The weather here is simply stunning, and last night I had a surprising and wonderful evening meeting some friends of my parents. They are both anthropologists, authors and buddhists. Probably in the opposite order from how I've listed it :)
He is Australian and she is Japanese and together we cooked Don Buri for my family - something I make at home often but not as beautifully as she taught me. I went to talk to him about his new book - which is all about the need for humans to become conscious of our consciousness in order to avoid a catastrophic end to ourselves. I spoke to him about my experience here, and what I had read on Lorianne's blog about the progressive faith blogcon, and I just enjoyed his simple delight in his mindful living. He does a week-long 16-hours per day meditation retreat annually, and his wife does one every 4 months. Wow.
And today ... I walked my dog early in the beautiful woods near by. And I just tried to tune in to the reality of constant change. Everything in that woods is growing or dying. Except for the stones, and they themselves are vibrating internally from the sun's radiation and their surface is imperceptibly eroding away. I am trying too hard to control my life these days. Fearful and rocked by huge and unexpected change in personal circumstances, I want to lock things down and to throw away anything of which I am uncertain. Each time my mind wandered to these things I just brought myself back (once I'd noticed - no longer chastising, thanks Lori) to the changes all around me instead.
g'morning, Day 1! As Oprah would say, "Here we go..."
Stray, what a wonderful gathering you had last night! I'm honored to think that I was indirectly present via my musings on the prog faith blog con.
In the spirit of New Beginnings, this morning I woke up, recited the 4 Great Vows, then did some bowing (prostration) practice: 27 full bows & 81 standing bows. I'll gradually work my way up to doing 108 full bows, but right now this "baby step" feels just right.
Are you out there bowing with me, Janice? :-)
I'm planning to sit & chant later this afternoon when I'm due for a pick-me-up (and when I won't wake my neighbors by chanting!)
Fascinating story, Janice. What was Alan Watts like? I've read some of his books and liked them (his writings on Zen in particular in my late teens, early 20s).
Lovely dinner and walk that you describe, Stray. Glad to hear your spirits have lifted.
Jean, it must be hard at work these days without Roger. Thinking of you...
Just up and hardly got my eyes open, so I haven't sat yet. Drinking coffee. Yes, I'm bowing with you, Lorianne ... as you, I've been doing full prostrations and then standing bows.
Brenda - Alan Watts was a charming and delightful man. I knew him at the very end of his life - a heavy drinker and womanizer. A lot of people turned against him, expecting him to be the "perfect" teacher. He didn't call himself a teacher, he said he was a philosophical entertainer. I loved him anyway, warts and all. I've known so many teachers who "fell of their pedestal" when they didn't meet up to the expectations of students ... so sad.
He was one of the directors at Cold Mountain (a Buddhist residential retreat center) where I lived and worked
The Wisdom of Insecurity is my favorite of his books, and I re-read it often when things start falling apart. Do you have a favorite?
Lovely description Stray. I miss those kinds of meetings. London again....
I am struggling. WE are struggling, and sometimes my aspirations here get throqwn back at me as criticism: why aren't I perfect? What use is all this 100 days stuff? Ouch.
Lots of getting rid of shit, both in the house and in the septic tank. I did something I have never done before in my life and I hired a cleaner for the afternoon! I just couldn't cope. It's funny how, though it was really helpful, and she was a delightful cinematic costumier out of work I had to deal with letting that - MY WAY - go too! Cleaning is so personal! I found myself wanting to correct her all the time! I know J feels this with me when I clean! Anyway we are getting there!
Si I'm here. I have not meditated today. It is 46 degrees in the sun which does not help and I do not have the space either in or out. However. MY ROOM is finally clear now,so wahey, here's to the next 100!!!!.
I loved what you said about couples, Dale. Grace in a couple? I guess we can just hope for moments and when they come celebrate them with all our hearts. Otherwise there is alot of shit to deal with!
(sorry, I am very into shit at the moment. If you saw our house and our septic tank you would know why!)
Happy day one everyone and thank you all for being so rich and oftentimes mindful!
That's an odd thing for me, though. I meditate every day, there's no beginning or ending. I suppose this is like saying, ok, it's 8am now, start to another day! It seems distant and strange to think of meditating in bundles of days when it's more of a continuum, like eating or sleeping. Though of course I LOVE Books of Days, and this site is surely that!
Perhaps I'll meditate until I die, and that'll be 'end day,' only, it's such a habit, that my 'consciousness' will probably keep on meditating! Oh, sigh.
Janice, I'll browse Wikipedia's list of Watts' books to see if I can remember... he was an accessible writer, a brightness and lots of knowledge at his disposal. Nah, I don't care about womanizing or drunkeness either, as long as it's not hidden.
(I wrote disposable, Ruth, now you've got me bandying about shit too!)
Listen, I need some vices! I'm way too good. Any suggestions?!
Can't even seem to fall off the meditation bandwagon.
Hi All. Okay, I'm committing to three minutes of shamatha per day -- again, yes, that same crushing schedule which I didn't manage to keep up last time :-)
Here's my new twist, though, which I just used: I can't comment here until I've done my three minutes.
So I just sat here and did three minutes, because I wanted to say hi. Heh. Any means necessary, right?
Welcome, Elsie! There's a veritable nest of ueber-geeks here, I think Devon and Janice and Udge (hey, where's Udge?) and I all qualify. -- Well, Janice is a maybe.
Brenda, I'd be happy to pass my procrastination to you. But it's not quite ready.
new moon, new beginning. i like the synchronicity. unbelievably, i've packed the zafus already (we move from the townhouse this coming monday). no matter, this is a good opportunity to let go of my clinging to even my meditation apparatus. i will sit today amongst the chaos with whatever i can find. a pillow, a chair or maybe even just the floor.
Hi everybody; welcome, Elsie; welcome back, John! Dale - great idea and I think I will follow your lead and not allow myself to say hi here until I've done three minutes - which I just did. SOOOO speedy and revved on Day 1 - I have two book signings this week and am dealing with reporters, a radio interview, and shepherding my "subject" around Montreal - it is the sort of stuff authors dream about, I suppose, but it is also filled with distraction, excitement, and all sorts of opportunities to slip into undesireable soups. Meditation will be extremely important as I go through the next weeks, to keep myself centered and return to simplicity. And I think, having come so recently from a place of grief and inner focus, this outward thing is both good and something I have to be careful about. So it's a good time to start another 100 days with renewed commitment.
Beth, many congratulations! I'm not sure if I said it before, but I'm sooo proud of you! You'll manage, with the grace, dignity, compassion and humour as you always do, and meditation to keep it all steady~ :)
Welcome, Elsie! It's like a party here today!
John, I went through a crisis about 9 years ago when I realized I had to give up my beautiful alter because there wasn't room - the most precious objects moved to my drafting table and sat around my laptop and that's where I would meditate. I eventually learnt, the hard way, to carry an "inner alter" with me, which is probably how it should be. For nomads anyway.
Meditation itself is my inner alter.
Dale, it's a trade! I'll swap procrastinations with you. You can have my housework. :grins widely:
Ruth, I have it bad. Really. Do you know I buy a bottle of wine maybe twice a month, usually a Chilean Merlot (fits my budget, doesn't taste too bad), we're talking 750ml bottles here, and I make them last a whole week... that's about a thimbleful a day!
When my kids ask why I bother when I have so little, I say it's nice at bedtime and it makes me feel special. Nuts huh?!
My massage therapist/architect friend laughed and said, That's not drinking wine; that's homeopathic medicine!
Sorry for being so chatty today! I love Cotes du Rhone, Ruth, and will buy a bottle and toast you & Julian and your *new space* (yay!)~
Good evening, everyone; welcome to Elsie, and welcome back to John!
Janice, it's good to know you're bowing with me: maybe we'll keep each other on the semi-straight & narrow. :-)
Tonight I went to the local mindfulness practice center for their Tuesday night meditation session. Believe it or not, I've never been to this center even though it's within walking distance from my apartment: when I led a Zen group, I didn't have time for another group, and after the Zen group dissolved right as I was going through my divorce, I think (in retrospect) I was feeling too wounded & vulnerable to try another group.
Soooo, tonight I took the plunge & tried this new-to-me group. The form's a bit different than what I'm used to, and it's weird going to a group as an anonymous practitioner vs. being a teacher/leader...but it's good to meditate with other breathing bodies even if the *form* of that practice feels different from what I'm used to.
All in all, it's been a good Day 1. Here's hoping the remaining 99 follow suit! :-)
21 Comments:
What a perfect day to begin!
The weather here is simply stunning, and last night I had a surprising and wonderful evening meeting some friends of my parents. They are both anthropologists, authors and buddhists. Probably in the opposite order from how I've listed it :)
He is Australian and she is Japanese and together we cooked Don Buri for my family - something I make at home often but not as beautifully as she taught me. I went to talk to him about his new book - which is all about the need for humans to become conscious of our consciousness in order to avoid a catastrophic end to ourselves. I spoke to him about my experience here, and what I had read on Lorianne's blog about the progressive faith blogcon, and I just enjoyed his simple delight in his mindful living. He does a week-long 16-hours per day meditation retreat annually, and his wife does one every 4 months. Wow.
And today ... I walked my dog early in the beautiful woods near by. And I just tried to tune in to the reality of constant change. Everything in that woods is growing or dying. Except for the stones, and they themselves are vibrating internally from the sun's radiation and their surface is imperceptibly eroding away. I am trying too hard to control my life these days. Fearful and rocked by huge and unexpected change in personal circumstances, I want to lock things down and to throw away anything of which I am uncertain. Each time my mind wandered to these things I just brought myself back (once I'd noticed - no longer chastising, thanks Lori) to the changes all around me instead.
Thanks all for being here, hugs xx
g'morning, Day 1! As Oprah would say, "Here we go..."
Stray, what a wonderful gathering you had last night! I'm honored to think that I was indirectly present via my musings on the prog faith blog con.
In the spirit of New Beginnings, this morning I woke up, recited the 4 Great Vows, then did some bowing (prostration) practice: 27 full bows & 81 standing bows. I'll gradually work my way up to doing 108 full bows, but right now this "baby step" feels just right.
Are you out there bowing with me, Janice? :-)
I'm planning to sit & chant later this afternoon when I'm due for a pick-me-up (and when I won't wake my neighbors by chanting!)
Happy Day One, everyone!
Fascinating story, Janice. What was Alan Watts like? I've read some of his books and liked them (his writings on Zen in particular in my late teens, early 20s).
Lovely dinner and walk that you describe, Stray. Glad to hear your spirits have lifted.
Jean, it must be hard at work these days without Roger. Thinking of you...
a fine morning here too - a perfect Day 1
Just up and hardly got my eyes open, so I haven't sat yet. Drinking coffee. Yes, I'm bowing with you, Lorianne ... as you, I've been doing full prostrations and then standing bows.
Brenda - Alan Watts was a charming and delightful man. I knew him at the very end of his life - a heavy drinker and womanizer. A lot of people turned against him, expecting him to be the "perfect" teacher. He didn't call himself a teacher, he said he was a philosophical entertainer. I loved him anyway, warts and all. I've known so many teachers who "fell of their pedestal" when they didn't meet up to the expectations of students ... so sad.
He was one of the directors at Cold Mountain (a Buddhist residential retreat center) where I lived and worked
The Wisdom of Insecurity is my favorite of his books, and I re-read it often when things start falling apart. Do you have a favorite?
oh, I forgot this ... for Dale
starting this fourth 100, I thought it would be interesting to read some of the entries from the first 100. I didn't start until the second.
for instance, how many people started out then? I know Jean did ... who else? Probably some have disappeared.
I tried to find my way back through the archives, but didn't get there.
found it!
seems like Mary, Jean and Dale are the charter members
I love these little synchronicities in the world - I just started up my meditation practice again last night. I'm in for the 100 days!
Elsie, oh, welcome, welcome! How lovely to have a new visitor on Day One.
Happy Day One everyone!
Missed my usual sit first thing this morning, due to oversleeping. But definitely will sit this evening.
Welcome Elsie and what a lovely gift for day One!
Lovely description Stray. I miss those kinds of meetings. London again....
I am struggling. WE are struggling, and sometimes my aspirations here get throqwn back at me as criticism: why aren't I perfect? What use is all this 100 days stuff? Ouch.
Lots of getting rid of shit, both in the house and in the septic tank. I did something I have never done before in my life and I hired a cleaner for the afternoon! I just couldn't cope. It's funny how, though it was really helpful, and she was a delightful cinematic costumier out of work I had to deal with letting that - MY WAY - go too! Cleaning is so personal! I found myself wanting to correct her all the time! I know J feels this with me when I clean! Anyway we are getting there!
Si I'm here. I have not meditated today. It is 46 degrees in the sun which does not help and I do not have the space either in or out. However. MY ROOM is finally clear now,so wahey, here's to the next 100!!!!.
I loved what you said about couples, Dale. Grace in a couple? I guess we can just hope for moments and when they come celebrate them with all our hearts. Otherwise there is alot of shit to deal with!
(sorry, I am very into shit at the moment. If you saw our house and our septic tank you would know why!)
Happy day one everyone and thank you all for being so rich and oftentimes mindful!
46!! Oh my, Ruth! And here I'm complaining about 38-42 degrees. You help me keep my perspective about shitty (!) weather!
Happy Day 1!
That's an odd thing for me, though. I meditate every day, there's no beginning or ending. I suppose this is like saying, ok, it's 8am now, start to another day! It seems distant and strange to think of meditating in bundles of days when it's more of a continuum, like eating or sleeping. Though of course I LOVE Books of Days, and this site is surely that!
Perhaps I'll meditate until I die, and that'll be 'end day,' only, it's such a habit, that my 'consciousness' will probably keep on meditating! Oh, sigh.
Janice, I'll browse Wikipedia's list of Watts' books to see if I can remember... he was an accessible writer, a brightness and lots of knowledge at his disposal. Nah, I don't care about womanizing or drunkeness either, as long as it's not hidden.
(I wrote disposable, Ruth, now you've got me bandying about shit too!)
Listen, I need some vices! I'm way too good. Any suggestions?!
Can't even seem to fall off the meditation bandwagon.
Hi All. Okay, I'm committing to three minutes of shamatha per day -- again, yes, that same crushing schedule which I didn't manage to keep up last time :-)
Here's my new twist, though, which I just used: I can't comment here until I've done my three minutes.
So I just sat here and did three minutes, because I wanted to say hi. Heh. Any means necessary, right?
Welcome, Elsie! There's a veritable nest of ueber-geeks here, I think Devon and Janice and Udge (hey, where's Udge?) and I all qualify. -- Well, Janice is a maybe.
Brenda, I'd be happy to pass my procrastination to you. But it's not quite ready.
new moon, new beginning. i like the synchronicity. unbelievably, i've packed the zafus already (we move from the townhouse this coming monday). no matter, this is a good opportunity to let go of my clinging to even my meditation apparatus. i will sit today amongst the chaos with whatever i can find. a pillow, a chair or maybe even just the floor.
Hi everybody; welcome, Elsie; welcome back, John! Dale - great idea and I think I will follow your lead and not allow myself to say hi here until I've done three minutes - which I just did. SOOOO speedy and revved on Day 1 - I have two book signings this week and am dealing with reporters, a radio interview, and shepherding my "subject" around Montreal - it is the sort of stuff authors dream about, I suppose, but it is also filled with distraction, excitement, and all sorts of opportunities to slip into undesireable soups. Meditation will be extremely important as I go through the next weeks, to keep myself centered and return to simplicity. And I think, having come so recently from a place of grief and inner focus, this outward thing is both good and something I have to be careful about. So it's a good time to start another 100 days with renewed commitment.
Beth, many congratulations! I'm not sure if I said it before, but I'm sooo proud of you! You'll manage, with the grace, dignity, compassion and humour as you always do, and meditation to keep it all steady~ :)
Welcome, Elsie! It's like a party here today!
John, I went through a crisis about 9 years ago when I realized I had to give up my beautiful alter because there wasn't room - the most precious objects moved to my drafting table and sat around my laptop and that's where I would meditate. I eventually learnt, the hard way, to carry an "inner alter" with me, which is probably how it should be. For nomads anyway.
Meditation itself is my inner alter.
Dale, it's a trade! I'll swap procrastinations with you. You can have my housework. :grins widely:
have a nice glass or two of côtes du rhone brenda!
cheers!
Ruth, I have it bad. Really. Do you know I buy a bottle of wine maybe twice a month, usually a Chilean Merlot (fits my budget, doesn't taste too bad), we're talking 750ml bottles here, and I make them last a whole week... that's about a thimbleful a day!
When my kids ask why I bother when I have so little, I say it's nice at bedtime and it makes me feel special. Nuts huh?!
My massage therapist/architect friend laughed and said, That's not drinking wine; that's homeopathic medicine!
Sorry for being so chatty today! I love Cotes du Rhone, Ruth, and will buy a bottle and toast you & Julian and your *new space* (yay!)~
Hello people I haven't met before!
Lol Brenda - I can teach you ALL about doing things to excess if you like ... but your thimble full of merlot sounds much nicer :)
xx
Thanks for the welcome, guys. Hi to everyone! :)
Good evening, everyone; welcome to Elsie, and welcome back to John!
Janice, it's good to know you're bowing with me: maybe we'll keep each other on the semi-straight & narrow. :-)
Tonight I went to the local mindfulness practice center for their Tuesday night meditation session. Believe it or not, I've never been to this center even though it's within walking distance from my apartment: when I led a Zen group, I didn't have time for another group, and after the Zen group dissolved right as I was going through my divorce, I think (in retrospect) I was feeling too wounded & vulnerable to try another group.
Soooo, tonight I took the plunge & tried this new-to-me group. The form's a bit different than what I'm used to, and it's weird going to a group as an anonymous practitioner vs. being a teacher/leader...but it's good to meditate with other breathing bodies even if the *form* of that practice feels different from what I'm used to.
All in all, it's been a good Day 1. Here's hoping the remaining 99 follow suit! :-)
How curious that I chose last night to start sitting again, and then found this weblog this morning.
--Hanna
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