tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37983535.post6796461098498510248..comments2023-10-22T01:48:29.378-07:00Comments on SlowZen... Again: Retreat by alone?SlowZenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10589294912054724123noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37983535.post-73717035761742472802008-01-18T10:35:00.000-08:002008-01-18T10:35:00.000-08:00Greg,I am so happy to inspire,Thank youGassho,Jord...Greg,<BR/>I am so happy to inspire,<BR/>Thank you<BR/>Gassho,<BR/>JordanSlowZenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10589294912054724123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37983535.post-72138682763799434502008-01-17T16:50:00.000-08:002008-01-17T16:50:00.000-08:00The retreat by alone, sounded like a good experien...The retreat by alone, sounded like a good experience --- I commend your decision to try a retreat every month.<BR/><BR/>You inspire me to work a little harder at building up my own practice.<BR/><BR/>gassho,<BR/><BR/>GregAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37983535.post-72320493392765010912008-01-15T14:44:00.000-08:002008-01-15T14:44:00.000-08:00Jeff,Yep, maybe we could race our thoughts!Actuall...Jeff,<BR/>Yep, maybe we could race our thoughts!<BR/><BR/>Actually this morning I kind of just sat like a cabbage, I am not so sure it is preferable to the busyness I was experiencing before. But I really kind of appreciated the boredom. I guess I should have described it differently, but emptiness sounds a little too profound to me right now. And I am not so sure if that is even desirable. <BR/><BR/>I do appreciate your fellowship,<BR/>JordanSlowZenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10589294912054724123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37983535.post-5136118863783453152008-01-15T14:32:00.000-08:002008-01-15T14:32:00.000-08:00Jordan - Glad your retreat went so well. I think M...Jordan - Glad your retreat went so well. I think Mike was probably talking about boredom in general and not so much about yours personally. He nailed it in my case anyway. When I am sitting, my thoughts race back and forth with my zazen almost continually. Every so often I can get to a place where that doesn't happen but it takes me a while to settle in and some days I never get there at all. Maybe that is why it is good to sit to a prescribed time rather than just sitting until you feel uncomfortable. If I know that I am not getting up until the bell rings, my zazen tends to be better even if I set the timer for less time. It is my thinking that bores me and not so much the situation. lately I'm having a hard time even completing a blog comment without stopping from the paralyzing boredom of my own stupid thoughts. Maybe I should set a timer to that and whatever I manage to write in three minutes or so is my daily quota on stupidity. hehoxeyehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090991809551162388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37983535.post-24164859105232499082008-01-15T10:45:00.000-08:002008-01-15T10:45:00.000-08:00Aaron, Thank you.Mike,I am not so sure about you c...Aaron, <BR/>Thank you.<BR/><BR/>Mike,<BR/>I am not so sure about you comment about boredom. I was exactly where I wanted to be, where I planed to be and the situation actually worked out to my benefit. It may be that part of me wanted the comfort of company, but I also knew that other people were doing Zazen too, just somewhere else. And that if they were there I would be on a rigid schedule with bell ringing and walking meditation at someone else's pace. <BR/><BR/>Then again may be you are right and I just can’t figure it out right now. Most likely it dose not matter either way. <BR/><BR/>Thanks,<BR/>JordanSlowZenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10589294912054724123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37983535.post-41455608537197352932008-01-15T01:39:00.000-08:002008-01-15T01:39:00.000-08:00Good for you!When you sit alone you can stand when...Good for you!<BR/><BR/>When you sit alone you can stand when it feels right to stand. You can be more natural about it.<BR/><BR/>As for boredom. It's only boring because part of you wants to be doing something else.<BR/><BR/>Have you ever been bored doing something you want to do?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37983535.post-54024782467450995692008-01-14T07:48:00.000-08:002008-01-14T07:48:00.000-08:00Jordan, great job doing the sit regardless, and gr...Jordan, great job doing the sit regardless, and great idea to do it once a month!<BR/><BR/>I hope you do it.<BR/><BR/>Aarongnizhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18043750358888135458noreply@blogger.com