Having No Agenda

Still in the spiritual department, I read a review on Mother Teresa's letters to her spiritual director in which it said she no longer believed in God from the moment she began working with the sick and dying. Some are called to have an agenda. Some are free of agenda and can act freely according to circumstances. In fact, Zen leads us to that freedom where we can forget about it all. Then we can just enjoy our lives and do what we like doing.

Those of you who liked the Clipper Tea blog may enjoy this anecdote. Maezumi Roshi was entertaining Tich Nat Hahn in true Japanese style. He offered him some tea while Tich Nat Hahn kept talking about the meaning of Zen. Roshi kept filling his cup. Eventually Tich Nat Hahn had to stop talking about Zen to ask "Why do you keep pouring me more and more tea?".

Special Bells

I was banging away on the cat dish this morning with a fork. A carer immediately appeared and said;

"I know you are Buddhist, hope you don't mind me asking but is that a special bell that you are ringing like we ring at Angelus?"

"Oh" I said "it's a special bell for the cat, I suppose."

She was right in a way. It was a special bell. Apart from the cat, that bell saves the life of a mouse or a bird, and future generations or meals for others. And on it goes. Karma goes backwards too. Not to mention what goes into the cat food can. But is there really such a thing as Karma? (Cause and effect) A good question to ask yourself. "Firewood is not Ash," remarked Great Zen Master Dogen.

Later two Jehovas' Witnesses came to the door and gave me a copy of their magazine. "Is there anything we can help you with?" they asked "or anything you need?"

To have the courage and willingness to help a complete stranger would be so good, especially if we have no agenda.

To be continued...

Hit Him with Your Wooden Spoon

Crashed to the floor this morning. Ouch! Just cracks, not broken - much as the villagers probably think of yours truely.

Reminds me of a Tshirt I once saw that bore the message "Only This". Gosh, imagine being someone under torture as we hear about all the time in the papers. No wonder people believe in their Gods.

Do you remember Master Dogens' Shakyamuni Buddha sitting on the cooking pot? "Hit him with your wooden spoon!" he adjured the cook.

Thats all for now, got to go feed the cat.

Have a Cup of Tea

Congrats to the Co-op for its' Fair Trade organic tea. I like my tea with a Yogi tea bag added with milk and sugar. It gives a taste of Nepal. Yogi tea also serves a smidgen of Yogi wisdom at the end of a string. My quotation would be; 'From the great Zen master Maezumi Roshi - "Appreciate your life".

Enjoy your tea!

The way to wake up.

I am now the recipient of so much kindness, instead of running myself ragged and fattening my ego with compassionate acts. Thank God for Christianity - the lower or no-er the church, the kinder the members seem. Compassion ain't an idea, it's really how it works usually. I know that I am hard work to my long suffering family but from my carers I hear it could be a lot worse.

The more heart there is the better. After all we are Shin (heart/mind or compassionate wisdom). If there are obstacles in our way (the earlier the better usually) work on them with a therapist. Speed bumps are one thing, but walls are another. I remember a Spike Milligan's cartoon-style self portrait carrying a nasty little black bag of depression.

Q: Why didn't he drop it?

A: Because he didn't know what was in it!

Ordinary Mind is the Way.

26th July

"I have spent years trying to forget zen," - Genpo Roshi (not in a public talk). He said this years ago. I have watched his life go through so many stages, never sticking for too long anywhere.

I feel as though something is really lacking in my life if I don't sit for too long. I need a balance. I am on my way back to formal practice. I spent a long time stuck on Master Joshus' "Ordinary Mind is The Way" but I was far away from that.

My Sons' Wedding et Moi

On Saturday, went to Cy's wedding in London. At a victorian registry office with carved wood and stained glass. Afterwards, confetti in the rain. Fabulous evening reception, all fairy lights, muslim and champagne. Live music from classic to folk and jazz. Great to see all my family again. Fascintors bobbing about, all over the place. Oasis fans on the train plus beer. Thank you Michael for bowing out for when you did. What a talant that man had. Head and shoulders above the rest.

For myself the urgency of life and death (Called the Great Matter in Zen) gets stronger and stronger. This heart-mind which is me and everything else only deepens as my Home. I do wish people would stop blowing each other up because of differences in beliefs. We all need our faiths until we don't.

As a teacher once said " Don't ask me about life and death, I don't know"

Do you really know?