*Lost Coin Development *- Class notes for 2/6/2007

*Administrative*

Class social event will be rescheduled.  New activity will include 1/2 day of sitting, a talk, and then a meal/social time.

  - Sitting will include opportunity for shoken*.*  Shoken is a formal long-term commitment to teacher.

  - At the Zen Center shoken involves a donation to teacher of $150.  Daniel would prefer the practice of giving a gift to the teacher.  The gift should be something he likes (not what you like).

  - Those who have already done shoken with Daniel, please do it again.

  - If you have shoken with both Daniel and Roshi, please decide on one teacher.

  - Email Daniel if you want to do shoken.

Jukai (precepts) will also be available at a later time, but shoken should be done first.  With jukai you keep your own religion and take on the Buddhist precepts.

Retreats will be planned when the weather is warmer.  Those who want retreats sooner may be interested in a retreat with Tenshin Roshi in L.A.

*Homework*

Next book is "Diamond Heart, Book One: Elements of the Real in Man" by A. H. Almaas.  Please have by next week.

  - When reading use critical intelligence.  Don't accept everything.

  - Use mind & emotion.

  - Use just mind/analytical & you can convince yourself anything is true.

  - Ultimately you want all decisions to be intuitive.

This week's home-study 1: *List situations of Internal Considering*

  - Definition of considering: Something interjected that prevents you from choosing freely.

This weeks home-study 2: *See your posture*.

  - Can be movement.

  - Don't need to do deductions.

  - See like Camera

  - "Dual Attention" means to watch self as you interact with the world. Will expose conditioning quicker than analytical alone.

*Review of Last Week's Exercise*

Some of Daniels responses to group members who shared:

  - This endeavour is not easy to do
        #1. Always come to class.  Most important step.  Helps support others.
        #2. Meditation

  - When internal considering, you're not doing what you want.  Can't be fully engaged.

  - Observation/Objectivity - Seeing in real-time helps get rid of the self.

  - Weakest points are almost always your strongest point.

      - When it becomes clear, the Chief Feature is real close to Chief Strong Point.

  - In the Stock Market there are 2 types:

         1. Trader - Focus on 1 or 2 picks that have good chance of taking off

         2. Investor - Picks wide range to limit risk

         *In this practice it is better to be like the Trader.  Better to take a chance.*

*In-Class Exercise*

  - When you've disowned an aspect, it's mechanical

  - If someone tells you something no one else said, it's probably projecting.

  - Look for common thread.

  - This exercise is like gold.  Where else can you get 20 people to help you see something about yourself.

  - When you sit across from someone & know what they need to hear but you don't say it, you're not doing them a favor.  You're doing yourself a favor.

*Closing Comments about Commitment*

  - Daniel said, "The difficult part for me with doing it over the years is doing it over the years."

  - Japanese saying "6 times down, 7 times up".

  - Arm yourself
      - Come to group
      - Meditate
      - Read
      - Do exercises/homework

  - You will ebb & flow, it's not going to be easy

  - Start making it like a marriage, make a vow.  Deeper commitment

  - *"If we really understand what is important to us, it is a great source of happiness."*
