Edgar; If you open yourself in awareness to the flow of the Tao. Your action is not automatic but in awareness. Whatever you say to me there is a negative connotation in the word automatic.
Mayka --- In [email protected], Edgar Owen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Hi Mayka, > > Action is automatic, though perhaps the word is not the best, in that > it is not directed by the details of the mind but flows automatically > from the center of being by just opening oneself to the flow of the > Tao through oneself. Awareness is not a contradiction to this, it is > an awareness of whatever is happening, automatic or not. > > Edgar > > > > On Nov 3, 2008, at 3:21 AM, Mayka wrote: > > > Hi Edgar again; > > > > I have just been reading through the posting just to see which were > > the word or words that lead us both to misunderstanding. In my case > > the word you used in your first post making the statement "...it's > > great to do sometimes things automatically" was what called my > > attention because the last thing that the practice of zen is > > automatic. This statement was the root of our misunderstanding. > > Then you have been writing and claryfying what you meant. What you > > meant is something different as automatic. It's not the same being > > aware as being automatic. Don't you think? > > > > Mayka > > > > --- In [email protected], "Mayka" <flordeloto@> wrote: > > > > > > Good morning Edgar; > > > > > > You're absolutely right the body is always doing many things all at > > > once. The practice is to be aware about what is happening in the > > > body and in the mind and also surroundings. Whether we achieve > > this > > > or not is a different matter. I have never say that this is an > > easy > > > practice. It can be boring and tedious. I only said that is the > > > practice of the present moment in which the tool of breathing in > > > awareness is used. > > > > > > Probably we both are trying to say the same but somehow we're > > getting > > > entangled with words. The web is not an easy medium to express zen. > > > > > > Mayka > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In [email protected], Edgar Owen <edgarowen@> wrote: > > > > > > > > Mayka, > > > > > > > > You are missing my point. One's body is always doing many many > > > things > > > > at once. One could not exist otherwise. Scores of muscles have > > to > > > > move together to make even the simplest motion. To speak tongue > > > and > > > > lips and breath must all move at the same time. No one ever is > > > doing > > > > just one thing. That is an illusion. > > > > > > > > Edgar > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Nov 2, 2008, at 2:58 PM, Mayka wrote: > > > > > > > > > Edgar; > > > > > > > > > > I believe you that if at every moment you're doing 100 or 1000 > > you > > > > > may find difficult to concentrate in what you're doing!. The > > whole > > > > > point of the practice of the present moment is breathing in > > > awarenes > > > > > so that your head is in togetherness with your body and also > > > aware of > > > > > the activities you're doing. Very difficult to manage. I believe > > > > > that. Tell me about it!!!. But that is the practice. If you're > > > > > walking, you try no to chew you to start with. In fact the same > > > > > practice put you off of chewing anything while you're walking. > > > > > > > > > > Mayka > > > > > > > > > > --- In [email protected], Edgar Owen <edgarowen@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > Mayka, > > > > > > > > > > > > Not completely true. At every moment we are doing 100s or > > 1000s > > > of > > > > > > things. It is impossible to be focused on them all. There is > > a > > > big > > > > > > difference between being awake and aware in the moment vs > > > focusing > > > > > on > > > > > > everything that is happening in that moment which is > > completely > > > > > > impossible. > > > > > > > > > > > > It is possible for the Zen person to walk and chew gum > > > > > simultaneously! > > > > > > > > > > > > Consider right now. I am mindful of what I am typing but not > > of > > > > > the > > > > > > movement of each finger on the keyboard. That is still Zen. > > > > > > > > > > > > Be mindful, and let whatever focus happen naturally. But > > focus > > > on > > > > > > reality in the present moment rather than getting lost > > focusing > > > on > > > > > > mind contents. > > > > > > > > > > > > Edgar > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Nov 2, 2008, at 2:16 PM, Mayka wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > Hi Edgar; > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Good to hear from you again. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > If we do things automatically without being focused on > > them, > > > it > > > > > only > > > > > > > means that we're not living the present moment. Simple as > > > that. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Mayka > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In [email protected], Edgar Owen <edgarowen@> > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Bill, > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Sometimes it's great just to do things automatically > > without > > > > > being > > > > > > > > focused on them, that allows one to be mindful of more > > > relevant > > > > > > > things. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Edgar > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Nov 2, 2008, at 4:07 AM, <BillSmart@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Jody, > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > You wrote: > > > > > > > > > >I think I understand that is the MOTIVATION that is > > > > > important. > > > > > > > If > > > > > > > > > a person > > > > > > > > > >has a driving desire to be a Phd in a subject that > > > interests > > > > > > > them, > > > > > > > > > then if > > > > > > > > > >the person pursues the subject they are studying with > > > > > > > curiousity > > > > > > > > > and they > > > > > > > > > >focus on what they are doing today then that is the > > > objective > > > > > > > but > > > > > > > > > if they > > > > > > > > > >are driven to crave the PhD in the future without > > > thinking of > > > > > > > the > > > > > > > > > path to > > > > > > > > > >get there then that is where the problem is? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I think your thoughts above are close, but obtaining a > > > PhD is > > > > > a > > > > > > > > > goal. LEARNING MORE ABOUT [whatever] is not a goal, it > > is > > > an > > > > > > > > > activity. Now you could pursue the learning aspect by > > many > > > > > > > means, > > > > > > > > > one of which would be enrolling in college and taking > > > courses > > > > > > > which > > > > > > > > > might eventually lead to a PhD - BUT, the PhD is only > > > > > incidental > > > > > > > to > > > > > > > > > the activity. It is not the activity itself. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Also, what I think Buddha and Jesus both said were more > > > along > > > > > > > the > > > > > > > > > lines of living in the present. Using the example > > above, > > > if > > > > > you > > > > > > > are > > > > > > > > > going to class every day and studying every night - > > then > > > you > > > > > > > should > > > > > > > > > pour yourself TOTALLY into each activity you are doing > > IN > > > THE > > > > > > > > > PRESENT. You should wake up welcoming the new day, do > > your > > > > > > > morning > > > > > > > > > exercises as best you can, take your shower and dry off > > > with > > > > > all > > > > > > > > > your awareness, fix and eat your breakfast with > > reverence > > > and > > > > > > > > > thanks, drive to class focusing all your attention on > > the > > > > > drive, > > > > > > > > > attend class while focusing all your attention on the > > > > > teacher's > > > > > > > > > instructions, etc... You should NOT wake up and rush > > > through > > > > > > > your > > > > > > > > > morning resenting the interruption of your sleep, shower > > > > > quickly > > > > > > > > > and eat your breakfast in a rush while trying to catch > > the > > > > > first > > > > > > > 15 > > > > > > > > > mins of CNN, drive to class while thinking about your > > > upcoming > > > > > > > test > > > > > > > > > or the cute girl/guy who sits next to you in class, > > fidget > > > > > > > through > > > > > > > > > your class hoping it will end quickly so you and the > > cute > > > > > > > guy/girl > > > > > > > > > sitting next to you could go to the beach or park. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > This is what I mean by living in the present, not > > > dwelling on > > > > > > > the > > > > > > > > > past or dreaming about the future. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ...Bill! > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------ Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! 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