Blue mountains, gniocchi amd Boss coffee

[Taigu]

[Dosho]

Taigu,

Mountains for me have always represented pain...I would stare out the window at them as I hid away in my room, scared to interact with the world. I was happy to get away from the beautiful serene view from my window that many would envy, a mountain close by, another in the distance, and a pond. But those mountains are just mountains, not what I wish them to be...wanting the pain to go away...wanting them to represent serenity.

The day after tomorrow I shall visit that childhood home again, where I felt so much pain, and look on the mountains with fresh eyes, wishing for nothing, good or bad. I will simply say hello and see what transpires.

Mountains are mountains, ponds are ponds, Dosho is Dosho...I'm very glad Taigu is Taigu.

Thank you for this teaching.

Gassho,
Dosho

[Myoku]

Gassho and Thank you,
Myoku

[Gary]

Again Sensei you're timing is perfect, an empty coffee jar this morning and the dentist this afternoon, now as is.

Gassho
Gary

[Myozan Kodo]

Taigu,
Thanks so much for this teaching.
Gassho
Myozan

[Hans]

Boss coffee surely has the best corporate logo of any coffee brand in the world


Deep bows and gassho,

Hans Chudo Mongen

[Dokan]

Vacillation of what things are and what I perceive them to be is dizzying. Thank you for this gentle reminder to let them be as they are.

Gassho,

Dokan


PS - Uploaded to podcast!

[Daido]

Gassho,

Daido

[Shokai]

Mountains are Mountains, Gnocchi is Gnocchi, Boss is Boss, Joey is Joeyjoey.jpg

Thank you Taigu, good teaching as always

[rculver]

_/l\_



Shugen

(Thanks Shokai)

[alan.r]

Gassho. Thank you for this talk and for reminding us that mistakes are only bad when we look at them that way. Let's all make a few more mistakes and just let them be, not mistakes at all.

PS I have a recipe for gnocchi made with ricotta. Another happy accident, which made the gnocchi so light, just about like little clouds.

-a

[willow]

Thank you for this teaching - I need to focus just now on allowing things to be as they are.

Gassho

Willow

[Shingen]

Thank you Taigu, just beautiful!

Gassho,
Michael

[Dennis]

Thank you, Taigu, for the wonderful talk! Its great that my first lesson with you resonated so well!

I returned to Pennsylvania from a very FLAT state, partially because I missed the mountains. They really are wonderful, especially up close and personal, even when gravity is trying to make communing a wee bit difficult!

As for cooking, you have my respect: I'm pleasantly surprised if I cook something edible (known to burn boiling water...)

I guess all things really are what they need to be.

Gassho,
Dennis

[ZenHarmony]

Hi, Dennis!

I burned water once... try making soup; it's easy, you just throw a bunch of vegetables, lentils, rice, meat in a pot and simmer it until done. I have a lovely lentil soup recipe that I've made several times over the past few weeks. Hubby loves it, and I even have it for breakfast!

Gassho,

Lisa

[Rich]

Thanks taigu. Everything as is, even coffee in a can.

[chatteringmonkeys]

Thank you Taigu for this teaching.

Your gnocchi story reminds me of when I was 18 and I had just moved out of my parents house a month prior, trying to be independent and whatnot. I remember being so broke and so hungry, and I had scraped together maybe $5 and walked to the local grocery store so that I could just afford a can of cheap spaghetti sauce and some spaghetti noodles. I spent what seemed like an eternity making the spaghetti, adding some herbs and spices to the sauce so it wouldn't taste like awful canned sauce. Finally, I made the meal, put some parmesan on top and put it in the microwave on top of my little apartment-sized fridge to warm it up. My apartment was very small, I could almost touch both sides of the walls with my hands out and the only source of natural light was a sliding glass patio door at the end of the unit, which faced out to the building's parking lot. When the microwave beeped, I pulled out my piping hot spaghetti, mouth watering in anticipation, when I suddenly held the plate at an odd angle and all the food slopped right off the plate and onto the floor. I was so devastated, I remember bursting into tears with my sliding glass doors open, people staring in at me as they walked by to and from their cars. And then, I suddenly just started laughing hysterically. The situation was so ridiculous and absurd and I just had to laugh because I couldn't bare to cry any more. I went to bed starving that night but the next day someone had brought some food into work and I was able to eat and life went on as it always does.

It was a good lesson for me: not only was it good to feel truly hungry and remember that plenty of people feel that way day in and day out, but that it was also a choice for me to be upset and cry or laugh and shrug it off. Every time since then, I've remembered (sometimes not as soon as I wish to) that being upset about something is a choice. Some things are "worth" being upset about (or at least, understandable, such as the loss of my father), and other things are fairly trivial by comparison.

Gassho,
Darrell

[Marek]

Thank you, Taigu!

[Rich]

Thank you Taigu for this teaching.

Your gnocchi story reminds me of when I was 18 and I had just moved out of my parents house a month prior, trying to be independent and whatnot. I remember being so broke and so hungry, and I had scraped together maybe $5 and walked to the local grocery store so that I could just afford a can of cheap spaghetti sauce and some spaghetti noodles. I spent what seemed like an eternity making the spaghetti, adding some herbs and spices to the sauce so it wouldn't taste like awful canned sauce. Finally, I made the meal, put some parmesan on top and put it in the microwave on top of my little apartment-sized fridge to warm it up. My apartment was very small, I could almost touch both sides of the walls with my hands out and the only source of natural light was a sliding glass patio door at the end of the unit, which faced out to the building's parking lot. When the microwave beeped, I pulled out my piping hot spaghetti, mouth watering in anticipation, when I suddenly held the plate at an odd angle and all the food slopped right off the plate and onto the floor. I was so devastated, I remember bursting into tears with my sliding glass doors open, people staring in at me as they walked by to and from their cars. And then, I suddenly just started laughing hysterically. The situation was so ridiculous and absurd and I just had to laugh because I couldn't bare to cry any more. I went to bed starving that night but the next day someone had brought some food into work and I was able to eat and life went on as it always does.

It was a good lesson for me: not only was it good to feel truly hungry and remember that plenty of people feel that way day in and day out, but that it was also a choice for me to be upset and cry or laugh and shrug it off. Every time since then, I've remembered (sometimes not as soon as I wish to) that being upset about something is a choice. Some things are "worth" being upset about (or at least, understandable, such as the loss of my father), and other things are fairly trivial by comparison.

Gassho,
Darrell

Great story. Reminds me of driving home recently with the leftover pasta in a container on the front seat. Driving around the circle it slid off and all the pasta went on the passenger side floor. Oh no!! When I got home I got a spatula put it back in the container (it passed inspection) and fed it to my dog. He was so happy. conditioning does affect our reactions and choices but being present helps a lot. Yes Virginia there is a free will. With practice you realize it.

[chatteringmonkeys]

Great story. Reminds me of driving home recently with the leftover pasta in a container on the front seat. Driving around the circle it slid off and all the pasta went on the passenger side floor. Oh no!! When I got home I got a spatula put it back in the container (it passed inspection) and fed it to my dog. He was so happy. conditioning does affect our reactions and choices but being present helps a lot. Yes Virginia there is a free will. With practice you realize it.

Awh, lucky dog :-) Yes, good point re: conditioning and getting past it. I think shikantaza/just sitting helps give us perspective sometimes and the ability to see things for what they truly are, and not over-react to things.

[Taigu]

Thanks Darrell, things are perfect asvthey are even if they do hurt sometimes. I also kind of felt hungry as a University student, your story brings up good-bad memories.

Gassho

Taigu

[Kyonin]

Taigu is Taigu. And I am thankful for that.

Gassho,

Kyonin

[Shingen]

Taigu is Taigu. And I am thankful for that.

Gassho,

Kyonin

Very well put.

Gassho,
Michael

[gilles]

thX taigu
no rocks in denmark but blue mountain coffee with a cloud of milk in my kitchen

gassho
gilles

[Ekai]

Very lovely teaching. Thanks so much.

Gassho,
Ekai

[Kaishin]

Thank you _/\_

[Heisoku]

Thank you Taigu
Gassho

[Ray]

Thanks you very much taigu. Perfect teaching.

Sorry to hear that you had to go in for an opp recently.

In relation to letting things be as they are, i find this my biggest challenge at the moment and therefore this is my practice!

Gassho

[Risho]

That is a cool logo! Now I'm hungry. lol

Gassho,

Risho