1. ZalthoLIVE: Dealing with Challenges, Sabotaging Oneself, Death, Senselessness, Paying Attention to Details

These are questions and topics that Claude AnShin Thomas - fully ordained Zen Buddhist Monk in the Japanese Soto Zen tradition - reflects on. He reminds the listener of how to stay awake to life and how to understand the trappings of a deluded mind more deeply.

This episode was recorded during a zoom questions&response session with a German-speaking audience.

For more interesting information: https://zaltho.org/

 

If you want to ask a question: [email protected]

 

Want to read up on this topic? Book recommendations:

•Bringing Meditation to Life - 108 Teachings on the Path of Zen Practice (Oakwood Publishing 2021)

•AT HELL'S GATE - A Soldier's Journey from War to Peace (Shambhala Publications 2003)

https://zaltho.org/en/media/books.html

 

Questions in this episode:

1:28 There is a saying, "People will not remember what you said but how they felt when you said it." Do you consider this to be true?

 

2:28 If you experience a new and challenging situation that you feel insecure about, how do you deal with it?

 

4:06 I often feel as if I am swimming against the current or that I am different than a big percentage of society. And ask myself if I am doing something wrong? Is it also possible to pay too much attention to one’s self?

 

8:35 If you have had any experience sabotaging yourself, would you talk about that?

 

16:18 Death is a big cause of my suffering. It seems my relation to it is not changing. Is there anything I can do about it?

 

18:22 You often emphasize the importance of paying attention to details. Is it possible to pay too much attention to detail? And if so, how do I know when I am doing that?

 

20:18: Where does the practice for the dead (the ritual and recitation done for 49 days after death) come from?

 

22:15 How do you deal with feelings of senselessness? 

 

26:42 I have more questions regarding life than responses or solutions. How is that for you?

 

30:50 Why is there the tendency to make things more complicated?

 

34:37 Is there a new photograph on the altar? And would you be willing to share what it is?