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Thread: (ANOTHER) URGENT ANGO CAUTION! : Too Loose !!!

  1. #1

    (ANOTHER) URGENT ANGO CAUTION! : Too Loose !!!

    Hi,

    Awhile back, I reminded our Treeleaf Ango-ers that there are no mistakes in Ango, no way that life can intervene, that obstacles are just "opportunities for Practice" ...

    ... that ALL OF LIFE IS PRACTICE!


    viewtopic.php?f=17&t=4230

    However, I certainly did not mean that one could just do the parts of Practice that one likes or is moved by, skipping the rest. I did not mean that, just because there are "no mistakes", such was an excuse to be careless or slack, being forgetful, just practicing whenever and however in hell we want! Although "life can NEVER intervene, and ALL of life is Practice" (yes, even how we play video games and how we watch TV), that does not mean we can just let life intervene, and consider that watching TV or playing a video game is the same as Practice and Zazen! To do so is to miss the central part of this practice ... dropping resistance to our aversions and attractions, dropping attachments and renouncing those things we hunger for ... dropping anger and other excess or otherwise harmful emotions ... finding balance in life neither too loose nor too tight, moving forward with diligence and sincerity and energy ... even as there is No Place to Go! In this Middle Way beyond "right and wrong" "easy and hard" "doing and non-doing" ...

    ... nonetheless, ONE CAN DO ANGO WRONG! :twisted:

    One can be too loose in this Practice, just as one can be too tight! One can run toward or away from what we like or dislike and resist, forgetting that this is a Practice founded upon dropping all "likes and dislikes" and resistance! Remember this week's portion of the Xin Xin Ming ... neither hard or easy ... neither fearful, slack and irresolute nor charging forward ...

    To live in the Great Way
    is neither easy nor difficult,
    but those with limited views
    are fearful and irresolute:
    the faster they hurry, the slower they go.


    Ours is the 'Middle Way' ... but that does not mean any namby pamby, fence sitting, half hearted way that's middling, making do, mediocre and muddling through!

    I often repeat the story of Buddha, Sona and the Lute Strings ...


    [The Buddha said], "Sona, you were a musician and you used to play the lute. Tell me, Sona, did you produce good music when the lute string was well tuned, neither too tight nor too loose?"

    "I was able to produce good music, Lord," replied Sona.

    "What happened when the strings were too tightly wound up?"

    "I could not produce any music, Lord," said Sona.

    "What happened when the strings were too slack?"

    "I could not produce any music at all, Lord," replied Sona

    "Sona ... You have been straining too hard in your meditation. Do it in a relaxed way, but without being slack. Try it again and you will experience the good result."

    Fortunately, in this way of ever new beginnings in each moment ... ONE CAN EVER BEGIN RIGHT FROM HERE!



    [youtube] [/youtube]


    Gassho, Jundo

  2. #2

    Re: (ANOTHER) URGENT ANGO CAUTION! : Too Loose !!!

    "That is all"
    A "That's all folks" moment.

    When I am caught up in my thinking of how I think things should be, Ango is a royal pain in everyone in my house's place that the sun don't shine.

    Yet, putting aside concepts and thoughts, not trying to force things to fall into the way I think they have to be, one finds that practice is life itself. Sorry for the cliche but it is true. When one can fully trust their practice, essentailly meaning to fully trust themselves, one can never be too loose. Because in that trusting, is our practice. Moving thorough out life with great awareness and attentiveness, is our practice. Not trying to force a practice, but to practice with whatever comes up is practice.

    ??

  3. #3

    Re: (ANOTHER) URGENT ANGO CAUTION! : Too Loose !!!

    Quote Originally Posted by Jundo
    that this is a Practice founded upon dropping all "likes and dislikes" and resistance!
    An important reminder... this is exactly the wake-up call I needed...

    _/_ _/_ _/_

  4. #4

    Re: (ANOTHER) URGENT ANGO CAUTION! : Too Loose !!!

    An important reminder indeed.

    Thank you, Jundo.

  5. #5

    Re: (ANOTHER) URGENT ANGO CAUTION! : Too Loose !!!

    _()_
    Peter

  6. #6

    Re: (ANOTHER) URGENT ANGO CAUTION! : Too Loose !!!

    Perhaps some missed this message from the last urgent Ango caution, but it was surly there. You made it clear then and it is reaffirming to hear it again with even more emphasis this time around! Thank you for the reminder _/_

  7. #7

    Re: (ANOTHER) URGENT ANGO CAUTION! : Too Loose !!!

    Have we been keisaku'd? Yes, we have! :P

  8. #8

    Re: (ANOTHER) URGENT ANGO CAUTION! : Too Loose !!!

    Awesome. You should wave the keisaku at us more often! Or a wet noodle. Or that scary exercise thing! :shock:

    Gassho

    Jen

  9. #9

    Re: (ANOTHER) URGENT ANGO CAUTION! : Too Loose !!!

    Quote Originally Posted by Jennifer G P
    Or that scary exercise thing! :shock:

    Gassho

    Jen
    :lol:
    That spring certainly looks like it could be murder on the chest hairs if your not careful!

    Gassho,
    John

  10. #10

    Re: (ANOTHER) URGENT ANGO CAUTION! : Too Loose !!!

    Noodle whacks received,

    Understood!

    Gassho
    Shohei

  11. #11

    Re: (ANOTHER) URGENT ANGO CAUTION! : Too Loose !!!

    Ango is as ango does...

    g

    s

    PS - Posted to Podcast.

  12. #12

    Re: (ANOTHER) URGENT ANGO CAUTION! : Too Loose !!!

    Gassho

    Ray

  13. #13

    Re: (ANOTHER) URGENT ANGO CAUTION! : Too Loose !!!

    Thank you... I definitely deserve it. Most of the time, when I say I don't have time, I usually mean that I'd rather do something else.

    Gassho,

    Risho

  14. #14

    Re: (ANOTHER) URGENT ANGO CAUTION! : Too Loose !!!

    Thank you, Jundo.

    Gassho,

    Amelia

  15. #15

    Re: (ANOTHER) URGENT ANGO CAUTION! : Too Loose !!!

    No words, just....

    _/_

  16. #16

    Re: (ANOTHER) URGENT ANGO CAUTION! : Too Loose !!!

    Guilty as charged. _/_ _/_ _/_

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by Jundo View Post
    One can be too loose in this Practice, just as one can be too tight! One can run toward or away from what we like or dislike and resist, forgetting that this is a Practice founded upon dropping all "likes and dislikes" and resistance! Remember this week's portion of the Xin Xin Ming ... neither hard or easy ... neither fearful, slack and irresolute nor charging forward ...

    To live in the Great Way
    is neither easy nor difficult,
    but those with limited views
    are fearful and irresolute:
    the faster they hurry, the slower they go.

    I'm very happy to find this video in the beginning of this ANGO 2013.

    I'm very thankful for this lesson, Jundo.

    Gassho.

  18. #18
    Thank you.

    Gassho,
    William
    "First you have to give up." Tyler Durden

  19. #19
    Yes, very useful guidance. Thanks Jundo.

    Gassho
    Matt

  20. #20
    Deep bows
    Gassho
    David

  21. #21
    Thank you.


    Gassho,
    Edward
    "Recognize suffering, remove suffering." - Shakyamuni Buddha when asked, "Uhm . . .what?"

  22. #22
    Message received and understood and I thank you.

    Gassho,
    Heishu


    “Blessed are the flexible, for they never get bent out of shape." Author Unknown

  23. #23
    Treeleaf Unsui Shugen's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Redding California USA
    Goodbye "sleeping in Buddha", hello "get your lazy butt outa bed Buddha".;-)


    Shugen
    Meido Shugen
    明道 修眼

  24. #24
    Well, there's a refresher I needed.

    Gassho

    Jen

  25. #25
    Thank you Jundo, time for me to non do some practice.

    gassho,

    simon

  26. #26
    Yes, I like this video. It is a good reminder. I also noted where you spoke of the time it takes. I was thinking of my last Ango which was when I was also studying for Jukai. That is much more of a time draw. I found over the last few days that the Ango requirements really don't ask for much. I do the nurturing seeds practice throughout the day for instance. When the negative seed is caught, plant the better seed and water it instead.
    But the chants and meditation times aren't that big a deal at all really. Focus, get them done. Samu is doing work around the house. Things I'm not normally responsible for. Extra I take on to assist my family overall. Not too much not too little. All in all. it's actually rather simple to do. I think mentally we get caught up thinking it's sooo much additional work. But in reality it isn't.
    Dave _/\_

  27. #27
    Yea!! Thanks for the reminder Jundo.

  28. #28
    A well deserved 40 whacks with the wet noodle, now, time to sit, working, but sitting

    Gassho
    Thank you for your practice

  29. #29
    Mp
    Guest
    Wonderful Jundo ... thank you for the clarity. Plus, I have to say, love the Grizzly Adams look.

    Gassho
    Shingen

  30. #30
    Another wonderful talk came up in the podcast list this morning. Thank you for this reminder.

    Gassho,
    Shoka
    sattoday

    Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

  31. #31
    Sometimes I wonder why at times I struggle with so much resistance to just getting on with life and it's pesky requirements from me.
    Sometimes I get jealous of others who seem to just move forward and do what has to be done without any apparent struggle to do so.
    Sometimes I should drop the "I" and just get my butt on the cushion and sit.

    Thanks for the nudge.

    Gassho,
    Sierra
    SatToday

  32. #32
    Thank you Jundo

    Gassho
    Lisa
    sat today

  33. #33
    Thanks again, Jundo

    For both these teachings. And yes, Sierra I feel all those things too - the resistance, the jealousy, the relentless, greedy "I" stamping his feet and demanding his own way. Hit a rocky patch this weekend which puts me in mind of George Herbert's wonderful poem:

    "The Collar"

    Which about sums it up for me.

    Martyn

    Sat Today. And put the Ango collar back around my neck.

  34. #34
    Quote Originally Posted by martyrob View Post
    Thanks again, Jundo

    For both these teachings. And yes, Sierra I feel all those things too - the resistance, the jealousy, the relentless, greedy "I" stamping his feet and demanding his own way. Hit a rocky patch this weekend which puts me in mind of George Herbert's wonderful poem:

    "The Collar"

    Which about sums it up for me.

    Martyn

    Sat Today. And put the Ango collar back around my neck.
    Interesting poem! I don't know if I understand it correctly, but the speaker seems to be almost poking fun at his own resistance to life, as a child having a temper tantrum. Then at the end he's like, OK I'm done now and will be a good boy. Very apt :-)

    Gassho,
    Sierra
    SatToday

  35. #35
    George Herbert was a priest. He's railing at God for the constraints, impositions and agony of the priesthood - the collar round his neck both literal and metaphoric. As he increasingly fulminates, raging and chafing, at the pinnacle of his torment, God speaks "Child" and he immediately submits to God's tenderness. I find it one of the most moving moments in all literature. Like the child raging at its parent or ourselves watching our little ego in a froth. Like all great poetry; it speaks to us on so many levels.

    Martyn

    Sat today

  36. #36
    Jundo,
    Thanks for the lesson.
    Gassho
    Theophan
    Sat Today

  37. #37
    Thank you, Jundo, for another lesson.
    Thank you Shoka for refreshing the thread.

    Gassho
    Sergey
    sat-today

  38. #38

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