Taiji Camp

I'm going to taiji camp this weekend, so I probably won't be able to post anything for a while. A final thought (from 26 July on my calendar):

Zen is not safe. Letting go is a big risk. People are scared out of their minds to let go. To really let go of everything. To let go of everything! That's the big one, isn't it?

—Maurine Stuart

A poem by Basho

Slender, so slender
its stalk bends under dew --
little yellow flower

—Basho, translation found on the link above

Certainly a reminder of how precious and fragile life is. But more than that, it is a beautiful image. As a taiji player, I see the 'stalk bending' as an exmaple of Sung (alert relaxation). The flower is not stiff and tense, fighting the extra weight. Instead, it yields.

The Way

The master asked Nan-ch'uan, "What is the Way?"
Nan-ch'uan said, "Ordinary mind is the Way."
The master said, "Then may I direct myself towards it or not?"
Nan-ch'uan said, "To seek [it] is to deviate [from it]."
The master said, "If I do not seek, how can I know about the Way?"
Nan-ch'uan said, "The Way does not belong to knowing or not knowing. To know is to have a concept; to not know is to be ignorant. If you truly realize the Way of no doubt, it is just like the sky: wide open vast emptiness. How can you say 'yes' or 'no' to it?"
At these words, the master had sudden enlightenment. His mind became like the clear moon.

—from The Recorded Sayings of Zen Master Joshu, translated by James Green

I'm not sure how much to say about this one... You cannot apply effort to following the Way, because that is not the Way. Yet if you do nothing, you do not find the Way. How, then? You allow the Way to open up inside of you, and around you. Suddenly, there is no following or not following. There is just that-which-is. This is the Way.

MILK: Manic Incessant Links and Klicking...

Ummm.... Looking over the posts for yesterday and the day before, I realize just how much the milk had affected me. It's not that I wouldn't have posted similar things without my head being messed up. It's that I wouldn't have posted so much all on the same day. I think I got into a headspace where I thought posting something would make the weird feeling in my head go away. It didn't. So I posted more. Yeah, there's logic... *mutters to herself*

The Blind Men and the Elephant

I've always liked this story... :-D The link is to an older Buddhist version.

It was six men of Indostan
To learning much inclined,
Who went to see the Elephant
(Though all of them were blind),
That each by observation
Might satisfy his mind


The First approached the Elephant,
And happening to fall
Against his broad and sturdy side,
At once began to bawl:
“God bless me! but the Elephant
Is very like a wall!”


The Second, feeling of the tusk,
Cried, “Ho! what have we here
So very round and smooth and sharp?
To me ’tis mighty clear
This wonder of an Elephant
Is very like a spear!”


The Third approached the animal,
And happening to take
The squirming trunk within his hands,
Thus boldly up and spake:
“I see,” quoth he, “the Elephant
Is very like a snake!”


The Fourth reached out an eager hand,
And felt about the knee.
“What most this wondrous beast is like
Is mighty plain,” quoth he;
“ ‘Tis clear enough the Elephant
Is very like a tree!”


The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear,
Said: “E’en the blindest man
Can tell what this resembles most;
Deny the fact who can
This marvel of an Elephant
Is very like a fan!”


The Sixth no sooner had begun
About the beast to grope,
Than, seizing on the swinging tail
That fell within his scope,
“I see,” quoth he, “the Elephant
Is very like a rope!”


And so these men of Indostan
Disputed loud and long,
Each in his own opinion
Exceeding stiff and strong,
Though each was partly in the right,
And all were in the wrong!

—John Godfrey Saxe

Manjushri Enters the Gate

One day Manjushri stood outside the gate whe Buddha called to him. "Manjushri, Manjushri, why do you not enter?"
"I do not see a thing outside the gate. Why should I enter?" Manjushri answered.

—Nyogen Senzaki, from The Iron Flute

When you have understood, there is no inside or outside. Everything is already inside, so no purpose is served by entering the gate. Those who do not understand and condemn the ones 'outside the gate' cannot see past the illusion. No distinctions. No difference.

Seung Sahn

What we call "world" is only an opinion. Take away your opinions, then what? What is left? That's the point. Take away your opinion—your condition, situation—then your mind is clear like space. Clear like space means clear like a mirror. A mirror reflects everything: the sky is blue, tree is green, sugar is sweet. Just be one with the truth—that's Zen style. If your mind is clear like space, then you see clearly, hear clearly, smell clearly—everything clear. That is dharma. That is truth.

—Seung Sahn

From 22 July on my Zen calendar. The link in the title is to a biography of this remarkable monk (an entertaining biography, btw; he's a ZEN monk). There are lots of ideas in this passage I could focus on, so I'll pick just one.

"A mirror reflects everything." The mirror does not judge or try to change that-which-is. Nor does it try to deny it. It reflects all that it sees. So should we be with the world. Certainly there are problems in the world, but before a problem can be fixed, it must be seen for what it is. No judgment, just observation. Somewhere in that observation is the key to its solution, or, sometimes, the realization that it is not a problem. Too often we see people leap in with "solutions" full of judgment and opinion. More often than not, these "solutions" only make the situation worse. Why? Because they did not take the time to see the situation without judging it. Situations are not good or bad of themselves. They just are.

There's a Zen parable that illustrates how futile it is to judge a situation. I'll tell it as best I remember.

An old farmer and his son happened upon a horse in their field. They calmed it and managed to capture it. It was a magnificent beast, and would make their trips to check on their fields much easier. A neighbor heard the story of finding the horse, and said, "How fortunate you are!"

The farmer shrugged. "We shall see."

The next day, the farmer's son was thrown from the horse and broke his leg. Again the neighbor heard the tale. "Oh. What rotten luck it was that you found that horse!"

Again the farmer shrugged. "We shall see."

The following day, a conscription army marched by, forcing all able-bodied young men into service. Because the farmer's son had a broken leg, he was spared. "How fortunate you are!" the neighbor exclaimed again.

The farmer still only shrugged. "We shall see."

Paradise

You cannot avoid paradise. You can only avoid seeing it.

—Charlotte Joko Beck

This is from 21 July on my Zen calendar. How to explain this one... The world is what it is: that we cannot change. Misery comes from trying to make the world something other than what it is. It also comes from trying to hold on to things that are temporary. When we let go of our illusions, of our insistence and attachments, of our fears... we find that paradise was in this world all along. We just weren't seeing it. We weren't allowing ourselves to see it.

Ecstasy is a New Frequency **

This is a book by Chris Griscom, affiliated with something called "The Light Institute." I have mixed feelings about the book.

Let me say, first off, that I would not have bought this book or picked it up on my own. It was loaned to me by my taiji instructor when I asked about auras. The writing style...is annoying. Fuzzy and smug. The fuzziness is somewhat understandable. It's difficult to put some of this stuff in concrete terms. It's the smugness that bothers me. The "I have found something entirely new and everyone needs to see" attitude that permeates so many New Age writings.

Griscom also believes in a kind of reincarnation that I looked into and dismissed. Namely, that souls choose each and every incarnation on their own in order to learn a new lesson. I have no doubt that some souls are advanced enough to do this, but I am equally certain that many more of them are just being flung into the material world with no conscious control. Some souls probably get reabsorbed so that new ones can be created, as well, so to say that every soul has countless past lives is misleading.

Looking past the annoyingly fluffy and smug language, there is some worthwhile information. In my other blog, I described using one of the exercises to stop my family from projecting their emotions into me. I would bet that two years ago, it wouldn't have worked. I wouldn't have had the chi control. I'm not sure it would have worked even a year ago. Yet Griscom casually mentions this exercise without giving any background technique to learn to actually project energy this way. Still, there aren't a lot of exercises mentioned. Mostly the book is a lot of fluffy ideals (I'll reserve judgment on her enlightened dolphins and whales until I have a personal encounter, but I will say I have doubts). Fine, we have an emotional body, astral body, higher mind, higher self, spiritual body. These are not new ideas, and I would like to find a book with a clearer description of them since Griscom gets carried away on her own wavelength.

The thing that was least convincing to me was the idea that this was the 'new' age, that something profound and different was taking place in this very age. The only thing that is 'new' is the degree to which these concepts are taking root in the West. They've been known in the East for thousands of years. I also got a sense that Griscom advocates forcing spiritual development, rather than allowing it. Now, at one point she specifically admonishes against forcing, but a lot of her discriptions seem to imply forcing.

So overall, I'd give this book two stars (**) out of five. A good introduction to the ideas of these astral bodies, etc, but a very biased and fluffy one.

Personality test via colors...

I'm posting this because parts of the results were surprisingly accurate. Also, it's simple and quick. Anyway, these were my results:

PROBLEM UNDERLYING THE PRESENT STRESS -- Seeks to avoid criticism and to prevent restriction of his freedom to act, and to decide for himself by the exercise of great personal charm in his dealings with others.
First part is dead on. But great personal charm? Me?


DESIRED OBJECTIVE -- Longs for a tender and sympathetic bond and for a situation of idealized harmony. Has an imperative need for tenderness and affection. Susceptible to anything esthetic.
Yeah, the first two sentences sound like me. I'm not sure what the last one even means, though.

CURRENT INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR -- Very exacting in the standards he applies to his choice of partner and seeking a rather unrealistic perfection in his sex life.
Okay, picky about any potential partners is me. I have no frame of reference for the 'sex life.'

The Heart?

I came across a Christian passage this morning, about man having a wicked and deceitful heart. My initial response was disgust, but after reading the Daily Zen article (below), I decided that they probably mean 'ego' rather than heart. The heart is our own pure nature. When it is open, we are at one with Tao and the world. When it is closed, we are trapped within our own bodies/thoughts and feel utterly alone. The ego will try to justify this feeling of loneliness. "Of course! We're all physical beings so it's impossible to know anything outside of our own head!" It's a lie. When our heart is open, we can know everything. Now, there are probably some things we aren't ready to know, and our own true nature will shield us from those. There is nothing wicked or deceitful about the heart, however. It is our vehicle of truth. It is the ego that will try to deceive us. Perhaps Christian theology simply lacks the appropriate terminology. *shrugs*

"On the Way" - Daily Zen Journal

I found this and thought the whole was worth reproducing. It came from Daily Zen, a site that I thoroughly enjoy and should visit more often.

"If people want to do the finest thing in the world, nothing compares to learning. If they want to be the best of learners, nothing compares to learning the Way. Master Zhu said, "Learning is for seeking the Way; what is the use of learning otherwise?" Even professional promotion is something extraneous; what a pity is has corrupted so many people! The Tao Te Ching says, "To establish an emperor and set up high officials, one may have a great jewel and drive a team of horses, but that is not as good as advancing calmly on the Way."

The Way is undefined, but when used, it is inexhaustible. Therefore superior people only study the Way: they look upon merit and fame, wealth and status, as floating clouds, letting them go and come without being moved by them while in their very midst.

If superior people only study the Way, is it because they gain some benefit? Yes, it is. What is that benefit? Those who study the Way study what is in the self. The mind can be broadened, the body can be benefited; sickness can be cured, death can be avoided. No benefits are greater than these.

Do people who study the Way actually gain these benefits and pleasures? If they do, then why do people of the world all get irritated when they see people who study the Way, considering them eccentrics or phonies? The Tao Te Ching says, "When superior people hear of the Way, they travel it diligently. When mediocre people hear of the way, they seem aware, yet are as if oblivious. When lesser people hear of the Way, they laugh at it out loud. What they don't laugh at couldn't be the Way."

Principle

The Way is one and only one. On the celestial level it is called destiny; on the human level it is called essential nature. On the phenomenal level it is called principle.

This principle circulates throughout the world, appearing in daily activities. Every event and every thing has a natural principle, which cannot be dispensed with. Thus there is a principle whereby things are as they are; it cannot be altered, only followed.

Superior people observe things in terms of principle- right or wrong, good or bad, they deal with them accordingly. This is called selflessness. Selflessness results in objectivity; objectivity results in clarity. Clarity results in dealing with events accurately and comprehending the nature of things.

If you view things through your ego, then love and hatred arise uncontrollably, and you cannot avoid indulging feelings. When you indulge feelings, then you are being subjective. When you are subjective, you are ignorant. When you are ignorant, you are mixed up and confused; you are only aware of yourself, not of principle.

When there is principle, there is energy; when energy is manifest, principle is hidden. When there is energy, there is form; when form is manifest, energy is hidden. Principle is always balanced, whereas energy is partial; form is even more partial. Balance is good in all respects; there is something that is not good in partiality. If you want to convert what is not good in partiality to return to the goodness of balance, you must examine yourself closely on the brink of action.

Expand and fulfill what emerges from the balance of principle; cut off and eliminate what comes from the partiality of form. After a long time, principle will naturally remain, while desires will naturally disappear.

The principles of the world must be investigated, yet they cannot all be investigated completely. There is an essential point, which is to discern confusion in one's own mind. With discernment comes clarity; with clarity comes truthfulness. With truthfulness, the principles of the world are apprehended and centered poise is attained.

To know that the one good is balance and yet not to reach balance, to know all phenomena are mind and yet not to understand mind-this is confusion. To know the matter of birth and death is serious and yet not to realize birthlessness; to know impermanence is swift yet not to realize there is fundamentally no speed-this is confusion.

Principle is originally there; just call it to mind, and it is there of itself. Desire is originally not there; if you can just see through it, it disappears of itself. Stopping desire and keeping to principle are basically not two things; to the extent that you have stopped desire, to that extent you keep to principle. Nothing benefits people more than principle yet those who keep to principle are few. Nothing harms people more than desire, yet those who indulge desires are many.

When people have desires, it is like trees having insects; consumed within, before long they collapse. Those who think desire is fun do not realize desire is like fire; if you do not put it out, you will burn yourself. Your spirit will suffer from irritation; alcohol and sex will wear out your vital energy, producing illness and ulcers, so you cry out in pain day and night. Buddhists who say you suffer from your sins after death do not realize you already suffer while still alive.

Product of the Ming Dynasty, author unknown, 1739


— Excerpted from "Taoist Meditation - Methods for Cultivating a Healthy Mind and Body" Trans by Thomas Cleary"

See things for what they really are.

When something happens, the only thing in your power is your attitude towards it; you can either accept it or resent it.
Things and people are not what we wish them to be or what they seem to be. They are what they are.

—Epictetus as translated by Sharon Lebell

This is one of the best passages so far in this little book I picked up, A Manual for Living. Things happen. Once they are done, they are done. Denial and anger accomplish nothing. The world has changed, for good or ill. You either change with it or waste your time in useless raging. That's not to say an emotional response is a waste. It is natural. The waste comes when we refuse to let go of that emotion when it has served its purpose.

Home

Home isn't someplace else; home is our frequency, our experience of light.

—Chris Griscom

This is from the book my taiji instructor loaned me. I'll post an overall review when I've finished it. Parts of it are standard New Age claptrap, but parts of it make good sense. This in particular resonated with me. I remember a time several years ago, when every so often I would get this panicky feeling inside and think "I want to go home!" It didn't matter where I was. Sometimes I was at home. It came less and less frequently, especially after I took up taiji. Then last summer, we were on vacation in Mesa Verde. I had just finished some energy circulation meditation, and had the thought, "This is home." Now, I feel at home nearly everywhere, but especially in places where I have meditated. Before, I was cut off from that sense of home within myself. It feels...good...to have it reconnected.

Helping

One day Chao-chou fell down in the snow and called out, "Help me up! Help me up!" A monk came and lay down beside him. Chao-chou got up and went away.

—From The Little Zen Companion

This is one of my favorite koans, and one that I'm sure has more meaning than I have found so far. Besides illustrating the peculiar zen sense of humor, it also shows that the first step towards escaping a bad situation is realizing that you're not alone in it. (Note: The Japanese call Chao-Chou 'Joshu')

Fear...

A book that my taiji instructor loaned me got me thinking about fear. So I started pondering what it was that truly frightened me. It's not death, or life, or violence. What scares me the most is the thought of not being in control. Now, there are plently of things that I realize are beyond my control, and I accept that. A meteor could fall on my head while I sleep. A drunk driver could crash into me. Someone could take a potshot at me. Fine. Those don't scare me. They don't make me happy, but there is nothing I can do about them, so there's no point in being frightened. No, what I don't like is the thought of having no control over my own life. Over what choices I make. That is what I am most afraid of. In this country, most of us are free to make our choices, for good or ill. But other places, people can't even choose what clothes to wear, what job to apply for (if they are lucky enough to have access to a job), etc. And yet, part of life is knowing what you can change, what you have control over. In Epictetus, his first principle is Know what you can control and what you can't. I wonder how far my level of control could be restricted down before I went insane...

On a lighter note, I wonder what form a boggart would take for me....

The Name that can be named is not the eternal Name

To understand God is to listen, listen to Jesus and Muhammed and Buddha; but don't get caught up in the names. Listen beyond them; listen to God's breath.

—Zen Saying

From 9 July on my Zen Calendar. This relates to one of my favorite Zen quotes: "When you are confused and doubting, even a thousand books of scripture are not enough. When you understand, even a single word is too much." Words, scriptures, names, these are all secondary aspects of that-which-is. However, you cannot understand this until you've experienced it directly, even if only for a moment. If you're too caught up in the names, you will never be able to hear God's breath. At best, you may get a dull echo, filtered through the name you cling to so tightly. Let go of the names and experience Reality. No thought. No words. No argument.

Clinging to the names is a form of tension, and tension makes your senses dull. Try this with a partner: Clench your fist and close your eyes while your partner uses something to touch that clenched fist. Can you feel what it is? Not very well. Now relax your hand and try again. You will feel a lot more.

Zen thoughts for the day

Just simply alive,

both of us, I

and the poppy.
—Issa

This is from my Zen daily calendar, 8 July. Personally, I think the poem speaks for itself, but since I have an odd way of looking at some things I will share my interpretation. Partially, it's a realization that one is not alone. I am alive, and so is the poppy. Partially, it's the realization that nothing more than this is needed. And there's a sense that all life is equally important and valid, whether it be a poppy or a human. Since poppies only bloom for a short while before fading, it is also a reminder that life is short, temporary, and that every moment matters.

The ten Native American commandments

1. Treat the Earth and all that dwell thereon with respect.
2. Remain close to the Great Spirit, in all that you do.
3. Show great respect for your fellow beings.
(Especially Respect yourself)
4. Work together for the benefit of all Mankind.
5. Give assistance and kindness wherever needed.
6. Do what you know to be right.
(But be careful not to fall into self-righteousness)
7. Look after the well being of mind and body.
8. Dedicate a share of your efforts to the greater good.
9. Be truthful and honest at all times.
(Especially be truthful and honest with your self)
10. Take full responsibility for your actions.

There are surprising similarities between Native American thought and Taoist thought. This is likely because Taoism arose out of the ancient shamanic traditions of China. I find these more valuable than the ten traditional commandments because it is a list of things you should do, rather than a list of prohibitions. I have no clue who the original author is, and you'll find different wordings on different web-sites.

Purpose

These musings don't fit well with the day-to-day material that goes into my main blog. I could put them there, but I figure they deserve their own place. I'm not sure how often I'll post here, but I'll aim for once a week.