I do not particularly find that sitting improves my mood, either at the time or later. It does generally allow me the space to know more clearly in my bones what I am feeling.
I sit because I am human, alive, a world honored one if you will. Same as tidying or listening to people who are talking or making sure I have my train ticket. The perspective of non-duality is not concerned with feeling good or bad. It is a different way to be. Fitting the life i am living is not a concept, though i can't describe such a way (except perhaps face to face) without words and ideas. If you want to feel good, I would not recommend zazen. If you want to see living as it is, good, bad, interesting, boring, but always changing and rich, then perhaps. I must note, I struggle to sit every day. I don't like it, and much prefer long baths while I read and write email or else sleeping or talking with my family, but I keep running into my humanity and keep sitting. Thanks, Chris Austin-Lane Sent from a cell phone On May 31, 2011, at 9:40, "ED" <[email protected]> wrote: > > > In other word, doing zazen feels good, and/or you feel good in the > inter-sitting period. Yes? > > --ED > > PS: "It fits life." is a concept; "Feeling good." is an experience. > > > > --- In [email protected], Chris Austin-Lane <chris@...> wrote: >> > Another worthy koan, though I think a cleaner form would be: > > chris, if [you agree with Bill!'s formulation that] zen is "Just > THIS!", why do zazen? > > (Bearing in mind that you do not do zazen, zazen does the sitter.). > > I continue to sit because I am human. I presume your experience of > Zen training left you with a different perspective. > > It is pretty much why I apologize when I step on a person's foot, or > why I put dirty laundry in the washing machine, or pick up trash that > I walk by. It fits life. > > Cheers, Chris > > > >> On Tuesday, May 31, 2011, ED seacrofter001@... wrote: >> >> If Zen is: "Just THIS.", what is the reason or motivationÂor > objective or > justification or drive for doing zazen? > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------ > > Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are > reading! Talk about it today!Yahoo! Groups Links > > > ------------------------------------ Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! Talk about it today!Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
