"He carried a bamboo stick but had no hat on his head. The sun's rays beat down so harshly that the tiles along the walk burned one's feet. He worked hard and was covered with sweat. I could not help but feel the work was too much of a strain for him. His back was a bow drawn taut, his long eyebrows were crane white.
I approached and asked his age. He replied that he was sixty-eight years old. Then I went on to ask him why he never used any assistants.
He answered, "Other people are not me."
"You are right," I said; "I can see that your work is the activity of the Buddha-dharma, but why are you working so hard in this scorching sun?"
He replied, "If I do not do it now, when else can I do it."
There was nothing else for me to say. As I walked on along that passage-way, I began to sense inwardly the true significance of the role of tenzo."
- Dogen Zenji in Tenzo Kyokun (Teachings for a Zen Monastery Head Cook)
If you want a "McDonald's like" approach to personal fitness, yoga, and sport performance? There are thousands of such busy-ness.
However, if you seek a genuine Path of Transformation through personal wholeness based upon Conscious Sweat and Stillness?
Then people come to me, steve ilg...Head Tenzo of Wholistic Fitness®.
Such h(om)e zen-cooking might take longer.
Taking longer is a training effect from cooking with Love.
So, choose wisely, Noble Warrior of Wholeness.
Prioritize a Teacher's 'loving perseverance' when it comes to your self-cultivation.
Blessed be all Beings in All Realms on this Day of Days...
head bowed,
eager to Serve,
abba ilg
photo by ilg; early morning ice. click to enlarge the zen detail. God hides in the details. Awareness, Awareness, Awareness.
HAVE YOU BEEN ENJOYING AND BENEFITING FROM COACH's UNCONDITIONAL OFFERING OF THESE COMPLIMENTARY VERSIONS OF HIS AWARD-WINNING SUBSCRIPTION BLOG?
HAS YOUR PRACTICE BENEFITED?
HAS YOUR TRAINING DEEPENED IN A WHOLISTIC, MORE MEANINGFUL MANNER?
WHY NOT DO A KARMICALLY-APPROPRIATE ACTION AS A FITNESS WARRIOR AND CONSIDER A "TEMPLE TITHE" TO HELP SUPPORT THE ONE-MAN DHARMIC SERVICE FROM COACH?
click here and Dharma Blessings upon your sincere sweat and stillness;
Here Is My Temple Tithe
