Lost Coin Class Notes
May 25, 2010

There will be a slight change in the arrival time and departing time of Doen on his Tuesday's in SLC.
The special interest groups will meet with Doen at 4:45-5:15.
Elena will be Doen's assistant while Rebecca is on her leave.

Doen asked us to investigate why we belong to Lost Coin Zen.  Individuals live in their mind.
With our mind we seek beauty, courage, love, affirmation. We work at making reality better and we are never content...and life passes us by.
"If only, if only, if only...DEAD"
 
Sit in order to go to NO MIND, mushin.  Other than self.  Seeing that is enlightenment.  See that you are not who you think you are.  See connection to infinity.  SIT STRONG.  After penetration of 'no self' certain things happen.  In understanding that I am not who I think I am and it is easier to understand another's position.  I am no longer stuck in my point of view. Not stuck being 'right'.  Not stuck in my fear.  When a mind is empty, everything 'is thus'.  I am not me. I can choose to be me, choose to be a human being with all that being a human being entails (life and death) while understanding we really do not have a choose and that choice is an illusion.   we can be one with the life we have. 
I practice to be one with my life and in choosing my life I become free.  Choosing makes a difference. Being one with life including the frustrations of life.  Life as is.  Tao, the way, doesn't go anywhere....
 
LCZ is not done in a monastery, not done alone.  Help one another be themselves.  Set model for planet.
Here is your current destination  It is not true that where we are going will be better.. 
Be in life and enjoy. Do not be so full of our story and remember we have what we need to be happy. Doen a read a poem from the book Cultivating the empty field: the silent illumination of zen master Hongzhi.   Being brave, the idea of freedom, ability to feel all emotions, choose the human existence and when you feel bad you can adjust the ship.   
 
Doen discussed questions asked by students including
 
Zen is active, active meditation.  Individual temperament may influence whether one attains a state of emptiness with a surrender to MU or pushing through MU.  The field of body and mind drop off...
There is nothing you can do with your life that is more important than this practice.  You will discover the something  which is always there and is not in the realm of thought.
 
 