Ashes do not become wood again

[InfinityTruth]

It's a zen quote from the book 'Beginner's Mind.' From my understanding, meaning that when you do something, do it fully and until it has completely reached the end of its life. Live your life as fully as you can. Leave nothing left unburnt.

 

For me what that meant today, was taking the adventure as far as I possibly could. I went out into the woods with a bottle of pop, notebook(For insight and writing), pen, and myself. Looking for insights and a good time.

 

I journeyed through the greenest tree covered hills by barefoot(Painful at points, but full of out of the normal sensations), got a million prickly shit stuck to my shorts, spent an hour in my boxers picking that stuff off (Made it a meditation), danced and meditated on the devil's throne (One bigass rock), got some insights on the rock, got scared shitless at 'unknown' noises/voices, seen a couple of deer, heard a moose, seen two bald eagles, smelled a TON of flowers in a field, and came back to mainbase at about sunset and meditated the rest of the time.

 

When I first tried to adventure there, I notice that fear tried holding me back and did briefly. I get the feeling that happens a lot without me realizing it. When I first went into the woods I left and went back to mainbase because I 'heard' a spooky cat noise.

 

Also I was scared to see snakes or possibly bears, wolves(I hate snakes).

 

 

Anyway, if I hadn't taken that as far as I could I would not have experienced all of that, and it would've sucked to have missed all that. I played that out exactly how I wanted too. I suppose, I could have went to the furthest end of the woods (The dirtier/scarier part of the woods) to take my adventure a little further, but that's pretty minor.

 

I go back there tomorrow though and maybe that will be my next adventure. All in all, fulfilling day. I expressed myself exactly how I wanted.

 

No wood left.

Edited August 10, 2011 by InfinityTruth

[tulku]

It's a zen quote from the book 'Beginner's Mind.' From my understanding, meaning that when you do something, do it fully and until it has completely reached the end of its life. Live your life as fully as you can. Leave nothing left unburnt.

 

For me what that meant today, was taking the adventure as far as I possibly could. I went out into the woods with a bottle of pop, notebook(For insight and writing), pen, and myself. Looking for insights and a good time.

 

I journeyed through the greenest tree covered hills by barefoot(Painful at points, but full of out of the normal sensations), got a million prickly shit stuck to my shorts, spent an hour in my boxers picking that stuff off (Made it a meditation), danced and meditated on the devil's throne (One bigass rock), got some insights on the rock, got scared shitless at 'unknown' noises/voices, seen a couple of deer, heard a moose, seen two bald eagles, smelled a TON of flowers in a field, and came back to mainbase at about sunset and meditated the rest of the time.

 

When I first tried to adventure there, I notice that fear tried holding me back and did briefly. I get the feeling that happens a lot without me realizing it. When I first went into the woods I left and went back to mainbase because I 'heard' a spooky cat noise.

 

Also I was scared to see snakes or possibly bears, wolves(I hate snakes).

 

 

Anyway, if I hadn't taken that as far as I could I would not have experienced all of that, and it would've sucked to have missed all that. I played that out exactly how I wanted too. I suppose, I could have went to the furthest end of the woods (The dirtier/scarier part of the woods) to take my adventure a little further, but that's pretty minor.

 

I go back there tomorrow though and maybe that will be my next adventure. All in all, fulfilling day. I expressed myself exactly how I wanted.

 

No wood left.

 

No wood left? Chop more wood.

[Marblehead]

No wood left? Chop more wood.

 

Hehehe. You Zen folks are something else.

 

But I think you are right InfinityTruth, fear all too often prevents us from gaining experiences in life.

 

And true, the wood can never be wood again once it has been burned. That is because it has become something(s) else. A transformation - a new beginning.

[C T]

I believe ashes do become wood again, among many other things. It just does not become the same piece of wood that was burnt. Even in sentient bodies are found ashes, minerals, and a myriad other substances, all taking turns to reach their full cycles of accumulation and disintegration, forming and reforming endlessly.

Edited August 10, 2011 by CowTao

[Marblehead]

I believe ashes do become wood again, among many other things. It just does not become the same piece of wood that was burnt. Even in sentient bodies are found ashes, minerals, and a myriad other substances, all taking turns to reach their full cycles of accumulation and disintegration, forming and reforming endlessly.

 

Ah! Where would we be without a Buddhist perspective of the subject? Hehehe. But what you said is valid from your perspective, I think.

[goldisheavy]

InfinityTruth, that's brilliant mate. Really perfect. There is nothing else to say. You know exactly what's up.

[C T]

Ah! Where would we be without a Buddhist perspective of the subject? Hehehe. But what you said is valid from your perspective, I think.

 

I'd hate to think of the consequences should this perspective becomes invalidated, MH.

[Marblehead]

 

I'd hate to think of the consequences should this perspective becomes invalidated, MH.

 

Hehehe. Well, You could always join Stig. His Religious Taoism isn't really that far removed from Buddhism (the base philosophy anyhow).

[InfinityTruth]

No wood left? Chop more wood.

 

Hhahaha. Good idea.

[zerostao]

InfinityTruth,

" got a million prickly shit stuck to my shorts, spent an hour in my boxers picking that stuff off "

the more you are out in the woods, the less this sorta thing happens

 

" seen a couple of deer, heard a moose, seen two bald eagles, smelled a TON of flowers in a field,"

wonderful, eh?! where exactly are/were you?

 

"Also I was scared to see snakes or possibly bears, wolves(I hate snakes)."

well, before you see them, they have already seen you. brown bears?

do you have a means for protection?

 

 

CowTao

Posted Today, 03:29 AM

 

I believe ashes do become wood again, among many other things. It just does not become the same piece of wood that was burnt. Even in sentient bodies are found ashes, minerals, and a myriad other substances, all taking turns to reach their full cycles of accumulation and disintegration, forming and reforming endlessly.

yeppers

[suninmyeyes]

'When you do something, do it fully and until it has completely reached the end of its life. Live your life as fully as you can. Leave nothing left unburnt.'

Yes!

What a nice day you have had,I am feeling fresh just from reading your post.

 

I hope to go away soon camping in wilderness,luckily no bears there hehe.

 

I have seen this documentary just recently about this guy trying to stay 50 days in wilderness and guess what ,he finds it so hard,you can see how his personality starts decomposing and easing out in many ways as well as him being scared and hungry.

 

Being alone in foreign enviroment ,having to suddenly work with so many new symbols. NOT having anyone to talk to can be shocking to many. That is why when people say oh ,its easy to live like hermit and it is just running away and so on-I say : Maybe yes,but maybe not?Have you tried?

[InfinityTruth]

InfinityTruth,

" got a million prickly shit stuck to my shorts, spent an hour in my boxers picking that stuff off "

the more you are out in the woods, the less this sorta thing happens

 

" seen a couple of deer, heard a moose, seen two bald eagles, smelled a TON of flowers in a field,"

wonderful, eh?! where exactly are/were you?

 

"Also I was scared to see snakes or possibly bears, wolves(I hate snakes)."

well, before you see them, they have already seen you. brown bears?

do you have a means for protection?

 

 

CowTao

Posted Today, 03:29 AM

 

I believe ashes do become wood again, among many other things. It just does not become the same piece of wood that was burnt. Even in sentient bodies are found ashes, minerals, and a myriad other substances, all taking turns to reach their full cycles of accumulation and disintegration, forming and reforming endlessly.

yeppers

 

Minnesota, no grizzlies thankfully. Black bears, but there's videos on youtube of them running away from cats. Still I wouldn't want to encounter one.

 

Not too much for poisonus snakes around here, but I just dislike snakes.

 

We do have wolves and the rare mountain lion(I did see one of those).

 

As for protection, I can pick up a stick mighty quick.

 

Nature's not too scary around here. Thankfully. Just misquitoes, ticks, and horseflies.

[InfinityTruth]

 

I hope to go away soon camping in wilderness,luckily no bears there hehe.

 

I have seen this documentary just recently about this guy trying to stay 50 days in wilderness and guess what ,he finds it so hard,you can see how his personality starts decomposing and easing out in many ways as well as him being scared and hungry.

 

Being alone in foreign enviroment ,having to suddenly work with so many new symbols. NOT having anyone to talk to can be shocking to many. That is why when people say oh ,its easy to live like hermit and it is just running away and so on-I say : Maybe yes,but maybe not?Have you tried?

 

I saw that documentary on the science channel a couple of years ago. A scottish chap. It didn't help that he had hordes of grizzlies swarming the area. Can't have any peace of mind that way, and combined with being alone it's the perfect storm.

 

No need to wait to go camping though(Unless you really want too), just go spend a day sitting out in the wilderness. Getting tons of insights and meditating.

 

I go out there once a week and spend the entire day out there.

 

The woods is my church, but a million times better.

[suninmyeyes]

Well,I cycle out of town for a day on my day off to the 'woods'(a very tame ones or shall I say big wilder version of a park with a lot of trees)as there is no real wilderness nearby where I live.

Yeah woods is my church too,haha.