Watching the hometown sports team
I vow with all beings
To take a long breath and separate myself
from all notion of wins and losses
Watching the hometown sports team
I vow with all beings
To take a long breath and separate myself
from all notion of wins and losses
Logging my Geocahes
I vow with all beings
To take a deep breath
And be thankful
Listening to the wind roar
I vow with all beings
to remember it carries equally the fall leaves
and the raging September wildfires
Walking to work
I vow with all beings
To take note of the amazing creatures
Living their lives in cracks and bushes and signs.
Good job, partner :mrgreen:
Reading emails
I vow with all beings
that I will examine each one closely
for the meaning beyond words and letters.
Up before the rest of the house
I vow with all beings
to tip-toe quietly among the furniture
and silently chant my verses.
Eating breakfast
I vow with all beings
to eat only as much food as I need
to properly nourish others through service.
Shinkai, we need a gatha for when we forget our meal gathas. You up for it?
Outside in the blistering summer sun
I vow with all beings
to remember the words of the master
when it's hot, die of the heat; when it's cold, die of the cold
Great idea! How about...Originally Posted by ChrisA
Realizing my forgetfulness
I vow with all beings
to acknowledge every moment as a new beginning
and start fresh with renewed faith.
Making morning coffee
I vow with all beings
to remember the purpose of all actions
is to be awake, awake!
Originally Posted by ShinkaiShinkai, you are a poetry machine! My favorites! Gassho, Grace.Originally Posted by Shinkai
There we go!Originally Posted by Shinkai
Thanks
Jen
Deep gassho to you Shinkai, that's a wonderful gatha I know I will be using frequently! Hopefully less and less frequently as I pick up on the original meal gatha.
Dear Senseis and Sangha,
It is not exactly a Gatha, but it has been very useful to my practice. The main chant of the Ordinary Mind Zen School, as it was taught by Joko Beck teacher:
Caught in a self-centered dream,
only suffering.
Holding to self-centered thoughts,
exactly the dream .
Each moment, life as it is,
the only teacher.
Being just this moment,
compassion's way.
Gassho
Senryu
Thank you Senryu for sharing these beautiful words from a wonderful teacher _/_Originally Posted by senryu
Riding the bus home
I vow with all beings
to see clearly how we can always sit still
even when hurdling through space.
Agreed: it's perfect! And just in time -- forgot my meal gatha again tonight! ops:Originally Posted by Shinkai
Sitting in a meeting
I vow with all beings
to transform listening
into samu
Listening to music
I vow with all beings
to notice the undercurrent of noise
that supports all sound
Presenting ideas
I vow with all beings
to accept the fluidity of thought
and remember that right and wrong changes.
Meetings...difficult samu!Originally Posted by Shinkai
Watching television
I vow with all beings
to see the images as both meaningless colored light
and invaluable messages from across the divide.
Buying fabric
I vow with all beings
to turn all of my raw materials
into practice.
Stitching slowly
I vow with all beings
that I will not stop sewing
until all have reached the other shore.
Drinking cool liquid
I vow with all beings
to notice how water, supremely important,
tastes like nothing.
Shinkai, I'm really enjoying this Ango practice. Thanks for sharing. Gassho, Grace.
Nice! _/_Originally Posted by Shinkai
Working through construction noise
I vow with all beings
to reject the practice of
selective rejection.
Sitting in silence
I vow with all beings
to put forth my contribution
to the void.
Receiving gifts
I vow with all beings
to accept without prejudice
and find gratitude in the smallest gesture.
Wearing a mala
I vow with all beings
to be a representative of truth
and vanquish all doubts.
Tracking progress
I vow with all beings
that I will widen my path
and accept all detours.
At the gym
I vow with all beings
to move with purpose
while going nowhere on the treadmill.
At the closing of day
I vow with all beings
to sit with the silence
that ends all mind secretions.
Waiting for work to end
I vow with all beings
to refocus and choose my attitude;
samu is everything.
Reading sutras
I vow with all beings
to stop discursive thinking
and let the words flow like endless tributaries.
Reading junk mail
I vow with all beings
to remember the hands
that sealed all the discarded envelopes
Nursing a headache
I vow with all beings
to look deeper
what is it that hurts?
Each one is so good.
Donating money
I vow with all beings
that I will not let the click of a button
be the full extent of my dana.
When Dana feels unappreciated
I remind myself:
The gratitude doesn't come from them
The gratitude comes from me.
Sitting in a silent house
I vow with all beings
to discard the raft I've clung to
and float
Waking from a Sunday nap
I vow with all beings
to breathe deep and long
and think of the birds thirsty from the heat.
Doing dishes
I vow with all beings
to give up the ghost
of old childish outrage.
Dicing onions for dinner
I vow with all beings
to surrender when my body decides
it's time to cry.
Hearing unfortunate news
I vow with all beings
that I will abstain from giving my opinion
and instead, honor sadness with action