A funny thing happened when sitting today...

I hadn't sat for a week or so, because there's a lot of stuff going on, both work and in my personal life. But today, a bit after noon, I suddenly had an urge to sit. So I went to the cushion, and almost immediately, all the problems that I have been having faded away. Not that they were gone, but rather that I felt that sitting on that cushion separated me from the "me" with the problems, and that I could feel that I was a few steps back from them. Naturally, my mind continued to roil them around while sitting, but at a distance.

What was interesting was that the mere fact of sitting seemed to lead to a separation between me and my problems...

Hello

I know it's strange, I have also this moments when my zafu calls me, when I say "please I want find peace", and when I finish zazen I tell me "all thoses things that happed, and are in my head were like montains, but there are finally less important that I thaught ".
It's a good occasion to laugh about our self :D how complicated we are ^^

Gassho

Yang Hsin

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Originally Posted by kirkmc

What was interesting was that the mere fact of sitting seemed to lead to a separation between me and my problems...

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Was that "separating" and "being at a distance" ... or "coming together" and being whole? Hmmmm. Maybe just how one looks at things.

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Originally Posted by Jundo

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kirkmc

What was interesting was that the mere fact of sitting seemed to lead to a separation between me and my problems...

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Was that "separating" and "being at a distance" ... or "coming together" and being whole? Hmmmm. Maybe just how one looks at things.

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It was more like the "me" that was thinking about the problems was able to step back and let the problems just be on their own.

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Originally Posted by kirkmc

So I went to the cushion, and almost immediately, all the problems that I have been having faded away.

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I know this feeling well. Working from home I find this impromptu zazen is quite enjoyable.

Gassho

Dokan

Jundo wrote:

Was that "separating" and "being at a distance" ... or "coming together" and being whole? Hmmmm. Maybe just how one looks at things.

Jundo, would you be able to say a bit more about these two ways of looking at/experiencing things? I've certainly experienced the 'being at a distance'
which is a reprieve at times - when things are churning away - but I'm not sure if in Zazen terms it's the same as holding two ways of thinking/being, together -
'being whole' - as you express it. Not making any value judgements - just wondering if you feel there is a difference?

Gassho

Willow

I too know this feeling that separates the "me" from the problems and life in general, but like Jundo said, I think it's more like a wholeness feeling than anything else.

For what I've read, when we sit the right side of the brain takes over the thinking process and makes us feel complete with everything. Even bad stuff.

This gives a break to the left side of the brain to settle and process information without being disturbed by reality.

And that's why zazen works when we feel overwhelmed by life.

Or so I read :)

I know this feeling also. I have it both during zazen and kung-fu. I do a lot of zazen and qi-gong at work because of how useful this momenatry separatenrss/togetherness is in stress releif

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Originally Posted by willow

Jundo wrote:

Was that "separating" and "being at a distance" ... or "coming together" and being whole? Hmmmm. Maybe just how one looks at things.

Jundo, would you be able to say a bit more about these two ways of looking at/experiencing things? I've certainly experienced the 'being at a distance'

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Sometimes words are just words are just words.

Do we 'stand apart' from our problems, having a little space from them and our wild thoughts and fears, taking a 'breather' ?

Do we come together, such that there are no 'problems over there' and 'me' over here to bump into each other, no this to worry about that ?

Two faces of a no sided coin? No matter, no place for to go or come closer.

Same Difference.

Words are just words. Thus, Just Sit.

Gassho, J