Kyodo Nakagawi Roshi

APPRECIATING YOUR LIFE

Tonight, I'm very sorry -- downstairs, on the third floor, they're having a party -- a musician and two singers. About four o'clock, I got their message. I can't complain. Most times, they are a very nice young couple. Today, they're having a big party. If you're not attached to music, then the music gets quieter and quieter. But if you're against it, then it gets worse. If you're against it -- noisy! noisy! noisy! -- always against sound, then it gets worse. During zazen (when it gets worse) thoughts are coming -- "I want to throw them out, etc." -- more and more thoughts come.

Anyway, today I want to talk about "appreciate your life." Appreciation. Appreciation for your life or my life. Many people dislike (hate) their lives. (They're always asking) "How come I was born in such and such a family? How come my family's so poor? How come my brain's not so sharp? I want things more peaceful. I want a happier life. I want a better job."

If you keep looking at things from a dualistic point of view like this, you will come to hate each other. But one day you will discover through your zazen or through your daily life the truth of the absolute infinite. (In this way) Automatically you (will come to) appreciate your situation, your condition, your position ... your place ... so-called "in any event, in any moment, in any place." Most times -- me too -- (we're asking) how come things are this way or that. This is the dualistic point of view. But when you truly discover yourself, you will find that everything comes out of yourself and it is a wonderful life, wonderful job, wonderful apartment, wonderful family, wonderful friends ... everything automatically appreciate or thank-you-very-much.

http://www.engaged-zen.org/articles/Kyudo.html

[Phaelyn]

Originally Posted by janielee

This is the dualistic point of view. But when you truly discover yourself, you will find that everything comes out of yourself and it is a wonderful life, wonderful job, wonderful apartment, wonderful family, wonderful friends ...

I agree with all you said there, but this is how I express it.

I don't have a wonderful anything. But I know everything can be far worse so I appreciate what I have. But I'm not negative about anything. It is what it is. I have very little control over what's within or without. But what I can control is caring about such things. By being indifferent, I can be at peace and without conflict in this very un-wonderful world. But as I don't care about it being un-wonderful, well I was going to say it's wonderful then but nope not at all. It is what it is, terrible. But I'm perfectly content and peaceful and without conflict about the terribleness of quite a bit of it. What is, is always changing. I will not be in this body or on this planet long at all in the relative space of things.

Now if I have a terrible family, very abusing, uncaring, not supportive, and in fact they try to make my life worse than it is, and I suddenly "discover myself" does that make my terrible family wonderful? Not really. But if I find myself, the me under the interpretive mind, such a terrible family is still quite terrible, but they no longer have an effect on me. Nothing internal or external can disturb the sublime peace of one no longer identifying with anything beyond oneself.

[sky]

Originally Posted by janielee

APPRECIATING YOUR LIFE

Tonight, I'm very sorry -- downstairs, on the third floor, they're having a party -- a musician and two singers. About four o'clock, I got their message. I can't complain. Most times, they are a very nice young couple. Today, they're having a big party. If you're not attached to music, then the music gets quieter and quieter. But if you're against it, then it gets worse. If you're against it -- noisy! noisy! noisy! -- always against sound, then it gets worse. During zazen (when it gets worse) thoughts are coming -- "I want to throw them out, etc." -- more and more thoughts come.

Anyway, today I want to talk about "appreciate your life." Appreciation. Appreciation for your life or my life. Many people dislike (hate) their lives. (They're always asking) "How come I was born in such and such a family? How come my family's so poor? How come my brain's not so sharp? I want things more peaceful. I want a happier life. I want a better job."

If you keep looking at things from a dualistic point of view like this, you will come to hate each other. But one day you will discover through your zazen or through your daily life the truth of the absolute infinite. (In this way) Automatically you (will come to) appreciate your situation, your condition, your position ... your place ... so-called "in any event, in any moment, in any place." Most times -- me too -- (we're asking) how come things are this way or that. This is the dualistic point of view. But when you truly discover yourself, you will find that everything comes out of yourself and it is a wonderful life, wonderful job, wonderful apartment, wonderful family, wonderful friends ... everything automatically appreciate or thank-you-very-much.

http://www.engaged-zen.org/articles/Kyudo.html

Nice thought provoking Post JL.

The ' Serenity Prayer ' came to mind whilst reading it

Originally Posted by sky123

Nice thought provoking Post JL.

Zen loves their zazen