've tapped into my equanimity and deployed some tools. I am good, if not happy or excited. At all events, I will feel better after the meeting. And hopefully have another experience to help tame that specific anxiety.
To clarify, thanks to my deepening meditation and reflection practices, anxiety feels different to me now. Hard to explain but maybe less immediate or urgent expresses some of it. Still not pleasant but thanks to my stronger equanimity, I am able to simply be with it, examine it, and that is usually enough to start letting it go. #zen#zazen#buddhism
I heard a great interview with a dharma teacher who really identified and clarified the discomfort I have been feeling as my meditation practice has deepened.
That unease has lessened or maybe I've gotten used to it. The interview also validated how I've been choosing to explore the unease and use new to me tools to work with it. #zen#buddhism
Bonjour Bonjour
Il fait beau ce matin au pays du Roi Morvan.
C est horrible, j ai envie de faire plein de choses et seulement une journée pour en profiter
Du velo, nettoyer ma terrasse, jardiner, être chez moi, voir des amis 😱
Allez on se recentre #zen
Belle journée à tous 🍀
Bullez bien 😘😘😘
If I say “dogs exist” but someone else believes that all dogs I see are “wolves” and not “dogs” then as far as they are concerned I am wrong.
I could give them a book showing the differences in dog and wolf anatomy but that assumes they will accept the differences are big enough to agree that they are two different animals which they won’t unless it fits their belief of evidence or they face social pressure to accept my belief as the truth.
My comfort at my new $dayjob keeps growing. I am still preparing for my first project and have some ideas for some coding to help me work out a few ideas before the formal kick off.
I am planning to end my work early to visit my usual weekly haunt, Saints Row Brewing, to see my friends among the staff and regulars.
When Ananda observed that admirable friendship was the “half of the holy life,” the Buddha interrupted, “Don’t say that, Ananda. Don’t say that. Admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie is actually the whole of the holy life”
The temple Manpukuji (黄檗山万福寺) near Uji south of Kyōto City was recommended by a friend from Vienna, which was perfect because I like to be surprised instead of investigating a place in advance. I kept thinking it was like the Chinese Buddhist temples I've only seen in places like Chinatowns in Yokohama and Kōbe as well as Hawaii, Singapore, Thailand, and Hong Kong before the reversion. Also, photos were allowed anywhere, so I guessed that it was a Zen temple. At the end of exploring the large temple precincts, I saw a sign that explained that indeed it was based on a Chan Buddhist temple in Fuzhou, and has many designated cultural properties, having remained intact since 1661.
Life is continuously trying to see how far it can push us towards the edge.
If we believe that there is a huge amount of energy required to push back against what is pushing us then there will be.
If we don’t believe there is huge effort required then there won’t be.
If one sees past the illusions, the schemes will not end there because life is continuously trying to push us away, and no matter how aware one might be, one is bound to fall into the same trap.
Btw, I’m looking to follow a few more folks who practice #ZenBuddhism.
I’m a #SotoZen newbie & just attended my first sesshin. I’d like to expand my understanding & see how other folks interpret or explore their practices! Disabled ppl especially!
I combine my dharmic studies with science/skeptic based nature witchiness. (I’m also curious about I Ching & Chinese 5 Element studies, since I deeply relate to Tarot & 4 element witchcraft.)
There will come a day where words such as ‘Disordered’ and ‘Mental Illness’ will be as frowned upon as ‘Deaf and Dumb’, ‘Imbecile’ and ‘Idiotic’ are now.
And the facilities, authority figures and other tools used to convert or section non-conforming members of society will be as equally frowned upon as Victorian psychiatric practices are now.
Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet by Thich Nhat Hanh, 2021
We face a potent intersection of crises: ecological destruction, rising inequality, racial injustice, and the lasting impacts of a devastating pandemic. The situation is beyond urgent. To face these challenges, we need to find ways to strengthen our clarity, compassion, and courage to act.