Contemplation of autumn
"Contemplating my food I see all the energy and effort it took to bring this food to me.
The fundamentals :
The mind :
Choosing to be deeply connected to life at home means entering into the practice of the situation, a fundamental principle of life which joins that of resilience. make do with what there is in the first place ourselves, as we are the exercise of trust. You may not be alone, will have to work, go out, whatever the commitment is to take care of your life by not " take care of you more », to follow the progress of the planning so as not to decide (or a minimum) and give back to your being the space of intuition freed from your choices.
You can't fill a cup of tea already full, so a retreat is to become the empty cup which receives the beverage, it is to be the empty bowl which receives the food and for that there is nothing else to do but to let oneself be taken in by the hand.
The other essential principle of the practice is benevolence to oneself, which requires confidence in your choice. This practice is that of alignment which creates the space necessary for the emancipation of life, for the resonance of the living, for the right action (natural) : be certain, the patriarchs and the matriarchs (monks and laity) of the lineage are there to attest to this and will accompany you.
So all you have to do is moment to moment to remain in full presence, whether in sitting, breathing or eating (Shikanta in our jargon) be fully where you are and when the thoughts slip away, get back to what you are doing. It's not always easy, and at the same time there is no stake in success, just letting it go the flowing life.
Just sit, just simply cook to eat. Just that, not to observe ourselves but to live fully what we are doing Thus, at to do only that without polluting the sacred space of our reality we make cross by the universe. Aligning in this way, we naturally become right action and activate the inclusive principle of our deep nature : " the life that feeds life with life ".
Concerning the word, it can be polluting as well as nourishing. Talking can be quiet and being quiet extremely loud, so let the just speech generated by sitting and cooking guide you.
And above all remember that relax one's being, simply to appreciate the beauty of our food, than to contemplating one's life is one of best gifts that we can offer to the world, that of our relaxation, of our welcome without judgment of life as it is.
It is a spiritual activism, that of contemplation which transforms us in reconciliation with the living and brings out the joy of acting.
The framework :
The seat granted
Become the empty bowl that receives, this seat timelessness of zazen , in the posture freed from voluntarism.
Sitting as we cook, as we eat, as we live. Live the world as you sit.
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The menus
These proposals are only suggestions and must adapt to other ingredients. The main idea is the practice of the situation, always, of doing with what you have. However, when we have the opportunity to organize ourselves, having a sufficiently varied kitchen background is conducive to co-creativity (we never cook alone but with the whole universe).
before you start cooking we pay attention:
Do not prejudge the situation before living it, enter the kitchen like a child, just curious and available
In each of the tasks be in active presence, certainly concentrated but in total openness
To listen to the intuition of doing and adjusting through movement
Oryoki practice :​
At the very heart of the practice of loving cooking, mealtime is the practice of reality as it is. We receive the world, as it is materialized by a seasonal menu, in mirror of reality.
You can practice on the plate or in the tradition of bowls : the videos of the site will be able to guide you in the practice of the bowls . Do your best, don't worry, there's no going wrong in practicing loving your food. !
The planning :
Following a program makes it possible to forget oneself , it is also a motivation when you know that this program is followed by others, and in this invisible but very real link an activation of our life and that of others. Nevertheless, it must not be a rigidity, an additional pretext for separation from the world.
The fundamental of the kitchen of benevolence is the practice of the situation. This practice arises in connection with the program (we do with it) also put with what happens in our lives (my husband or my children need me, this urgent email) and your attention will be focused on the right action to be carried out without any guilt.
If you are alone and have time, of course, I recommend that you follow it as closely as possible, but if you are with your family, adapt it. Come to the zoomzazen meetings, integrate contemplation before the meal without making the suggested menus or even cooking will be just as effective if this is your situation for today.
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It is in this adjustment that you will integrate daily practice and not in an ideal often constructed to avoid engaging in self-benevolence that likes small steps.
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And if you are interested in the little history of these retreats, here it is