The Runcible Blog

Life is like a subway car, rattling down the tracks. The braking and accelerating, bumps and tugs are the changes in life that send us in new directions. Some people in the car try to stand in the middle and end up bouncing against the walls and other people. Some will even blame the tracks for being so rutted or curse the driver for not driving smoothly. Others, who hold firmly to the car or sit comfortably in a seat, ......
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I seize him with a terrific struggle. His great will and power are inexhaustible. He charges to the high plateau far above the cloud-mists, Or in an impenetrable ravine he stands. holding onto desire I woke up this morning with the remnants of a dream left rattling in my head. By now, I've forgotten most of the plot, but I know that in the dream, there was apple juice and there was Katie. Those two things were stuck in my ......
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I woke up early this morning to the sound of my neighbor's blaring alarm. From what I can tell, he has an iPhone connected to speakers, and he's a heavy sleeper. The alarm went on for at least 5 minutes before he hit snooze. By that time, I was already wide awake and becoming angry at my inconsiderate neighbor. I thought about writing him a note and taping it to his door: "EITHER TURN DOWN THE ALARM OR WAKE UP ......
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I recently judged a book by its cover and bought Zen in the Martial Arts by Joe Hyams, thinking it might contain some insight into a particular way of thinking about fighting, and I thought it might be able to put words to the kinds of feelings I've been having in my own practice. Wrong! The book, written in 1979, oozes with a kind of superficial understanding of zen common in America at that time. The instructors quoted in the ......
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There's no such thing as karma. I often hear people say that some event happened due to "karma" -- a kind of universal justice system. I kick a dog, and someday a dog will attack me. I help an old lady cross the street, and someday when I'm old, someone will help me. The catch is that you never know when "karma" is going to come back and bite you or benefit you. So, the idea is always to be ......
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Kakuan, a Chinese Zen master in the twelfth century drew the ten ox-herding pictures to describe the phases of Zen training: Searching for the ox: The ox has never been lost. What need is there to search? Discovering the footprints: Not yet having entered the gate, nevertheless he has discerned the path. Perceiving the ox: If he raises his eyebrows by keeping his eyes wide open, he will become aware of the fact that all things are nothing other than ......
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I'm not going to say "please." I don't say the word, and I wouldn't recommend saying it, either. Too often I hear people automatically saying "please"; the thoughtlessness of that habit just becomes grating to hear after a while. I usually hear the word when someone is ordering food: "I'll have a blah-blah sandwich, please. With ketchup, please. Yes, please." Enough of that! The server isn't going to withhold the food if the customer doesn't say please. Yes, I know ......
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What was the first word you spoke today? Do you ever pay attention to that initial bit of wind tickling your vocal cords? Maybe it's more significant than we consider. After thinking about it recently, I believe my first word is usually "hello." Sometimes I sing when I wake up or during my commute, but more often than not, my mornings are silent until I arrive at work. If I buy breakfast in the cafeteria, I might talk to Mark, ......
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