Energy

[Aswini]

Hi all,

I have a question. It relates to the following from a book I was thinking of buying.

It is our ability to manage energy, not time, that determines our effectiveness at work and health and happiness in our lives.

Pretty much common sense. If anyone has a zen perspective on this, please share your thoughts. I'm rushing off to work as I write this. I know from Uchiyama Roshi's book that although zen is not meant to be used for purposes other discovering truth and "ending suffering", but something in the back of my mind gives me a hunch that energy in practice as well managing energy when doing tasks are very much connected.

Mettha.

Aswini.

ps. i have difficulty managing energy i put into general life, but the more i practice, slowly everything is starting to open up and become clearer.

[nohope]

Is energy separate from the task itself? When you do something, where is the energy? Does it pass out of you? Does more come in? Where does it go?

[Jundo]

Hello Aswini,

Hmmm.... Well, Uchiyama Roshi and other teachers like him might say that we best not seek for happiness, health or time efficiency. When life is up, be up ... when down down. When smiling, just smile, and when tears are called for ... let them pour out (Our Zen way is not to be unemotional ... it is about not being a prisoner thereof). Same with being ill when ill.

Also, time is not something that can be made more efficient, for there is nothing to do, nothing to achieve, no office to get to. You cannot waste a second of time, for each moment is perfectly what it is ... whether spent multi-tasking, watching a sunset or sitting on the sofa eating chips. There is no "future" for us to get any "better" in!

So, you cannot waste a moment of your life, or improve it (or unimprove it) in any way ... no matter what you do or do not do. Not a thing to add or take away.

But, that being said ... we are always functioning on many seemingly opposite or complementary perspectives in our Zen Practice ...

So, for example, while we fully embrace being ill when ill, and do not resist that ... yet we take our vitamins and medicine, get check-ups and do what the doctor orders. We give up bad habits (or, at least, we should).

Many Zen folks were great 'go getters', and for all the talk of "not attaining" and "no goal" ... achieved a lot of personal goals (recall that the meaning of "non-attaining" is not "not attaining" 8) ) They were "early to be, early to rise" early birds who got a lot done ... from teaching and running a monastery, to paying the bills and fundraising! In that case, I suppose the best advice is "Just stay focused on the task at hand".

Gassho, J (I would keep writing, but I have other tasks to attend to today)

[Aswini]

Hi guys,

Is energy separate from the task itself? When you do something, where is the energy? Does it pass out of you? Does more come in? Where does it go?

These are good questions. Something i will try to sit with when i get the chance. Am I and the task the same at that moment?

Thanks Jundo, i didn't really know how to sum up Uchiyama roshi's teaching. "The self acting out itself"? can't remember as I at work and the book is at home.

Write a little more when i get home.

Thanks.