Eight months since last journal entry. I was thinking about something so I figured writing it down here would be beneficial. Getting it "on paper" usually is for me. This year is the first year since I started practicing where I started with a clear reflection on how the last one went - from a… Continue reading Checking in
Dropping it, picking it up
I have had the good fortune of dropping in on the zoom "teatime" at Abhayagiri a couple of months in a row now. Since then, my practice has improved as has the meditation. I have made an adhitthana (a determination) to meditate for an hour a day now, after Ajahn Naniko recommended I do so.… Continue reading Dropping it, picking it up
Sharing Merit/Inspiration
In my last entry I was still wondering if planning days off from the precepts was a good idea. I'm still unsure. I still think I need guidance here. With that said- I do know this: I'm eight weeks into (again) keeping precepts for 4 or more days per week, and it has indeed gotten… Continue reading Sharing Merit/Inspiration
Rebuilding
It's the end of January 2022. Nearing four years since I began my journey in earnest (though many years since my interest in Buddhism was piqued) I am again, for the millionth time, rebuilding my practice. The first 2 years were very good, when I had what many call "Beginners Mind," a state of pure… Continue reading Rebuilding
Sharing the World
This isn't an entry about practice, per se, but about something vaguely Buddhist that struck me, and which seemed to shrink the world down and simultaneously make it seem vast. That doesn't make sense to me either, so don't worry. I watched a short video on YouTube about Kalmykia, a Russian province which is sorta-kinda… Continue reading Sharing the World
Back to the Monastery
After fourteen months (since just before the pandemic began in earnest) I drove up to the monastery today. Little did I know, it's Thai New Year, and there were some festivities and goings-on in the cloister area. I didn't remember seeing anything posted publicly on the website or otherwise, so, out of my usual (what,… Continue reading Back to the Monastery
Vaguely Very Definitely
Since my teens, I've been vaguely interested in Buddhism, without much idea of what The Buddha actually taught. For the last two and a half years, I've been very interested in Buddhism, with some idea of what The Buddha taught. Now, after a bit of a slump, I've suddenly got some momentum in my practice… Continue reading Vaguely Very Definitely
Perception No.1
I'm not old. Yet, in my thirties, I begin to notice mortality. Friends, family and acquaintances-- they all seem to have an expiration date now. We don't think about death very often when we're young, but as we get older, inevitably, people around us begin to die. A frequent customer at our restaurant who is… Continue reading Perception No.1
Goals
It's been around 120 days, and a little more, since my practice seemed to fall apart. A large amount of stress is where I've decided to lay blame- though I'm sure there are other factors. So for the last month or so I've been trying to revitalize my precept practice by setting goals. I figure… Continue reading Goals
Keeping at it
Today's meditation was short. It was hot in my little storage space turned meditation hall, and having slipped away from work knowing I'd only get 15 minutes, my mind relentlessly pulled itself back to thoughts of the tasks ahead. As always, waking up earlier to meditate before work would have been more beneficial. Surprisingly, my… Continue reading Keeping at it
A Few Skillful Days 