[In today's Boston Globe, January 23, 2006, there's an excellent article which directly relates to the 'Practice of the Present Moment'.
Judy Foreman writes in a Health Sense piece, "The competitive edge? It's a Zen thing", of the proven benefits in sport and health of 'presence-in-the-moment' mind-discipline.
So, for all you with cellular or mobile phones, here's one of many techniques for improving your own 'Practice'.]
Calling Here-Now
Underneath the Bent-Tree,
curled by gales from the sea,
sits the scruffy gray coot, who's called Here-Now.
By the Bay's Boulevard,
you can meet this great bard
offering truth, wisdom and help now.
His clothing's all plain,
and his manner restrained,
as he waits, and he watches, alone now.
The cap on his head,
and his tie are both red,
while his coat and trousers well-worn now.
I chanced on him first,
while parched with a thirst,
for a burst of insight and care now.
He motioned me down,
softly patting the ground,
with kind words, "Stop here, and sit down now".
He started to explain,
my confusion and pain,
which was making me crazy and lost now.
He continued to show
all the ways one can know
life is change, life is chance, as he said, "Now,
Whenever distressed,
overcome by this mess,
simply stop and pause for a while now.
These cares and these troubles,
mount up as surf-bubbles,
which, again, vanish into the sea now.
You can reach out to me,
in the way you'll soon see,
changing the way that you'll think and you'll act now.
In the flash of flood-blast,
as this instant is passed,
so this life's waves, they'll come and they'll go now."
I heard his advice,
which sounded real nice,
"But just what the hell am I actually to do now?"
And he turned his clear eyes,
with trust I recognize,
and suggested I try something new now.
"Next time you're alone,
try using your phone,
only PRETEND that you're making a call now.
Put the phone to your ear,
In a moment you'll hear
another voice, the voice of me- Here-Now".
(c. 2006 scooterdude of copley square)
rate
email
print
link to this page
Comments: 8
(And I don't even have or use a cell-phone! Maybe I should grab one out of the trash just so that I can call 'Here-Now'. I'm sure he'll always be available! LOL)
It seems to me it's a life-long 'practice' which requires a lot of help, patience, and guidance. In the Zen Buddhist tradition, it hardly comes easily, but with incredible effort! It 'don't' come easily. Check out my understanding Hinneni. If you think you got it, you don't. As with all other aspects of the Truth, there's an inevitable paradox, which can't be explained away or assumed. "The Tao that can be explained is not the Tao." Hence, the need to call 'Here-Now". Let the phone ring a while once you've dialed. He might still answer.
I found this doing a search for Taoism (search worked for once!) - anyway, if interested, I posted something awhile ago, on that subject You Never Really Know What a Situation Really Is
Also, isn't it interesting that we could use the cell-phone to connect with people or to do just the oppositie, i.e. disconnect with people who might be around....In other words, if one is in a Greta Garbo sort of mood "I vant to be left alone." All one has to do is pretend to be on a cell-phone. No one will bother you then....but, then is it actually solitude, in the midst of a crowd!?