Writings
The Five STATES of MIND
One daily activity for me, that's different each day, is my sitting practice. I sit in the same room ... in the same spot ... do the same things in a certain order ... sit for the same amount of time. Every sit is different. Sometimes, I experience a tremendous stillness and peace, and, others, I feel like Iʼm on a battle field. One might ask, how can such a routine elicit such different experiences? It all boils down to what's happening in the mind.Yoga philosophy says that there are five basic states of mind, and our minds constantly fluctuate between each of these states.
The Zen of Oryoki
Oryoki is a formal style of serving and eating, that's typical in Zen temples. While I was on retreat over the New Year, we ate in Oryoki fashion. Each person has their own Oryoki kit, which is comprised of three bowls, two chopsticks, a wooden spoon, a wooden spatula, a lap napkin, a drying napkin, and a cloth case for the utensils. All of these items are stacked, bundled and tied up in the lap napkin.Just like in the Zen practice of meditation, Oryoki has a lot of rules.