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Thread: "Simple Living" - Chapters 97 and 98

  1. #1

    "Simple Living" - Chapters 97 and 98

    Just jump in if joining, no "catch up" ... just today is today ...

    I will include chapter headings, as we discovered some differences between the US and UK editions regarding chapter order.

    Chapter 97 - Put Your Everything Into The Here And Now - Pretend for a moment that today is your last day on earth, the day of your death (perhaps it is so, and there is no need to pretend! ). Now, totally drop that thought from mind and do a small, ordinary, mundane task that you always do ... pull some weeds, wash the dishes, do the laundry, cook a meal. While doing so, hold in mind that this is the one thing to do now, the place to be now, and that there is no before or after.

    Chapter 98 - Make Every Preparation - People say the Zen is about always being spontaneous. It is not always so, although there is a time for that. Zen folks are also great planners. This week, plan for something (like dinner, an art project, a date or meeting), but then react with great spontaneity when the time is right in the experience too (e.g., plan the dinner, but then just be in the moment of cooking and eating it).

    Gassho, J

    STLah
    Last edited by Jundo; 07-08-2020 at 09:05 PM.
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  2. #2
    My wife and I discuss “planned spontaneity” which is not the same as #98.


    Tairin
    Sat today and lah

  3. #3
    At this time, when so many are dying, who couldn't cherish being alive?
    In my version, chapter 98 is Contemplate how to Die, but that seems to fit quite nicely with Make Every Preparation!
    Gassho
    Meitou
    Sattoday lah
    命 Mei - life
    島 Tou - island

  4. #4
    Member Onka's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    Rural Queensland, so-called Australia
    My Chapter 96 is a given at the moment.
    My Chapter 98 is walking. I walk our 150m driveway 3 times a day with The Game Changer. The spontaneity comes when bare feet first touch the road base gravel of the driveway. Boom! comes the pain of the first steps before my mind finds the equanimity of a Kinhin like experience. Each walk is either 900m or 1200m.
    Gassho
    Onka
    st

    Sent from my SM-A205YN using Tapatalk
    穏 On (Calm)
    火 Ka (Fires)
    They/She.

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