At 03:49 PM 12/25/2005 -0800, you wrote: >Dear Friends > > I would like to post this question (which is cross-posted to other > groups as well) > > How does a Buddhist feel about setting New Years resolutiins?
Well I can't speak for others, but I can see the value there. Even if we often don't follow through very well - still, it's a sort of socially constructed opportunity to just set one's past aside and start fresh, in whatever aspect one feels a need for a fresh start in. This opportunity is available all the time, of course. So why not take advantage of it? I've got a couple two three things I could use a fresh start in ... :-) It goes beyond the resolution though, it seems. Just resolving isn't enough. I mean, I suppose we could go the "just grit my teeth and do it" route until a new habit is formed. But ideally it would be good not to just be a collection of habits. I'd like to learn how those good things come through without resistance, spontaneously. Perhaps this is related to deeply contemplating our current patterns of action, I don't know. Maybe it just comes down to "just doing it" where the "just doing" is what clears up the resistance. Whether that's "sit more regularly" or "lose weight" or "exercise more" or whatever it is. Any thoughts on what makes a successful resolution from a Zen perspective? Ian ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Join modern day disciples reach the disfigured and poor with hope and healing http://us.click.yahoo.com/lMct6A/Vp3LAA/i1hLAA/S27xlB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Current Book Discussion: Appreciate Your Life by Taizan Maezumi Roshi 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/
