Hey Joe, Your point is well received, and I do appreciate that we all ride in our own ways and for our own reasons. I'm delighted to have a forum like this to learn about how others do so.
Perhaps a better title for this post would have been: 'Breathing, attention and other practices that enhance your ride' Cheers, John On Tuesday, February 15, 2022 at 8:58:12 AM UTC+9 Paul Clifton wrote: > I don't have a lot to add, but since I think about this kind of a lot, > I'll add my experience, but try to keep it short. I often recite/perform > Thich Nhat Hahn's breathing poem when I ride: "In/Out, Deep/Slow, > Calm/Ease, Smile/Release, Present Moment/Wonderful Moment". I've never been > big on listening to teachers, so I never got into Zen or any other sort of > formal practice, but I did take a bunch of psychedelics with friends who > enjoyed talking about the nature of reality as much as I did, and ended up > having some conversations with Buddhist teachers about following the path > of the Buddha or finding one's own path. For me, many different experiences > have led to me to where I am now, and cycling has been an important one - > along with love and drugs. > > But after all of that, I find that without some sort of consistent > practice, maintaining presence in my day-to-day life is a real struggle, > exacerbated by the typical responsibilities of middle age. It may not > matter how I practice, but doing it every day, one way or another, with > intention, seems to be important. Inconsistency aside, maybe this is the > year for a real bicycle day blowout. > > Paul in AR > > On Monday, February 14, 2022 at 11:54:02 AM UTC-6 duh...@gmail.com wrote: > >> I appreciate the sentiment of this topic and am now on the hunt at local >> book shops for a couple different titles. >> >> The Stanford Baccalaureate speech has been replayed a handful of times >> already, so thanks for that Erik. >> >> I'd also like to throw into the ring The Pocket Thich Nhat Hahn >> <https://www.shambhala.com/the-pocket-thich-nhat-hanh-2093.html>, this >> compact book covers the basics and fits in just about anywhere with ease, >> including your saddlebag. >> >> It's covers the basics and is very palatable, 10/10 worth keeping a copy >> around. >> >> Best, >> Jared >> >> >> On Monday, February 14, 2022 at 7:26:41 AM UTC-8 robkr...@gmail.com >> wrote: >> >>> Erik, >>> +1 on thanks for your thorough response. >>> >>> We (cyclists, not necessarily this group) don't talk nearly enough about >>> the spiritual component of cycling, so thanks to John for starting this >>> thread. >>> >>> Rob K. in MA >>> >>> On Monday, February 14, 2022 at 9:01:54 AM UTC-5 philipr...@gmail.com >>> wrote: >>> >>>> Before you ride off to the unexpected, I ordered Fischer's book on the >>>> most un-Zen like Amazon as my local library apparently don't have this >>>> title. Thanks for the recommendations. >>>> >>>> On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 4:23:52 PM UTC-6 John Rinker wrote: >>>> >>>>> "And now that I'm completely off the topic of bikes, I'll stop before >>>>> my posts get pulled!" >>>>> >>>>> Often the most enjoyable rides are the ones that take us to unexpected >>>>> places. >>>>> >>>>> Cheers, >>>>> John >>>>> >>>>> On Monday, February 14, 2022 at 2:35:49 AM UTC+9 Erik wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> The best equivalent to that would be the book that introduced a lot >>>>>> of people to Soto Zen, "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind" a collection of talks >>>>>> by >>>>>> Shunryu Suzuki-roshi, the founder of the San Francisco Zen Center. The >>>>>> book is a transcription of lectures and talks he gave at the Zen Center >>>>>> over the years and starts with the line, "In the beginner's mind there >>>>>> are >>>>>> many possibilities, but in the expert's mind there are few." >>>>>> >>>>>> A few others I would recommend for their direct style and plain talk: >>>>>> - "What is Zen" by Norman Fischer and Susan Moon. Just published a >>>>>> few years ago, but a great introduction. And Norman Fischer is a >>>>>> fantastic >>>>>> writer and teacher. >>>>>> -"No Beginning, No End" by my teacher, Kwong-roshi. He was part of >>>>>> the original group of students at SF Zen Center. The book is a great >>>>>> reflection of his personality. I can see him rolling his eyes at me for >>>>>> writing these lengthy responses about Zen. He frequently chides me for >>>>>> living too much in my head. :) >>>>>> >>>>>> If you want to hear / watch a talk, I always like to recommend this >>>>>> one because it was written for a lay audience and connects the >>>>>> principles >>>>>> of Zen with ordinary life. It's Zoketsu Norman Fischer giving the >>>>>> graduation speech at Stanford in 2014. >>>>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hN9p__BHHDs >>>>>> >>>>>> And now that I'm completely off the topic of bikes, I'll stop before >>>>>> my posts get pulled! >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 6:48:17 AM UTC-8 philipr...@gmail.com >>>>>> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> I'm learning so much here - is there an equivalent of Grant's "Just >>>>>>> Ride" for Zen? >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 2:08:51 AM UTC-6 John Rinker wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>>> What a pleasure it was to read of your experience, Erik! Much of >>>>>>>> what you wrote resonates deeply with me. Perhaps this is because we >>>>>>>> share >>>>>>>> something of a history with San Francisco Zen Center and a particular >>>>>>>> approach to both Zen and riding a bike. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> My formative experiences with Zen occurred when I lived in the City >>>>>>>> in the late 80s/early 90s and sat at the Zen center regularly during >>>>>>>> this >>>>>>>> time. This and S.Suzuki's 'beginner's mind' approach to Zen flavored >>>>>>>> my >>>>>>>> view of the practice as a way to "engage with every activity with the >>>>>>>> same >>>>>>>> energy as you do your sitting". I was a runner at the time, and my >>>>>>>> early >>>>>>>> morning runs to the Zen center from my 16th/Guerrero place and home >>>>>>>> again >>>>>>>> were a way to extend the practice beyond the zendo. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Your description of your ride today puts into words so clearly my >>>>>>>> own experiences on rides that challenge me, and how I return to my >>>>>>>> breathing as a method of focusing on the ways in which my body reacts >>>>>>>> to a >>>>>>>> tough hill, frozen hands, thirst, or fatigue. There always seems to be >>>>>>>> another pedal stroke at the bottom of that gaze. And, when the riding >>>>>>>> is >>>>>>>> easy, as I mentioned above, breathing is a wonderful way to bring my >>>>>>>> attention to the moment where brendanoid's 'constant birdsong' echos >>>>>>>> across >>>>>>>> Phillip's 'gritty industrial streets' as my wheels spin effortlessly. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Cheers, >>>>>>>> John >>>>>>>> On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 4:07:55 PM UTC+9 Erik wrote: >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> An interesting thread. I've been involved with Zen practice for a >>>>>>>>> long time. I'm fortunate to live the greater Bay Area, one of the >>>>>>>>> places >>>>>>>>> where Soto Zen first took root in America back in the 1950s and 60s >>>>>>>>> as the >>>>>>>>> Beat generation started attending services at local Japanese temples >>>>>>>>> in >>>>>>>>> pursuit of new experiences. Between San Francisco Zen Center and all >>>>>>>>> of >>>>>>>>> the other temples and practices centers that branched off over the >>>>>>>>> years >>>>>>>>> around here, we have a lot of teachers and places to practice. I've >>>>>>>>> been a >>>>>>>>> student at Sonoma Mountain Zen Center for many years now and have >>>>>>>>> spent a >>>>>>>>> lot of time sitting on a cushion and staring at the wall inside the >>>>>>>>> zendo. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> A fundamental concept in Zen practice is that there is no >>>>>>>>> distinction between sitting (zazen) and other activities. Zazen is >>>>>>>>> just one >>>>>>>>> way to bring your attention to the present moment. A big part of the >>>>>>>>> practice is that you approach and engage with every activity with the >>>>>>>>> same >>>>>>>>> energy as you do your sitting practice and that whatever you are >>>>>>>>> doing >>>>>>>>> should be done fully and completely. When you sit, you sit. When >>>>>>>>> you >>>>>>>>> walk, you walk. When you rake, you rake, When you ride a bike, you >>>>>>>>> ride a >>>>>>>>> bike. Even during intensive training periods, we intersperse zazen >>>>>>>>> with >>>>>>>>> walking meditation, work practice, cooking, cleaning, meals, and >>>>>>>>> other >>>>>>>>> tasks. Sitting practice is only one part of a larger whole and the >>>>>>>>> constant is the act of paying attention to whatever is in front of >>>>>>>>> you at >>>>>>>>> that moment. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> But without going down a practice discussion rabbit hole, I would >>>>>>>>> say that riding a bike--particularly when I'm alone--requires >>>>>>>>> attention >>>>>>>>> that is akin to zazen. It's one of the things that I have always >>>>>>>>> loved >>>>>>>>> about riding. Zazen can be brutal. It's just you and the cushion >>>>>>>>> and the >>>>>>>>> wall and your attention. Nothing to distract you, even though your >>>>>>>>> brain >>>>>>>>> desperately wants something to feed it. And so the focus on >>>>>>>>> breathing, >>>>>>>>> dropping thoughts, posture. The need for this sort of focus comes up >>>>>>>>> a lot >>>>>>>>> when I'm riding. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Just today I was out riding and was climbing up a decent grade >>>>>>>>> near my house and had to keep reminding myself that the only thing I >>>>>>>>> need >>>>>>>>> to focus on is the motion of my body and bike in each moment, THAT >>>>>>>>> pedal >>>>>>>>> stroke, THAT revolution of the wheels, etc. My lungs were straining >>>>>>>>> and I >>>>>>>>> wanted to stop, but once I got into the rhythm of just paying >>>>>>>>> attention to >>>>>>>>> one moment at a time, my body settled down and I was able to keep >>>>>>>>> climbing >>>>>>>>> one pedal stroke at a time. It's not much different from the >>>>>>>>> experience of >>>>>>>>> sitting through what feels like the 100th hour of zazen on a hot >>>>>>>>> afternoon >>>>>>>>> when your legs and back are aching, your arms feel like they are >>>>>>>>> going to >>>>>>>>> drop off, your thoughts are popping off and you are convinced that >>>>>>>>> the >>>>>>>>> timekeeper died or forgot to ring the bell...just returning your >>>>>>>>> focus to >>>>>>>>> the present breath, over and over again and all of the discomfort, >>>>>>>>> anxiety >>>>>>>>> and thinking will eventually go quiet and you can settle down into >>>>>>>>> something deeper. Nothing lasts, everything changes. It's a lot like >>>>>>>>> riding in that way. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> I'll end my long response now, but thanks for the opportunity to >>>>>>>>> consider the connection between practice and biking again. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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