Zen and the art of non-doing. By Shannon Lough.

There is a talent in achieving a day, an hour, or even a moment of non-doing. Our minds are constantly churning thoughts and plans. Even when we’re not thinking actively, thoughts still subliminally steal your peace by popping up: things you have to do, judgments of what you see, expectations of others or yourself. Then we give ourselves a day off from work, or socialising, but we still do things. We’ll clean the house, exercise, watch TV, and catch up on gossip - all acts of doing.

I have met some people in my life, who are skilled in the ways of non-doing as though they were born that way. It’s like the Jerry Seinfeld skit where the woman asks that man, “So what are you thinking?” and he replies “Nothing.” I never believed that, until I met people that I’ve asked that question to and they replied with “nothing.” How can you just be sitting there, not doing anything, and not thinking anything? Even when I’m sitting, and it looks like I’m relaxing, I’m planning out my entire routine for tomorrow, or inventing a new meal, or allowing the past to plague my present, the 'what ifs’.

Zen taught me the art of non-doing. To spend countless hours and days sitting, and actively non-doing is a talent. A skill that must be fostered and practiced to achieve. It’s a skill that some are born with, and others must work toward, like those who are natural at sports, and others whom are a bit awkward and have to practice daily to achieve even the simplest act such as catching a ball.

A prime example of non-doing is at the end of every yoga class: savasana. This is a state of non-doing. You are lying passively, absorbing the benefits of the practice as you let go of all the tension in your body, and ease the tension from your mind. You keep the mind focused on the breath, or you let it release from its activity and just be.

Start small. Spend five to ten minutes a day in a state of non-doing. Even if you think you’re meditating, try to see it differently. If you think of it as an action, then you’ve already begun your expectations of how it must feel, and how empty your mind must be to achieve a successful meditation. Instead, just sit, or stand, or even walk, but don’t... think about it, just enjoy being, in your breath, in your movement, in your body.

Work yourself towards a whole day of non-doing. Of course the basic necessities are important, like eating and drinking, but don’t think too much about it. Don’t fill your space with texts, calls, reading on your tablet, or watching TV. Make a conscious effort to just be with yourself and fully present. When you wake up, lay in bed, and find comfort in the peace of the moment, rather than waking up and thinking about what you have to do for the day. Hang out in your place for the day. Don’t worry about getting things done. Leave the bed unmade, the dishes in the sink, the emails unanswered. Just let it be, and find contentment in the non-doing. Give yourself a full day to recharge. Instead of giving only twenty-percent of yourself to five different tasks, give yourself fully into one.

We all need a day off from time to time. Our definitions of what that day entails varies, but try to find yourself in a state of non-doing at least once in a while. Create a retreat atmosphere and try to experience the benefits of not speaking, of not writing, reading, watching, listening, and withdraw from the senses and spend time inward. Eat simply, digestion is work for your body too. Think of your breath, your movement, your being, and notice where the thoughts go in the silence, to the outside noises, to the past and future, and let them dissolve as you acknowledge them.

The art of non-doing may seem boring to some, but what is boredom? Why are we so afraid to be with ourselves? Why do we create boredom only to exist in the state of disappointment in our present moment? Boredom is a state of mind that we believe exists, but we make the choice to relish in it. Instead, use your time to renew and give yourself a break from all that doing, and find peace in the art of non-doing.

“He who is yoked, having relinquished the fruits of action, attains ultimate peace.”

-Bhagavad Gita, 5:12

Shannon Lough is a 200RYT, who completed her yoga and Thai massage training with Yogi-Nomad in Nepal.  She practices daily, and follows the principles of Tibetan and Zen Buddhism, after traveling to India and living in Japan for three years.  She is a marathon runner, a hardy backpacker, and an avid writer.  If you have any questions or comments please email her at s.a.lough@gmail.com 

Buddhist studies in Kathmandu

Dear readers,

I have had several requests about what Buddhist studies are available in Nepal, here is the result of my research:

• Center for Buddhist Studies (http://www.cbs.edu.np)

(Kagyu lineage)

The center offers BA and MA and is recognized by Kathmandu University (www.ku.edu.np).

The course take place in the Rangjung Yeshe Institute  (www.shedra.org). 

Where: in the Bouddhanath area of Kathmandu, a very lively Tibetan community

• International Buddhist Academy (www.internationalbuddhistacademy.org) 

(Sakya lineage)

Several "one month" options from May to September

Where: Bouddhanath area

• Rigpa Shedra (www.rigpashedra.org)

(Dzogchen, Nyingma lineage)

They have a 3 month winter-spring program (already full for 2013!)

Where: In Pharping, a small village a few miles west of Kathmandu

• Kopan Monastery (www.kopanmonastery.com) 

(Gelup lineage)

Many option but the most popular is the one month Lam Rim course in November each year. 

Where: A few miles north of Bouddhanath

• Pullahari Monastery (http://www.jamgonkongtrul.org) 

(Kagyu Lineage)

A very popular 2 month program from Jan 7 to March 7 but also a 5 year philosophy program for the more advanced students!

Where: In Tinchuli, a few minutes walk East of Bouddhanath

• Shechen Monastery (www.shechen.org)

(Nyingma lineage)

A 9 year program (MA and PhD equivalent), for serious students!

Where: In Bouddhanath area

Let's turn the Wheel of Dharma!

With Love and Light

Gosaikunda, the power of the Himalayas. By Gaby

Bharaivkund lake frozen

It is difficult to express fully the experience of walking to Gosaikunda and my experience may not be that of everyone as I have cultivated a life long relationship with the mountains but with the Himalaya and its connection to yoga even more so recently. 

Gosaikund is not like any place, it is a sacred place and has been fed with people's faith, imagination and myth as much as with water form the glacier of the Langtang region. 

Gosaikund is born from the Trishul (trident) of Lord Shiva, after he had swallowed the poison liberated from the churning of the Ocean of Milk (see Samudra Manthan) Lord Shiva felt so thirsty that he needed fresh water immediately, he poked his Trishul into a mountain and drank from the water springing forth. The same spring created the lake known as Gosaikund. It is believed that both sacred river of Kathmandu Valley the Baghmati and the Vishnumati, originating form the Sivapuri hill, north of the city, get their water from Gosaikund. It is also said that the area has 108 lakes...

The lament of the lakes in their prison of ice echoes the lament of my soul in its prison of flesh

In December the lakes are frozen. At dawn or dusk, with change of temperature the ice dilates or retract and cracks. As a result, the lake is chanting and the sound is like the chants of the whales or a musical saw. The first time I heard I was struck: the complaint echoed in the mountains around, something out of this world. I had to listen many more time to figure out what it was. The next day we walked to see as many lakes as possible. We reached a point were we were surrounded by 4 lakes, Gosaikund, Bharaivkund, Kyumachkund and Chandrakund. In the early morning, all the lakes were chanting like talking to each other, each with a different voice. As I sat in silence listening, feeling the vibration deep inside my chest, I had the feeling that the lakes were speaking to me. Not me as an separated individual but me as a part of the universe. The moment was powerful and emotional, at this moment he above words came to me: the lament of the lakes in their prison of ice echoes the lament of my soul in its prison of flesh.

Silence is one, undivided, eternal

Beyond the lament of the lake their were few noisy distraction: the place was amazingly silent. Almost no wind which is rare at this altitude and season. They were moments of silence so deep that your breath and heartbeat became the most noisy part of this universe. I started to listen with concentration to the silence and here too I heard these words: "I am the silence, I am you, you listen to me with your ears but I am also inside of you. The silence you hear now and the silence you seek in meditation are one. Listen to me and you will know what to look for. Listen inside you, you will find me there too."

Between Infinitely big and Infinitely small

Nothing seems to be at human scale in the Himalaya. The sky and mountains are humbling in their size. Almost nu human or animal life, like an invitation to turn toward the small. It is a feast for all the senses here, we walk on plants called Sunpati (the Tibetan burn them in honor to the Gods) and their spicy smell is entrancing, the symphony of color is amazing bright yellow, orange, red, gold... the lichen, moses, flowers, grass offer all kind of textures for the touch from the smooth ice, the rugged rock, the soft cotton like flowers. All these details seems to tell you to turn away from the gross and to focus on the subtle, another form of inner journey.

A dip in a holy (and icy) lake is always a transformative experience!

Spiritual inclination

All through the journey I had this quote from Albert Einstein in mind: "Do not look for miracle, your entire life is a miracle". From the lake echoing the lament of my soul looking for freedom, to the silence mirroring the silence of meditation, the infinitely small grabbing your attention to look inside, all these messages made the trip so magical. My meditation up there was like the lakes, profound and still, it was different, there was a deeper clarity about it.

If the mind is talking but it cannot resist the transformation process that is taking place, much beyond the mind, it is making an ultimate attempt to resist but it already knows the silence that is coming.

Love and Light from Kathmandu!

Don’t panic, you’re free, the sky is limitless. By Shannon Lough.

Everyone once and a while someone will tell you to “have a little faith” and for a moment you release into the hope that yes, everything will work out. Even with all the uncertainties, and the slight knot of panic that burrows inside when you think about the future, you submit yourself to that little bit of faith.

Faith, a word that denotes God, the Divine, or complete spiritual devotion in intangible concepts. You don’t have to be religious to have faith. It’s simply an act of submission. An act of complete trust in someone or something without any expectations or demands. 

In Yoga, there are specific rules of conduct to follow called niyamas, as compiled by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras. Of the five niyamas, the first four being purity, contentment, austerity, and self-study, the final is the most abstract at first: Isvara Pranidhana, which asks for complete surrender to God or the Divine to achieve Samadhi. Through this surrender you can achieve an elevated state of consciousness when you connect with the universe. How does this apply to our lives?

Isvara Pranidhana is the faith that we need to embrace. When the present becomes disturbed by thoughts that drift into apprehensions about the future, allow yourself to open up to the idea of surrendering. We cling onto our structured lives, the safety bubble that we lock ourselves into because it seems like a sure thing. Sometimes we find ourselves outside of that bubble, whether you’ve just finished university, a contracted job abroad, or a career. You’ve been released from the safety net that let you sleep comfortably at night. You’re like a free bird that doesn’t know where to find its flock. Don’t panic, you’re free, the sky is limitless. This is the best time to listen to the wind, and the signs that the universe lays out before you and invites you on your path. 

The concept of the Divine turns some away. It seems too religious and enigmatic for the secular world we live in the West today. In regions of India and Nepal, you can witness daily rituals by the locals, surrendering to their definition of their Divine, through puja’s or acts of worship. They ring bells, light candles, chant mantras, send silent prayers to divine images and maintain their altars. In Japan, you see the locals walking in silent meditation through the forest as they sweep the path, or standing before the a temple, and washing themselves in the ash of incense and removing their shoes before prostrating themselves before the Buddha. These are acts of submission, of humbly disrobing the ego-self and embracing the divinity in themselves.

Even in a secular society, we can let go and search for the divinity inside ourselves by connecting to the universe. It’s all about perspective, and how you choose to define the Divine. Instead of thinking of a theoretical being, identify it with what you know. The miracles that are already present inside our own bodies, our beating heart, expanding lungs, our untapped mind. The miracles around us, in nature, the cycles of the moon and the pull of the ocean’s tide, the smell of the forest and the shelter it provides for so many beings, a rolling field of flowers and the powerful presence of a mountain range. Even the miracle of our technology, in the brilliance of the city lights, the sound of communication in the buzz of a mobile phone, or laptop. In moments of obscurity, instead of being the rock, allow yourself to be the stream. Listen to the flow that moves within and outside of you. If you let go, and give trust to surrender completely into universe, it will guide you. Listen to it’s presence and you will find your way.

Cherry blossom petals are falling

Beautiful like snowflakes.

The remaining rest do cling.

Without knowing their destiny. (Zen proverb)

Shannon Lough is a 200RYT, who completed her yoga and Thai massage training with Yogi-Nomad in Nepal.  She practices daily, and follows the principles of Tibetan and Zen Buddhism, after traveling to India and living in Japan for three years.  She is a marathon runner, a hardy backpacker, and an avid writer.  If you have any questions or comments please email her at s.a.lough@gmail.com 

Self Love for Valentines day! By Shannon Lough.

Happy Valentines Day everyone! A day of roses, romance or repulsion. If you’re with someone, it’s full of expectation that your special someone has to do something for you, or else they don’t really care. If your single, you cringe at the excessive PDAs (public displays of affection), overplayed diamond ads, and gaudy material items being sold at every corner. 

This year, instead of loving or hating Valentine’s Day, I’m going to use it as an opportunity to foster my yogi values from the great Patanjali. Ages ago, this legend compiled the Yoga Sutras, and set out the foundations of yoga philosophy. One of the keys to reaching liberation and clearing the mind is to overcome the Kleshas, or afflictions of the mind that make us suffer in this life. I want to focus on two of these Kleshas.

Raga - desire, wanting. That which makes us chase only what is pleasurable in our minds, and makes us want to repeat the experience continuously. Like, having a wildly romantic romp with your lover, after a candle-lit dinner followed by chocolate dipped strawberries. Every year, you want this experience, or better, and you’re drawn to this particular date because it’s a special time when you can relive that moment. 

Dwesha - repulsion. The opposite of raga, it makes us run from the undesirable and unpleasant. It’s full of disgust, negativity, and blocks us in moving forward. So you hate the idea of anything that screams lovey-dovey, because you might throw up a little. It makes you despise this particular holiday because it makes you feel nothing but hurt and disappointment inside.

The Kleshas are afflictions of the mind. Not the heart. Valentine’s Day is just another day that we decide whether we like it or not. The day itself is just a perception that we have created in amongst our many afflictions. We suffer because we allow this day to take on an importance in our lives. We are stronger than that. We don’t let society create our expectations. Instead, let go and let it be as it is. It’s a day of love, so love fully and consciously. 

I’m usually the cringing type that loves to bad mouth February the 14th, but secretly I always hope something special and unexpected will happen. Which again, is an expectation, and therefore will ultimately lead me to suffer in my own disappointment. 

This year, I’m going to fight the Kleshas, those petty afflictions, and embrace the day as though it’s a greater excuse to send all my compassion to everyone I meet. To those I don’t see, I’ll be sending some your way too. It will also be a chance to focus more on self-love. Why not? Who said that Valentine’s Day is only about love for another. How about loving yourself first? I think that means I have an excuse to eat some dark chocolate, and then some.

I dare you to try: Watch your mind, and see where it goes when you see a cheesy advertisement, or when you go on a date with your partner. Try to stay present and embrace every moment as it comes, without expectation, clinging, or wanting more. Everything you need is right there, so enjoy it. 

Only think or say positive comments towards yourself all day. Avoid the negativity that you hold on to. Take a break for at least one full day. So instead of saying “I like” or “I don’t like” try to stay neutral.

Love yourself and love others with the fullest of your compassionate heart. 

The Rose

Misery and joy have the same shape in this world:

You may call the rose an open heart or a broken heart.

-Dard (Sufi wisdom)

Shannon Lough is a 200RYT, who completed her yoga and Thai massage training with Yogi-Nomad in Nepal.  She practices daily, and follows the principles of Tibetan and Zen Buddhism, after traveling to India and living in Japan for three years.  She is a marathon runner, a hardy backpacker, and an avid writer.  If you have any questions or comments please email her at s.a.lough@gmail.com