Everyday Zen

I started reading this book called Everyday Zen. So far it is pretty interesting, not really new revaluations, but sometimes it is good to have reinforcements. ne!

I’m just in the first couple of chapters. so far the jest of it it, “practice” is not just sitting on a cushion. The Zen moments happen all the time, mindfulness is not something you go to do, it is where you are and what your doing at the moment.

Zen and The Iron Pony

I have the ZenCycle back on the road today. Nice, It took almost all my extra money to get it tuned, service, new tire. I spent $40.00 a week in gas commuting to work, this should cut it down to $15.00. plus the reduction of stress from just sitting in traffic. So I’m thinking while riding this morning. Practice is everything every moment. Riding this bike is also practice. One needs to really be in the moment whilst riding. No thinking about dinner, what is on the radio, the cell phone, TV tonight, sailing. You need to really be in the moment. It is not just a matter of being in harmony and having a peaceful life, it is surviving. I shouldn’t even be thinking about how this riding is like practice, because that is not being here in the moment. Just then a fool in a car decides he wants IN my lane where I am and moves to it without looking. !!!!!

An there is the point, focus, mindfulness. Like when doing Tai Chi, if you are thinking about anything other than , being fully aware of every part of what you are doing, from toe to breath, you are not really doing Tai Chi, you are just doing the movements. You are not fully in practice. Well, perhaps a better way of saying this is you are in practice, but you are not centered in practice or deep meditation. You are just on the surface.

So , what does Tai Chi, Kung Fu, meditation, riding a motorcycle relate to zen, “mindfulness practice”

Side note: It was nice to be riding again. sweet to be able to get in the commute lane and by pass the cars just sitting. It took 15-30 min off my travel time. I had forgotten about the hand sign from other bikers. Well not all. Once upon a time, before more and more cycles were on the road by Joe Blow one would always get a wave or peace sign from other bikers, (except Harley riders unless you were on one). Now a day were your average white collar guy is riding, you do not get the signs much, sometimes but not as often, unless you are on a back road. Still Harley riders mostly do not sign unless you are on one. They ignore rice burners mostly…not all but mostly, that has not changed.

Zen and The JOB

Another thing the book was saying is, that sitting, practice is not something that is always pleasant. Cramps in the legs, sore back, all that goes with zazen. One needs to go pass that, rise above it so to speak, center the mind to doing what you are doing, in the case of zazen, sitting, quietly. Training yourself, practice, centering, going past discomfort to raise yourself to another level, …so to speak. I need to think of this current job as that, practice. Being totally mindful of each moment. Not thinking about my feelings abut it, the stress from the Boss, wanting another job, any of that. Just doing the best in each moment, learning from each moment. The I-ching reading said a few months back. This encounter with this job, would seem like a romance in the beginning, but would sour in my mouth. It has. Now it is a practice I need to rise above like, cramped legs from zazen, like sitting in traffic, like all things in life that have a yin nature to the yang of pleasure. They happen, blues skys and stormy days, Yin and Yang, it is life, live the moment your best. When the wind blows the sea is rough, when it stops, it is calm, when the storm blows the bamboo bends, when it is over it reaches again for the sky.

Everyday zen is not being emotionless, feeling less. it is living each moment aware. When angry, being angry, then let it go, when happy, being happy, then let it go. There is no future, there is no past, there is no present, there is only now.