Erik, +1 on thanks for your thorough response. We (cyclists, not necessarily this group) don't talk nearly enough about the spiritual component of cycling, so thanks to John for starting this thread.
Rob K. in MA On Monday, February 14, 2022 at 9:01:54 AM UTC-5 philipr...@gmail.com wrote: > Before you ride off to the unexpected, I ordered Fischer's book on the > most un-Zen like Amazon as my local library apparently don't have this > title. Thanks for the recommendations. > > On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 4:23:52 PM UTC-6 John Rinker wrote: > >> "And now that I'm completely off the topic of bikes, I'll stop before my >> posts get pulled!" >> >> Often the most enjoyable rides are the ones that take us to unexpected >> places. >> >> Cheers, >> John >> >> On Monday, February 14, 2022 at 2:35:49 AM UTC+9 Erik wrote: >> >>> The best equivalent to that would be the book that introduced a lot of >>> people to Soto Zen, "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind" a collection of talks by >>> Shunryu Suzuki-roshi, the founder of the San Francisco Zen Center. The >>> book is a transcription of lectures and talks he gave at the Zen Center >>> over the years and starts with the line, "In the beginner's mind there are >>> many possibilities, but in the expert's mind there are few." >>> >>> A few others I would recommend for their direct style and plain talk: >>> - "What is Zen" by Norman Fischer and Susan Moon. Just published a few >>> years ago, but a great introduction. And Norman Fischer is a fantastic >>> writer and teacher. >>> -"No Beginning, No End" by my teacher, Kwong-roshi. He was part of the >>> original group of students at SF Zen Center. The book is a great reflection >>> of his personality. I can see him rolling his eyes at me for writing these >>> lengthy responses about Zen. He frequently chides me for living too much >>> in my head. :) >>> >>> If you want to hear / watch a talk, I always like to recommend this one >>> because it was written for a lay audience and connects the principles of >>> Zen with ordinary life. It's Zoketsu Norman Fischer giving the graduation >>> speech at Stanford in 2014. >>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hN9p__BHHDs >>> >>> And now that I'm completely off the topic of bikes, I'll stop before my >>> posts get pulled! >>> >>> >>> On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 6:48:17 AM UTC-8 philipr...@gmail.com >>> wrote: >>> >>>> I'm learning so much here - is there an equivalent of Grant's "Just >>>> Ride" for Zen? >>>> >>>> On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 2:08:51 AM UTC-6 John Rinker wrote: >>>> >>>>> What a pleasure it was to read of your experience, Erik! Much of what >>>>> you wrote resonates deeply with me. Perhaps this is because we share >>>>> something of a history with San Francisco Zen Center and a particular >>>>> approach to both Zen and riding a bike. >>>>> >>>>> My formative experiences with Zen occurred when I lived in the City in >>>>> the late 80s/early 90s and sat at the Zen center regularly during this >>>>> time. This and S.Suzuki's 'beginner's mind' approach to Zen flavored my >>>>> view of the practice as a way to "engage with every activity with the >>>>> same >>>>> energy as you do your sitting". I was a runner at the time, and my early >>>>> morning runs to the Zen center from my 16th/Guerrero place and home again >>>>> were a way to extend the practice beyond the zendo. >>>>> >>>>> Your description of your ride today puts into words so clearly my own >>>>> experiences on rides that challenge me, and how I return to my breathing >>>>> as >>>>> a method of focusing on the ways in which my body reacts to a tough hill, >>>>> frozen hands, thirst, or fatigue. There always seems to be another pedal >>>>> stroke at the bottom of that gaze. And, when the riding is easy, as I >>>>> mentioned above, breathing is a wonderful way to bring my attention to >>>>> the >>>>> moment where brendanoid's 'constant birdsong' echos across Phillip's >>>>> 'gritty industrial streets' as my wheels spin effortlessly. >>>>> >>>>> Cheers, >>>>> John >>>>> On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 4:07:55 PM UTC+9 Erik wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> An interesting thread. I've been involved with Zen practice for a >>>>>> long time. I'm fortunate to live the greater Bay Area, one of the >>>>>> places >>>>>> where Soto Zen first took root in America back in the 1950s and 60s as >>>>>> the >>>>>> Beat generation started attending services at local Japanese temples in >>>>>> pursuit of new experiences. Between San Francisco Zen Center and all of >>>>>> the other temples and practices centers that branched off over the years >>>>>> around here, we have a lot of teachers and places to practice. I've >>>>>> been a >>>>>> student at Sonoma Mountain Zen Center for many years now and have spent >>>>>> a >>>>>> lot of time sitting on a cushion and staring at the wall inside the >>>>>> zendo. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> A fundamental concept in Zen practice is that there is no distinction >>>>>> between sitting (zazen) and other activities. Zazen is just one way to >>>>>> bring your attention to the present moment. A big part of the practice >>>>>> is >>>>>> that you approach and engage with every activity with the same energy as >>>>>> you do your sitting practice and that whatever you are doing should be >>>>>> done >>>>>> fully and completely. When you sit, you sit. When you walk, you walk. >>>>>> When you rake, you rake, When you ride a bike, you ride a bike. Even >>>>>> during intensive training periods, we intersperse zazen with walking >>>>>> meditation, work practice, cooking, cleaning, meals, and other tasks. >>>>>> Sitting practice is only one part of a larger whole and the constant is >>>>>> the act of paying attention to whatever is in front of you at that >>>>>> moment. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> But without going down a practice discussion rabbit hole, I would say >>>>>> that riding a bike--particularly when I'm alone--requires attention that >>>>>> is >>>>>> akin to zazen. It's one of the things that I have always loved about >>>>>> riding. Zazen can be brutal. It's just you and the cushion and the >>>>>> wall >>>>>> and your attention. Nothing to distract you, even though your brain >>>>>> desperately wants something to feed it. And so the focus on breathing, >>>>>> dropping thoughts, posture. The need for this sort of focus comes up a >>>>>> lot >>>>>> when I'm riding. >>>>>> >>>>>> Just today I was out riding and was climbing up a decent grade near >>>>>> my house and had to keep reminding myself that the only thing I need to >>>>>> focus on is the motion of my body and bike in each moment, THAT pedal >>>>>> stroke, THAT revolution of the wheels, etc. My lungs were straining and >>>>>> I >>>>>> wanted to stop, but once I got into the rhythm of just paying attention >>>>>> to >>>>>> one moment at a time, my body settled down and I was able to keep >>>>>> climbing >>>>>> one pedal stroke at a time. It's not much different from the experience >>>>>> of >>>>>> sitting through what feels like the 100th hour of zazen on a hot >>>>>> afternoon >>>>>> when your legs and back are aching, your arms feel like they are going >>>>>> to >>>>>> drop off, your thoughts are popping off and you are convinced that the >>>>>> timekeeper died or forgot to ring the bell...just returning your focus >>>>>> to >>>>>> the present breath, over and over again and all of the discomfort, >>>>>> anxiety >>>>>> and thinking will eventually go quiet and you can settle down into >>>>>> something deeper. Nothing lasts, everything changes. It's a lot like >>>>>> riding in that way. >>>>>> >>>>>> I'll end my long response now, but thanks for the opportunity to >>>>>> consider the connection between practice and biking again. >>>>>> >>>>> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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