Something are transitory like mist and some things are transient like the humbly mountain falling into the sea. --Sensi Dougherty On Nov 1, 2012 3:11 PM, "Merle Lester" <merlewiit...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > > > mountains are pure zen..merle > > Merle, > > I like that "where have I been". That sounds promising! > > My major sailing days are over. I might go out again once in a while if I > get a chance, but never on my own boat and never for weeks at a time like I > used to. > > I live in the mountains now. My mountain days are just beginning! > > I have visited Cuba. I sailed my boat from Key West, Florida to the > Hemingway Marina just outside of Havana. I stayed there about a week. > > I liked the people, food and music. > > ...Bill! > > --- In Zen_Forum@yahoogroups.com, Merle Lester <merlewiitpom@...> wrote: > > > >  sometimes it happens for me..and i feel.." where have i been"?..it is > a good place to be... but as you say the mind must quieten down. > >  billllll are your sailing days over? > >  did you step ashore in cuba? > > .merle > > > > > >  > > Merle, > > > > First of all - I want to tell you that whatever changes you made or > different actions you took in posting this post renders your post much more > readable on the website. I hope you continue this way. > > > > I did not sail all 7 seas,just one really - the Caribbean sea which > includes the Gulf of Mexico, Cuba, Haiti and the islands that curve > southwest from there towards South America. > > > > Stopping, or at least slowing down, your chattering mind is exactly what > zen training is all about. It's called the 'monkey mind' in a lot of zen > literature. There are many techniques for that but the primary one is zazen > (zen meditation). It starts out by concentrating on just a few things (like > counting your breathes 1-10) and ends up finally dropping all activity. > This complete stillness is called 'shikantaza' and can be translated as > 'just sitting' and is also called 'clear mind'. > > > > There are many websites that have good instructions on how to begin > sitting zazen, but the best way is always to find a zen center and go for a > beginning seminar and zazen instructions. > > > > ...Bill! > > > > --- In Zen_Forum@yahoogroups.com, Merle Lester <merlewiitpom@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > Billllllllllllll beautiful!..did you sail the 7 seas?..... pity i get > seasick!..i have a question? > > > how do i stop my chattering mind? > > >  last night it would not stop..hence no sleep..no don't tell me to > breathe..that did not work either > > >  the moon is full and i feel like i am going to explode > > > merle > > > > > > > > >  > > > Merle, > > > > > > My mind used to be kind of unruly, but never extremely so.  It's > pretty calm most of the time now. > > > > > > Here is a photo of my boat OB-LA-DI under sail.  It was a 51-ft > Formosa cutter-rigged pilothouse ketch: > > > > > > > > > > > > ...Bill! > > > > > > > > > > >
