Hi sprocket, I can't say a lot about your alternatives -- but having spent many years giving honest feedback to the internal drill seargeant so that the orders would be more and more peircing and motivating, I can tell you the results. I am anxious and jumpy and unfocused when the drill seargeant is turned off. And I am anxious and jumpy when the drill seagent is turned on.
Because I figure it is me who is 'motivating' the drill seageant to then 'motivate' me in return. I see that I've added an extra layer of BS. Might as well just trust the guy giving the drill seargent the orders to bark, anc cut out the middle man. So I seem to be going the opposite direction as you -- that if the orders aren't coming in very strongly, I don't file a request for the orders to be printed in RED so i'm more likely to take them seriously. When the current marching orders don't seem that worthwhile/motivating -- I finally relax a bit, and grab a much needed 'just sit'. Good luck, Rod Scholl -----Original Message----- From: woof puppy [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2005 10:09 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [Zen] Self-discipline Lately I've been working on being more disciplined. Basically I've been letting my internal drill sargeant push my limits a bit. Though it doesn't upset me when I'm hard on myself, (in fact, it makes me feel empowered, confident that I can do better if I will it), I am somewhat concerned that this approach might have side effects in the long term. I normally don't share much on this list that I consider personal, but can anyone offer a word of advice in keeping to the Middle Path as I develop this discipline into something strong enough to be useful in my spiritual practices? SPROCKET __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - Helps protect you from nasty viruses. http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail Noble Eightfold Path: Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration, Right Livelihood Yahoo! Groups Links ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> What would our lives be like without music, dance, and theater? Donate or volunteer in the arts today at Network for Good! http://us.click.yahoo.com/WwRTUD/SOnJAA/i1hLAA/S27xlB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Noble Eightfold Path: Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration, Right Livelihood Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZenForum/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
