Hey kids, what did we learn today?
Jan. 12th, 2005 10:59 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
raybearI woke up and shortly after there was thunder. It sounded so foreign, I suppose because it is in the winter time. I took Sophie out the back, but after running five feet into the yard, she turned right back around and ran inside. She didn't want anything to do with the heavy rain and sleet. So we came back upstairs and I worked on my 'homework'.
Last night I went to the first session of my five week meditation course. It seemed to be a larger class than usual -- I'm sure because of new year's resolutions. Many people made this same comment, but what amused me was that when all of us made it, there was only a slightly sheepish response in owning that decision. There were few attempts to pretend there wasn't an aspect of "resolution" involve and that was okay. It's okay to be earnest in this environment and not face ridicule. Though I'm getting better about dealing with the latter when out in the real world.
So the course started with how to get up from the mat, how to get down on the mat, how to fluff the pillows (yes, I know it's more than that, and I mean it affectionately), some basic breathing techiniques, and a few mudras (hand poses, specifically hapchang). Kosu covered some basic buddhist tenets: how it started, we're all buddhas, impermanence, letting go. We did a few short sittings inbetween the lessons. She talked about how much of zen is about learning through watching, that no teachers are really needed, and how in a lot of monastaries, there wouldn't be anyone like her sitting and talking to you, it would just be about observing. (Which made me feel a little better about my year of going to the temple before taking the intro course.)
As I was leaving the templed, the woman next to me on the mats unexpectedly stuck out her hand and introduced herself. I was for some reason flattered and touched. But then she darted down the stairs and I didn't engage with her more. Next week. My new mantra for temple is "don't be afraid to stay for tea and cookies" which is code for not being afraid to commit to the sangha, to engage with other buddhists, other practitioners, to step outside of my comfort zone and meet new people.
So, my 'homework' is to sit for five minutes a day at least five times a week and one hapchang per day. I feel like I cheated because in the past couple weeks I've been sitting at least three times a week, to try and prepare. Yes, I know it's not really cheating.
This morning I sat in the rain. Or rather I sat by the window with the rain on the other side of the glass and the occasional distant murmurs of thunder and I had a little breakthrough moment with one of the breathing techniques. I've heard (and read) about focusing on the out-breath, then letting the in-breath happen "naturally". I had no idea what that meant or how to do it. I seemed to only be able to focus on both, to consciously inhale and exhale. But this morning I realized what they meant, how to exhale slowly, completely, then pause, and wait for the involuntary function of breathing to kick in. I just wasn't waiting that extra 2/10ths of a second for it to happen naturally.
And that is today's moment of zen. At least for me.
In Other NewsTM, T-Boogie called me up yesterday and made me an offer I can't refuse. I'm DJing the LCCP ball, which isn't that groundbreaking or exciting in and of itself, but I will be the right-hand DJ for......MC Lyte. MC fckin' Lyte. MC 'Cold Rock a Party' Lyte. MC 'Paper Thin' Lyte. She's not performing at the event, she's just being essentially "the hype man", talking to the crowd, getting people to dance, calling out song requests, etc., but I'll be the guy behind the decks helping her out. (I think this is sort of similar to Meshell Ndegeocello's appearance last year, except she'll actually interact with the crowd.) I'm so excited about this that I've come completely full circle that I'm chill and calm. Or maybe I'm just nonplussed.
I'm getting a late start on my morning. I still need to cut my hair, do all the paperwork to mail off the journal copies, so I can head downtown to watch![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
dommeyourass's closing arguments.
Last night I went to the first session of my five week meditation course. It seemed to be a larger class than usual -- I'm sure because of new year's resolutions. Many people made this same comment, but what amused me was that when all of us made it, there was only a slightly sheepish response in owning that decision. There were few attempts to pretend there wasn't an aspect of "resolution" involve and that was okay. It's okay to be earnest in this environment and not face ridicule. Though I'm getting better about dealing with the latter when out in the real world.
So the course started with how to get up from the mat, how to get down on the mat, how to fluff the pillows (yes, I know it's more than that, and I mean it affectionately), some basic breathing techiniques, and a few mudras (hand poses, specifically hapchang). Kosu covered some basic buddhist tenets: how it started, we're all buddhas, impermanence, letting go. We did a few short sittings inbetween the lessons. She talked about how much of zen is about learning through watching, that no teachers are really needed, and how in a lot of monastaries, there wouldn't be anyone like her sitting and talking to you, it would just be about observing. (Which made me feel a little better about my year of going to the temple before taking the intro course.)
As I was leaving the templed, the woman next to me on the mats unexpectedly stuck out her hand and introduced herself. I was for some reason flattered and touched. But then she darted down the stairs and I didn't engage with her more. Next week. My new mantra for temple is "don't be afraid to stay for tea and cookies" which is code for not being afraid to commit to the sangha, to engage with other buddhists, other practitioners, to step outside of my comfort zone and meet new people.
So, my 'homework' is to sit for five minutes a day at least five times a week and one hapchang per day. I feel like I cheated because in the past couple weeks I've been sitting at least three times a week, to try and prepare. Yes, I know it's not really cheating.
This morning I sat in the rain. Or rather I sat by the window with the rain on the other side of the glass and the occasional distant murmurs of thunder and I had a little breakthrough moment with one of the breathing techniques. I've heard (and read) about focusing on the out-breath, then letting the in-breath happen "naturally". I had no idea what that meant or how to do it. I seemed to only be able to focus on both, to consciously inhale and exhale. But this morning I realized what they meant, how to exhale slowly, completely, then pause, and wait for the involuntary function of breathing to kick in. I just wasn't waiting that extra 2/10ths of a second for it to happen naturally.
And that is today's moment of zen. At least for me.
In Other NewsTM, T-Boogie called me up yesterday and made me an offer I can't refuse. I'm DJing the LCCP ball, which isn't that groundbreaking or exciting in and of itself, but I will be the right-hand DJ for......MC Lyte. MC fckin' Lyte. MC 'Cold Rock a Party' Lyte. MC 'Paper Thin' Lyte. She's not performing at the event, she's just being essentially "the hype man", talking to the crowd, getting people to dance, calling out song requests, etc., but I'll be the guy behind the decks helping her out. (I think this is sort of similar to Meshell Ndegeocello's appearance last year, except she'll actually interact with the crowd.) I'm so excited about this that I've come completely full circle that I'm chill and calm. Or maybe I'm just nonplussed.
I'm getting a late start on my morning. I still need to cut my hair, do all the paperwork to mail off the journal copies, so I can head downtown to watch
dommeyourass's closing arguments.
no subject
Date: 2005-01-13 06:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-01-13 07:54 am (UTC)being in a temple is wonderful and i'm grateful for the experience of having that space available.