I ended up spending most of yesterday at the Zendo, practicing in the morning and attending a steering committee meeting in the afternoon.
It’s funny -- when I first went to the Zendo, four years ago, Zen felt very easy to me. I quite confidently felt that I had a natural affinity for it -- that I understood it and was already somewhat in touch with my Buddha nature. But over time, my confidence in practice has gradually diminished. Now I often feel like I’m wandering in the wilderness. I guess that’s a step forward!
Oh, and I did finally have a chance to rest up. I had a terrific dinner and evening with a good friend, and then went to sleep at 9:30 p.m. Whew!
(Photo: Alfred Hitchcock in the East Village, Feb. 2008)
I love the evening when I allow myself to go to sleep early. It's so luxurious to have a deep, lengthy sleep.
ReplyDeleteLove your thoughts about your practice. Yes, you certainly have taken a big step forward! You're the real thing.
oh the photo is gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteYour thoughts on the practice remind me of what a piano teacher once told me: natural talent leads you to the right place. Then, the real work begins :-)
best
Great photo Steve.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me that when you have no expectation, things come easy. As we become better at something, our expectation keeps us from seeing what we have.
i like mr hitchcock--this would be a nice find while walking along.
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