Koans only work when there is an intense effort to find the answer to the unanswerable question. The Koan must be absorbed. Everything in the mind and then some. Then bursting from the efforts the answer comes. Do you have a teacher? Sangha? When one sits in silence and absolute stillness, the perception shifts. One is here in this moment and in the stillness. It can feel overwhelming. The two are different methods to arrive at the same point. Paradox indeed.

I have no desire to be liked or understood. And there are times that I am thin skinned and let out the most outrageous words. But, I do try to be civil (not evil). Don’t always succeed. But try. Shows why I do not have friends. I wish you all well.

Yeah, given answers to Koans is defeating the point of working on the Koan. So I don’t read the answers. Because the real answer comes from the hard work.

I have been thinking about AI. It can have all the information mankind has learn. But, it still will not be conscious. So, for me touch information is not the goal. It is finding our place. 🙏

Hey, what is the whole intention??? It is not the practice of meditation. Due to the fact meditation doesn’t bring enlightenment. Grace does. Of course, if we don’t practice meditation then how would grace happen? State of mind is open awareness.

Emotional distress. Please try watching how you emotions and you mind works. Watch your emotions come out. Then, catch you mind’s words say things to support the feelings.

We are all seeking the eternal, simply because we can imagine the eternal. How can you and I, Shinnen- how can we- can we- make the world a better place, just a bit, just a bit.. can we, Shinnen?

anitar

How are you, Peter?

Dear John, Peter, All: I want to correct the sentence I wrote yesterday after a Thanksgiving feast and enough wine to mess up the structure of my question, so here it is corrected: How can you and I, Shinnen- how can we- can we make the world a better place, just a bit, just a bit.. can we, Shinnen?

Your sentence yesterday: “I often feel that..  I am the ephemeral seeking the eternal” is often attributed to Nikos Kazantzakis, a Greek writer and philosopher who explored themes of the human condition, and the search for meaning. I want to look further into it this Friday morning:

On one hand, we humans are ephemeral, meaning short-lived, transient, temporary, our human life and experiences are brief and constantly changing,

On the other hand, we are seeking the eternal, meaning something that is everlasting, unchanging, and infinite, something that is timeless and permanent. We want to find or connect with something that transcends our fleeting existence: something enduring and everlasting.

There is a contrast between the temporary nature of human life (the ephemeral) and the longing for something permanent, a sense of continuity and meaning beyond our human lives (the eternal).

* The longing for something eternal is a common thread in many religions, involving the belief in an afterlife or a state of existence beyond the physical world, providing hope (and fear) and meaning to followers: Heaven or Hell for Christians, Paradise (Jannah), or hell (Jahannam) for Muslims, Moksha (liberation from the cycle of birth and death, merging with the divine essence, Brahman) for Hindus, Nirvana for Buddhist.

Back to Nikos Kazantzakis, I read that he did not believe in heaven or hell. Instead, he focused on the idea of striving for personal growth and meaning in the present life, living fully in the moment without relying on the hope of an afterlife.

He wrote: “To live, to err, to fall, to triumph, to create life out of life“, emphasizing the importance of experiencing life fully, embracing both successes and failures as part of personal growth.

He wrote: “I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free“- he doesn’t hope for heaven (or nirvana), he doesn’t fear hell.. he is free to live without hope or fear.

He wrote: “For I realize today that it is a mortal sin to violate the great laws of nature. We should not hurry, we should not be impatient, but we should confidently obey the eternal rhythm“- he is saying that it’s a grave error or significant wrongdoing to of go against the fundamental, timeless, universal principles that govern the natural world. He advises against rushing through life or being impatient, behaviors that are contrary to the natural flow of things and lead to unnecessary stress and disorder. He recommends living in harmony with nature, following its pace, and not trying to force things.

Back to my question to you, Shinnen: I think that helping each other is part of the eternal rhythm because human beings are social creatures, and cooperation and mutual support are natural aspects of our existence. Helping others contributes to the overall harmony and balance within communities, reflecting the interconnectedness that is a fundamental aspect of life.

Empathy aligns with the idea of living in harmony with the natural order, fostering deeper connections and promotes a more compassionate and balanced world.

Not judging others, whenever, wherever possible and appropriate, allows for a more inclusive and understanding society, reducing conflict and encourages acceptance and harmony, which are key components of the eternal rhythm.

anita

Dear Peter:

You are welcome, good to read back from you!

The metaphor you used, that of the fish that doesn’t know its in water suggests that just as a fish is unaware of the water it swims in, people are often unaware that they are already in the Eternal Now, and (I am developing the idea), they imagine that the Eternal will happen later in time.

The  Eternal Now is a state of existence beyond time. It’s a no-time reality that we are part of, whether we realize it or not.

“The kingdom is here now and within you“- spiritual enlightenment/ understanding is an internal state, accessible in the present moment.

Thank you for sharing your meditation poem, “The Temporal and Eternal“:

“The sun rises in the morning and sets in the evening… At this moment somewhere the sun is both rising and setting / Yet the sun neither rises nor sets“-  the sun’s rising and setting are human perceptions, while in reality, the sun’s state is constant.

“It is, we are, I am… that. All things arise from and return“- reality is a unity of existence. We are all part of a larger, interconnected whole. There is no true separation between an individual and the universe. Everything is fundamentally one, and recognizing this unity (cosmic identity/ universal self) can lead to a deeper sense of belonging and purpose.

* Cosmic identity often involves transcending the ego—the individual sense of self—and recognizing a greater, universal self.  Embracing a cosmic identity leads to an expanded state of consciousness, where a person’s awareness extends beyond personal concerns to include the welfare of all beings and the universe. It fosters a sense of responsibility and interconnectedness. It leads to an understanding that harming nature is harming ourselves

Back to your poem: “All movement arises from and returns to stillness/ It is, we are, I am.. Stillness All sound, language… returns to silence/… All Life arises from and returns to Love/… All time arises from and returns to Eternity/ It is, we are, I am.. Eternal/… It is, we are, I am.. that.“- thank you very much for sharing your beautiful poem, Peter. I want to have it recorded and listen to it at night time when I lie awake thinking (insomnia), so that I can rest in it.

anita

Dear Peter:

The insomnia factor is an amazing coincidence, glad it made you 🙂.

Your realization has the potential to enlighten me with the understanding that the Eternal Now transcends measurements and is a state of being we already inhabit. It’s a paradox, that the peace and presence we seek require no effort because we are already part of it. The journey isn’t about achieving something new but about recognizing and embracing what has always been within us.

“I find recent events troubling… that so many people have chosen a vision I find little hope in and that I don’t resonate with. Its difficult to ‘see’ that as arising from Love, yet from the Eternal is.“- it’s natural to feel disheartened when confronted with a vision that seems to lack hope and resonance. It’s challenging to reconcile such experiences with a perspective of Love.

However, considering it from the lens of the Eternal might provide a different perspective because the Eternal encompasses all, even the parts we struggle to understand or accept.. doesn’t it?

I am glad that I am far away from any and all Black Friday noise, and I too wish you and everyone a good Thanksgiving Weekend!

anita