A True Bodhisattva

I just wanted to share with you this incredible story of a true Bodhisattva who gave so much to the world in just a short period of time.

We will always love you Mattie!!

Unusual Effort

Zen practice is to get to our True Mind,
the mind not accessible to thinking.
This mind cannot be consciously known
by ordinary efforts.
An unusual effort is necessary.
This effort is zazen.

~ Shunryu Suzuki

Divine Oneness

How can the divine Oneness be seen?
In beautiful forms, breathtaking wonders,
   awe-inspiring miracles?
The Tao is not obliged to present itself
   in this way.

If you are willing to be lived by it, you will
   see it everywhere, even in the most
      ordinary things.

~ LAO TZU

My Productivity Guru

Hey, wanted to share this link to the guy who, so many years ago, transformed my approach to getting things done (both at work and in my personal life). He's got a blog. WAY COOL!

Check him out for tips and tricks on being a black belt in Getting Things Done!!

David Allen Blog

Miss you... miss you

Found this one song by Blink 182 I really like that I just can't get out of my head, it's called "I Miss You". The lyrics are a bit out there, but strangly I'm drawn to them. Cool video if you have the bandwidth (300k) to check it out.

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Hello there / the angel from my nightmare
The shadow in the background of the morgue
The unsuspecting victim / of darkness in the valley
We can live like Jack and Sally / if we want
Where you can always find me
And we'll have Halloween on Christmas
And in the night we'll wish this never ends
We'll wish this never ends

(I miss you I miss you)
(I miss you I miss you)

Where are you / and I'm so sorry
I cannot sleep I cannot dream tonight
I need somebody and always
This sick strange darkness
Comes creeping on so haunting every time
And as I stared I counted
The Webs from all the spiders
Catching things and eating their insides
Like indecision to call you
And hear your voice of treason
Will you come home and stop this pain tonight
Stop this pain tonight

Don't waste your time on me you're already
The voice inside my head (I miss you miss you)
Don't waste your time on me you're already
The voice inside my head (I miss you miss you)

Don't waste your time on me you're already
The voice inside my head (I miss you miss you)
Don't waste your time on me you're already
The voice inside my head (I miss you miss you)
Don't waste your time on me you're already
The voice inside my head (I miss you miss you)
Don't waste your time on me you're already
The voice inside my head (I miss you miss you)

I miss you (miss you miss you)
I miss you (miss you miss you)
I miss you (miss you miss you)
I miss you (miss you miss you)
(I miss you miss you)

Why I Practice

To die in peace,
  one must learn to live in peace.

This is why I practice.

The Present

The past is history.
The future is a mystery.
This moment is a gift.

That is why this moment is called "the present".

~Anon.

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Found this today and it was a good reminder for me. I've heard this play on words before, I like it. If anyone knows who to attribute this to I'd love to know. Thanks.

May all beings find happiness, may I help them do so.

It is a matter for everyday

Do not be concerned with who is
wise and who is stupid.
Do not discriminate the
sharp from the dull.
To practice whole-heartedly
is the true endeavor of the way.
Practice-realization is not
defiled with specialness;
it is a matter for every day.
~ Dogen (1200-1253)

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The two things that jumped out for me about this Dogen quote were: "Practice-realization is not defiled with specialness" and "it is a matter for every day."

My everyday practice is getting stronger. More and more I find myself on the cushion on a daily basis. This pleases me. This leads me to the second part, specialness. Sitting on the cushion on a daily basis is still "special" for me. It has yet to become an ordinary, every day practice. I believe though, in time, with further cultivation and strengthening, it will one day become an ordinary, everyday practice.
♬ Just keep sitting, sitting, sitting. Just keep sitting. What will we do? We SIT! ♬

Sorry, that tune just popped in my head as it always does. Kinda' catchy.

Birthday Weekend Report

Whew! What a weekend!! I'm sitting here at work absolutely DEAD tired after arriving here at 6:15am to complete my part of the new software release today. If it wasn't for the coffee and PowerBar I'd be falling over for sure!!

Amy's party was great!! 9 kids, a couple of friends and family and all the pizza and birthday cake you can eat!! There were a couple of down sides though. One little girl (Stephany) got sick (nervous stomach we're told) and Nana fell on our front stoop and broke her hand. Ouch! She doing ok. Only a small break in a bone on top of her hand. Nothing serious thank God!!

That was Friday evening. Then Saturday it was off to Amy's best friends birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese's. Then on Sunday it was off to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Baily circus (tickets were Nana's gift)!

It was a fun weekend for the whole family, but now we're paying for it this Monday morning (at least I am). I need another weekend to recoop from my weekend. :)

Peace to all.

Happy Birthday Amy!

My daughter Amy is 5 years old today. Holy crap! Where does the time go!!

She was SO excited this morning about her party later this afternoon that she was practically jumpin' out of her pj's!!!

It's so wonderful to see her so happy and excited. It's going to be a fun evening! I can't wait!!! :) :) :)

Empty Boat

I try to keep this parable in mind when I'm driving each morning and afternoon to and from work on my 70 minute commute. If I get cutoff or pushed over to the side, I try to see others as just an "empty boat". I said try, it's not always easy, but it is my practice today.

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A man, in a rowboat, was rowing upriver on his way home. Knowing that a self-powered upriver-bound vessel had the right-of-way he was happily oblivious to what was behind him as he rowed away.

Suddenly, he was bumped. As he whirled around he saw that it was a man in another rowboat coming downriver and not paying attention. He gave the man a loud and serious scolding for his ineptitude and the man appologized as he drifted away without further confrontation.

The man went on rowing for some time when, suddenly, he was bumped again. He whirled around angrily, ready to issue another scolding, and saw that it was just an empty boat that had come loose of its moorings. He pushed it away and continued to row home.

As he rowed home peacfully he thought about what had happened and vowed that, from that day forward, he would treat other people as well as an empty boat.

Basho

How I long to see
  among the morning flowers
    the face of God.

~ Basho

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This Basho quote popped up on my daily Zen calendar this past weekend and it just struck me so profoundly I had to share it. It is so hard sometimes not to get attached to words that are so powerfully put together.