Being Natural (Tennen Seikatsu) - attempt at explaining the ending.

Being Natural (Tennen Seikatsu)

So why the bonkers third act…

Go back to the funeral and the argument over Shinto vs. Buddhism…

The end is Taka essentially becoming a kami (Shinto diety)..  He is pushed to extremes and in the end transcends… but the question is being dead evil? Well yes and no… He extracts his revenge (murder for the man who killed his turtle, symbolically poisoning the daughter, hurting the mom by having her daughter reject her); But we know he is really a nice guy at heart… so he becomes a benevolent kami who in time will be worshipped. Not in any large way, just the simple leave an offering at a shrine as he brings light and warmth to the city. (the pastoral country making its presence known).

(based on my half assed understanding of Japanese culture… so I’m sure I’m way off base. :-) )

back on the exercise & diet band wagon...

so setup... 2 months ago I herniated a disk, lot of pain, pinched nerve, etc. Good news, no surgery. Down side was a good month of pain. ( Yay, cortisone shots)

It did give me impetuous to change my diet, and now down 25 pounds. Would like to drop another 10 to 15...

I’ve been diligent about my p.t. exercises... and will start adding in some more core work (e.g. planks, etc)

Might be in condition to run in the fall, but don’t want to risk it yet.

Next time... preferred tech and software for tracking stuff.

2 days latter...

Still processing... tired of the conspiracy theorists on both sides, no surprise there. I think my reaction will be to blog and vlog more... Not sure on topics yet, but for a vlog I'd like to start tackling more complex topics (e.g. U.S. involvement in Yemen, Rural job loss & economy, etc.) It'll take a bit of work... so we'll see what happens.

So read Brad's latest book - Don't Be A Jerk

It's Mr. Warner's attempt to re-phrase and summarize some of the major writings by Dogen Zenji. Dozen was a famous (in Zen Buddhist circles at least) Zen monk who founded the Soto sect. I'm finding I like the Soto's sect point of view more and more. It's very no nonsense and practical... no focus on big revelations or mysteries, just a shut up, sit down, and meditate sort of attitude. Brad does a good job, I think, in taking what can be some rather heavy language and explaining it in modern ways. If you're a big time scholar I'm sure you'll find various flaws in the text. On the other hand this is really meant to be an intro, as it were, so some concepts are dumbed down. I did appreciated that Brad provides links in the end to translations he likes and used, as well as other texts. Also he did a nice job showing how hard it can be to translate Dogen's writings due to time, linguistic choice, etc. So if you're really into Zen and like reading about the philosophy I highly suggest the good.

Meditation.. Couple thoughts

So now starting week 4 of regular daily meditation.

 

Pain - knees go ow, feet fall asleep, and now in making sure I have good posture I appear to have strained some muscle groups near the clavicles. Nothing major, just like any physical activity, if you haven't done it before you find out all sorts of new muscle groups.

Thoughts - In this style you allow thoughts to "rise and fall". In other words your brain is gonna throw stuff up there, just don't latch on to it.

Next up - probably find time to go to one of the local Soto based zendo. See what a more formal setting is like.

(Side note: I following the Soto Zen style of meditation, like some of the thoughts behind it, main source right now is Brad Warner for reading materials.)

Minor observations on meditating...

O.K. It's only day three of finally doing daily sitting. (zen meditation, following the Soto school point of view. So see people like Brad Warner, or Dharma Field's Steve Hagen for better info than I can provide.)

1) Legs/feet falling asleep. I know pinched nerve, but still one of those things that happens. 

2) The whole let thoughts rise & fall, just observe, be present is interesting. It's not so much as suppress thought as it is just let it fade away.

3) Cats... specifically Edgar and his very whiney meow. :-)

Dunno... my only hope is to make this into a daily habit. So using Habitica to help with that.

Currently doing 20 min sittings, at some point (once legs get more streached out) will move that up to 30. Also need to take Mike up on going to a sitting at Dharma Field, maybe late Sept or early Oct.

place holder for avatar img