Lost Coin Notes
March 17, 2009

Daniel apologized for being late, as he was on the phone with Genpo Roshi, his teacher, discussing how to continue the lineage.

Daido Roshi passes on photography through his lineage.  How to see creations the way Daido saw them?  Daniel and Karen do photography like Daido Roshi.

There is a difference from learning in a classroom or from a book than from a teacher, like Daniel.  Daniel knows how to teach and speak the way Genpo does.  The student needs to be open to it.  Just getting information is like a body w/out blood, jut intellectual.  Daniel was learning a body to body teaching, some kind of osmosis to learn Genpo Roshi's attitudes.

There is a certain kind of learning that is deeper than intellectual learning.  What we mean by 'spiritual practice', know what can be known and not knowing the rest.  Once you know things like: the world tells you or what chakras are - is a childish way.  Knowing you are only passing through here - is a real thing.  You are just passing through.  Chakras don't stand up to evidence.

You are constantly thrown into the unknown, need to give up your present view and always opening up, which may be uncomfortable. If you can let go and open to something other than what you know. There is very little that we know.

Reminded of the 'low door in the wall' - there is still hope and one can escape to something new and magical - The bad side is everything else is dead....

Discussed the essay - 'How Tracy Austin Broke My Heart. There are different gifts that people have and we expect them to be great insightful beings.  The author is disappointed in the athletes' biographies.  Their particular brand of stupidity is exactly what makes them great.  Samurai warriors were taught to not have thought, they were the ones that understood the great Zen Teachers.

How to be stupid and appreciate being stupid - knowing less - the little clinging voice inside thinks you are superior.  Daniel encourages us to be stupid.

Debra spoke about being a ballet dancer for seven years - watch - imitate - practice.  Not thinking, narrow focus, not intellectual, not held back, present, so there that you can't talk about it.  Focus and thinking are separate.

How to put in to your life?  Spoke of the fine jazz musicians, who were all drug addicts.  Opiates stop you from thinking.  Good musicians don't listen to themselves playing music.  Metaphor for life - don't listen to your own music; listen to the music of the others.  'No mind' Practice is being one with what you are doing.

How to apply to relationship?  Ideas - love, attention acceptance, affection, don't need to be right.  In the beginning you pay allot of attention to each other, then 10 years later...  Daniel told the story of Michael, who was full of himself, they went for lunch, Michael's marriage had just broke up, she slept with everyone, including a very obese man that walked in to the restaurant, Michael started dating attractive women, Daniel asked the women what attracted them and they stated Michael was a good package - good looking, polite, good shape, etc.....

You are capable of things you can not put in to words.  Is only what is true, what can be put in to words or thoughts?  Want to bring your practice in to your life - Courage.  Daniel's Kung Fu teacher told him to stop dancing around so much and step in and hit (stop thinking).

Join practice of sitting, learning to stop the mind and apply to your daily life.  We have prejudices - that we need to know things in thoughts or words.

If you are here - want to do something - figure it out and then use your spirit Ki (Japanese) or Chi (Chinese) - Strong overbearing desire / spirit to have a loving relationship, something that transcends.  Spirit is some other thing besides thinking.  This is the center of the practice.  Cultivate shear spirit and determination.

Picasso and Matisse painted all the time.  They thought of women, models and painting.  Remember what you have done with that spirit in the past.

Continue to learn in the realm of spirit.  The teacher works with you to train - coach your spirit and to amplify that.  Cultivate the spirit and keep going.

We figure things out as we may but your spirit will solve in 1/100th of the time.  Trust your spirit and cultivate it, you'll wind up happier - pass or fail.

Kung Fu - the one with more Chi will win, the technique is not what matters the most.  Consider life your fight.

When sitting do it with spirit, don't think it out.  Use your spirit enough and life becomes alive.
