Commuter Verse

E=mc²
Ducks should all be in a row
Life isn't like that though
Not Always So

sickness

pounding in my head
muted hearing
unbelievable pressure
behind my eyes
the pain when i swallow

how to practice with this?
you just do
as best you can, you just do

Soon Zafu. Soon.

The blogging pressure bogging me down.
No time to think.
No time to post.
Just Practicing the best I can,
Day in and Day out.
Practicing with the dishes.
Practicing with the broom.
Practicing with the commute.
Remembering to Breathe when I can.
I feel sad for my poor lonely Zafu,
Just sitting there so patiently.
I be there soon my friend. Soon.

I Feel Ripe

UPDATED!

"The meaning does not lie in words, yet those who are ripe must be taught."

~ The Song of the Precious Mirror Samadhi

I believe I am ripe for the picking. It just might be time to put down the books for a while to step more fully into a student teacher experience. I want to take the 5 precepts of a lay buddhist now more than ever. And with following Andi of Ditch the Raft taking an even more catholic approach to the buddhist precepts, I feel inspired even more.

After her mountain seat ceremony on the 22nd of this month, I want to engage my teacher at Mt. Equity Zendo in earnest. I don't want to let this gut feeling come and go without seeing if I really have what it would take to take this formal step towards a life I know will bring me more contentment and peace.

I feel as though I'm back in elementary school jumping up and down in my seat with my hand in the air saying to my teacher; "Ooooo, ooooo, pick me, pick me! I'm ready now!!!"

Gassho _/\_

Hubba hubba!

My response to this post of Lorianne's:

grrooooowl

Ryokan's Precepts of Right Speech

These are some guidelines the Monk Ryokan wrote down for himself:

Ryokan's Precepts of Right Speech

Take care not to:

talk too much
talk too fast
talk without being asked to
talk gratuitously
talk with your hands
talk about worldly affairs
talk back rudely
argue
smile condescendingly at others' words
use elegant expressions
boast
avoid speaking directly
speak with a knowing air
jump from topic to topic
use fancy words
speak of past events that cannot be changed
speak like a pedant
avoid direct questions
speak ill of others
speak grandly of enlightenment
carry on while drunk
speak in an obnoxious manner
yell at children
make up fantastic stories
speak while angry
name-drop
ignore the people to whom you are speaking
speak sanctimoniously of gods and buddhas
use sugary speech
use flattering speech
speak of things of which you have no knowledge
monopolize conversations
talk about others behind their backs
speak with conceit
bad-mouth others
chant prayers ostentatiously
complain about the amount of alms
give long-winded sermons
speak affectedly like a tea master

~ Ryokan (1758-1831)

Ryoken here says 'take care not to...' he doesn't say 'do not...'. I would look on these as a guide markers, kinda' like the north star. Don't look on them as the destination to arrive at / achieve, but as the general direction you want to be heading in. That's how I am going to approach it for myself. Any one else have a different take?