In response to Dave Collins.
2:2
An essay of his is here, with a link to a nice "Mind & Life" podcast conversation with him, halfway down the page:
https://www.mindandlife.org/insight/disentangling-self-from-pain/
An essay of his is here, with a link to a nice "Mind & Life" podcast conversation with him, halfway down the page:
https://www.mindandlife.org/insight/disentangling-self-from-pain/
mindandlife.org
Disentangling Self from Pain - Mind & Life Institute
I was in awe the first time I held Rage Against the Machine’s CD, The Ultimate Sacrifice. Featured on the cover was Malcolm Browne’s World Press Photo of the Year (1963) of the Venerable Thích Quảng Đức. Đức, a Vietnamese Mahayana Buddhist monk, was seated in a perfect lotus position, his body engul..
06:43 AM - Oct 17, 2023
In response to Dave Collins.
2.2
... and then my brother's #corgi came into the room (I'm house-sitting at their place today) and sat right in front of where my half-opened eyes were directed, and the sense arose ...
*this moment is alive*
🙏 🐶 🙂
... and then my brother's #corgi came into the room (I'm house-sitting at their place today) and sat right in front of where my half-opened eyes were directed, and the sense arose ...
*this moment is alive*
🙏 🐶 🙂
02:02 PM - Oct 08, 2023
In response to Dave Collins.
7 of 7
And still another way this comes to expression for me is the understanding that there's a miracle going on, there really is, and our wish to connect with and appreciate that miracle — that wish is a child of the miracle.
And still another way this comes to expression for me is the understanding that there's a miracle going on, there really is, and our wish to connect with and appreciate that miracle — that wish is a child of the miracle.
11:54 PM - May 29, 2023
(Edited)
In response to Dave Collins.
6.
Being moved to seek and be intimate with the divine and the living truth of being — that intent, that movement of our hearts — is itself a manifestation of grace.
Being moved to seek and be intimate with the divine and the living truth of being — that intent, that movement of our hearts — is itself a manifestation of grace.
11:54 PM - May 29, 2023
In response to Dave Collins.
5.
Another teaching I find useful in this connection is the Christian contemplative perspective that our very wish to approach and experience the divine is in itself an expression of the divine.
Another teaching I find useful in this connection is the Christian contemplative perspective that our very wish to approach and experience the divine is in itself an expression of the divine.
11:53 PM - May 29, 2023
In response to Dave Collins.
4.
We can go ahead and do things — like effect an intention, and enact a technique in meditation — and allow a appreciation for the fact that we don't know how we're doing that.
I'm reminded here of line from a favorite Zen story: "Not knowing is most intimate."
We can go ahead and do things — like effect an intention, and enact a technique in meditation — and allow a appreciation for the fact that we don't know how we're doing that.
I'm reminded here of line from a favorite Zen story: "Not knowing is most intimate."
11:52 PM - May 29, 2023
In response to Dave Collins.
3.
My sense is that the situation is many-layered, but there are a couple teaching suggestions which come to mind that I feel benefited by.
The first is simply that it can be wholesome for us to know we don't know how we do things.
My sense is that the situation is many-layered, but there are a couple teaching suggestions which come to mind that I feel benefited by.
The first is simply that it can be wholesome for us to know we don't know how we do things.
11:52 PM - May 29, 2023
In response to Dave Collins.
2.
What is it in us that does the "meeting" with the present moment? What agency or self allows that embrace with things as they are? What is the status of the me which "goes toward" what's here?
What is it in us that does the "meeting" with the present moment? What agency or self allows that embrace with things as they are? What is the status of the me which "goes toward" what's here?
11:52 PM - May 29, 2023
In response to Dave Collins.
2`2
Before purpose, before possession, before naming and conceptualizing.
Simple. 🙂 ❤️ 🙏
Before purpose, before possession, before naming and conceptualizing.
Simple. 🙂 ❤️ 🙏
10:27 PM - Apr 23, 2023
In response to Dave Collins.
2'2
Thus, the sense of waking agency is a thing generated — it's not the starting point.
So, in a playfully serious way, the understanding tonight was that the idea that my waking "me" is running the show is dishonest.
And meditation is about honesty.
Thus, the sense of waking agency is a thing generated — it's not the starting point.
So, in a playfully serious way, the understanding tonight was that the idea that my waking "me" is running the show is dishonest.
And meditation is about honesty.
10:41 PM - Apr 08, 2023
In response to Dave Collins.
2.2
"What's your favorite music band?"
"The Beatles."
"What's your favorite song?"
"Old McDonald."
"What's your favorite animal."
She smiled and said: "You."
❤️
"What's your favorite music band?"
"The Beatles."
"What's your favorite song?"
"Old McDonald."
"What's your favorite animal."
She smiled and said: "You."
❤️
02:15 PM - Apr 07, 2023
In response to Dave Collins.
2/2
He later changed that line, and he made it say,
"If you want to realize suchness, immediately practice suchness."
.
It's increasingly my sense that we "practice suchness" when — and I don't know how to say it any better — the way things are is what our #meditation is.
He later changed that line, and he made it say,
"If you want to realize suchness, immediately practice suchness."
.
It's increasingly my sense that we "practice suchness" when — and I don't know how to say it any better — the way things are is what our #meditation is.
03:24 PM - Apr 06, 2023
In response to Dave Collins.
2`2
And there was a sense that the fact that there could be such a feeling of things being nothing special ... was just miraculous.
🙂 🙏
And there was a sense that the fact that there could be such a feeling of things being nothing special ... was just miraculous.
🙂 🙏
10:57 PM - Mar 29, 2023
In response to Dave Collins.
2.2
One day years later, when both men were retired, the inspector met up with Nasruddin, and he asked him, "Were you in fact smuggling back then?"
"Yes, I was," Nasruddin told him.
"What were you smuggling?"
"Donkeys."
One day years later, when both men were retired, the inspector met up with Nasruddin, and he asked him, "Were you in fact smuggling back then?"
"Yes, I was," Nasruddin told him.
"What were you smuggling?"
"Donkeys."
04:54 PM - Mar 24, 2023
In response to Dave Collins.
2/2
And at one point the sense arose that the words
"𝐼 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑎 𝑏𝑜𝑑𝑦"
... are a poem.
They're a kind of figurative statement — since, for instance, it's just as true to say "A body has me" and "This 'I' is the expression of a body."
They're all poems. 🙂 🙏
And at one point the sense arose that the words
"𝐼 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑎 𝑏𝑜𝑑𝑦"
... are a poem.
They're a kind of figurative statement — since, for instance, it's just as true to say "A body has me" and "This 'I' is the expression of a body."
They're all poems. 🙂 🙏
10:53 PM - Mar 21, 2023
(Edited)
In response to Dave Collins.
2=2
And it's not having a realization in the sense of getting an idea of something; it's a realization in the sense of, well, being real.
#Awakening , to put it yet another way, isn't about obtaining a propositional truth; it's about no longer being "asleep" and distracted from what's already t
And it's not having a realization in the sense of getting an idea of something; it's a realization in the sense of, well, being real.
#Awakening , to put it yet another way, isn't about obtaining a propositional truth; it's about no longer being "asleep" and distracted from what's already t
10:04 PM - Mar 19, 2023
In response to Dave Collins.
Meanwhile, "homo" and "human" have roots meaning "earthling"
... prompting me to repeat a favorite Zen priest friend, chef Ed Brown's, teaching: "Enjoy your meal"; and repost a favorite image:
... prompting me to repeat a favorite Zen priest friend, chef Ed Brown's, teaching: "Enjoy your meal"; and repost a favorite image:
08:19 AM - Mar 19, 2023
In response to Dave Collins.
2^2
And then ... 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑔𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑜𝑛 is what does the meditation.
It's a bit hard to put into effective words, but it's like 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑒 ... 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑠 𝑠𝑜𝑏𝑒𝑟.
And then ... 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑔𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑜𝑛 is what does the meditation.
It's a bit hard to put into effective words, but it's like 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑒 ... 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑠 𝑠𝑜𝑏𝑒𝑟.
10:49 PM - Mar 16, 2023
In response to Dave Collins.
2_2
In #Zen teacher Mazu it's "just don't contrive."
And in the Christian author of 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐶𝑙𝑜𝑢𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑈𝑛𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑔 it's "just come to rest in a naked feeling of being, and don't defoul it with conceits."
It's this already.
In #Zen teacher Mazu it's "just don't contrive."
And in the Christian author of 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐶𝑙𝑜𝑢𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑈𝑛𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑔 it's "just come to rest in a naked feeling of being, and don't defoul it with conceits."
It's this already.
11:02 PM - Mar 14, 2023
In response to Dave Collins.
4.4
I asked whether having a Christmas tree in his home was evidence of his religion being influenced by more than one cultural tradition.
"Yes," he told the court, "It's pagan!"
.
There are no major religious currents not influenced by multiple traditions.
I asked whether having a Christmas tree in his home was evidence of his religion being influenced by more than one cultural tradition.
"Yes," he told the court, "It's pagan!"
.
There are no major religious currents not influenced by multiple traditions.
02:45 PM - Mar 13, 2023
In response to Dave Collins.
3.
I next asked him whether at Christmas time his family typically had a Christmas tree in their home. He again said "yes" — and now he knew exactly where I was going.
I next asked him whether at Christmas time his family typically had a Christmas tree in their home. He again said "yes" — and now he knew exactly where I was going.
02:45 PM - Mar 13, 2023
In response to Dave Collins.
2.
At the hearing I had a Catholic theologian friend as a witness. On the stand I asked him if his family observed Christmas. He said, "yes," but he was unsure where I was going.
At the hearing I had a Catholic theologian friend as a witness. On the stand I asked him if his family observed Christmas. He said, "yes," but he was unsure where I was going.
02:44 PM - Mar 13, 2023
In response to Dave Collins.
2|2
That embrace can get occluded—I can get distracted from how things are—when I'm caught up in thoughts and identified with thinking.
Put another way, the idea isn't so much to end thoughts as it is to have a more appreciative relationship with thoughts as just one aspect of lived experience
That embrace can get occluded—I can get distracted from how things are—when I'm caught up in thoughts and identified with thinking.
Put another way, the idea isn't so much to end thoughts as it is to have a more appreciative relationship with thoughts as just one aspect of lived experience
10:26 PM - Mar 11, 2023
In response to Dave Collins.
2/2
In the end, in order to sit and be present without that little pain — I had to not know what I was doing.
🙂 🙏
In the end, in order to sit and be present without that little pain — I had to not know what I was doing.
🙂 🙏
03:22 PM - Mar 09, 2023
In response to Dave Collins.
2.2
In tonight's meditation the sense was that the core of the practice is the fact of the suchness of things being as they are being as it is.
🙂 🙏
In tonight's meditation the sense was that the core of the practice is the fact of the suchness of things being as they are being as it is.
🙂 🙏
10:02 PM - Mar 05, 2023
In response to Dave Collins.
9/9
The cicadas report to the most senior Muses, Calliope and Ourania, who among humans spends time in philosophia and honoring their music (μουσικήν), a music that is a talk both human and divine and that has the most beautiful sound. (259d)
🙂 🙏 🐞
The cicadas report to the most senior Muses, Calliope and Ourania, who among humans spends time in philosophia and honoring their music (μουσικήν), a music that is a talk both human and divine and that has the most beautiful sound. (259d)
🙂 🙏 🐞
06:40 AM - Feb 22, 2023
In response to Dave Collins.
8/
... And as I'm typing the above here in my bed in the dark, a ladybug alights on my computer screen. And she's walking around, moving over the words I'm typing. And I'm reminded of a passage in Plato's 𝑃ℎ𝑎𝑒𝑑𝑟𝑢𝑠:
... And as I'm typing the above here in my bed in the dark, a ladybug alights on my computer screen. And she's walking around, moving over the words I'm typing. And I'm reminded of a passage in Plato's 𝑃ℎ𝑎𝑒𝑑𝑟𝑢𝑠:
06:38 AM - Feb 22, 2023
In response to Dave Collins.
7/
That living truth is something which all particular things, all manifest appearances, including ourselves, participate in.
That living truth is something which all particular things, all manifest appearances, including ourselves, participate in.
06:38 AM - Feb 22, 2023
In response to Dave Collins.
6/
That practice is an exercise in not being distracted. It's a kind of mindfulness. It is remembering and re-connecting with an ultimately changeless living truth. And that living truth is the foundation for all specific examples of beautiful things.
That practice is an exercise in not being distracted. It's a kind of mindfulness. It is remembering and re-connecting with an ultimately changeless living truth. And that living truth is the foundation for all specific examples of beautiful things.
06:38 AM - Feb 22, 2023
In response to Dave Collins.
5/
And engaging our hearts, allowing ourselves to be led and informed by what is for Plato an ultimately divine movement of love in us, is something that we can train for. It's a practice. It's an askesis.
And engaging our hearts, allowing ourselves to be led and informed by what is for Plato an ultimately divine movement of love in us, is something that we can train for. It's a practice. It's an askesis.
06:37 AM - Feb 22, 2023
