Quote Originally Posted by Jundo View Post

Do you know that even the sick monk in the monastery hospice is not excused? If it is all he can do, his work becomes to stay in bed, take his medicine and to offer a kind word to those who nurse him.
Yes, after I got the tip of my finger stitched back on, my work assignment the next day was "self care." I went up to their little cemetery, and swept and tidied while I was there.

I will admit that I whined a bit to my Ango partner Zenmei during Ango about trying to find time and motivation to do helping deeds, when I already spent my day serving others. To my knowledge, he has kept his promise not to throw me under the bus about that . When I have had Dokusan/Daisan during Sesshin at ZMM, most of my questions surrounded this topic: help with defining "compassion fatigue," how to know when to do self-care vs. helping others, how does compassion originate and manifest... I felt and still feel the need for a teacher to guide me with this, but I am starting to understand that if "self-care" is what you need to do in order to benefit others, then self-care is your practice... if your day is spent helping others, then do it earnestly and perhaps a little better, more kindly and patiently, with awareness of the "sameness" of yourself and the others you are helping, and that is your practice.

Gassho,
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH