Originally Posted by
Taigu
Hi Galen,
I am going to sound old fashioned and pretty stuck. Pausing before action is a great practice.This practice of breath awareness is a great one, it is calming, harmonizing, grounding, in short: a great practice. And not mine anymore. Why is that? Because I am a stuborn son of a b.... And I stick to what Dogen teaches. Breath should be left to breath, Buddha to Buddha, things to things.
Planting fields, making rice is not Planting Breath, making breath. Not even Breath planting fields, breath making rice. The ordinary is not a special focus on breath, dishes, moment, present...It is best described by the words of a very wise lady on this forum: because I know my parents, partner, children, world are already dead, I enjoy their company so much ( something like that, I cannot access the link at the moment)...and when I do so, breath is not in the picture. When cooking or washing the dishes, We are not aware of doing something special, focusing in a particular way, We are simply doing what we are doing. When playing with our child, we just play.
And again if that works for you, great! If you feel you are getting this and that and better, great! But again, the whole point of Dogen Zen is not to get or be better. This attitude and expectation belongs precisely to the realm of extensive discussion described in the koan. You see, this is what makes this Dogen thing absolutely incredible. Far beyond any spiritual agenda could fathom. As expressed by a Shingon priest who happens to be my friend: shikantaza is the ultimate practice.
If you want to get better, fine. Get better. Be in control.
In my clouded eyes, control and intention just get in the way.
Gassho
Taigu