2. On Not Setting Goals, Being Overcritical, Repairing Hurt, and Obsession (#72)

Claude AnShin Thomas - Zen Buddhist monk, combat veteran, and author - responds to questions in an inspiring manner based on his Zen practice and life experiences. He reminds the listener how to stay awake to life and understand more deeply the traps of a deluded mind.

This episode was recorded during a weekly online meeting of questions & responses.

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

If you want to ask Claude AnShin Thomas a question, please feel free to write to [e-mail].

Book recommendations:
- AT HELL'S GATE - A Soldier's Journey from War to Peace (Shambhala Publications 2003, also as ebook and audiobook) 
- Bringing Meditation to Life - 108 Teachings on the Path of Zen Practice (Oakwood Publishing 2021, also as ebook and audiobook)
- On the Edges of Sleep: Poems of War and Memory (Oakwood Publishing 2024, also as ebook)
- Applied Zen- A Short Guide to an Active Meditation Practice (Oakwood Publishing 2025, also as ebook)
 
https://www.zaltho.org/books/

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If you are interested in a specific question, this is the list of questions that Claude AnShin responded to and the time stamps for those questions so that you can go directly to the topic that is of most interest to you.

Questions and Time Stamps:
1:26 – In past instructions, you’ve said to “notice how thoughts and feelings come together to form perceptions.” Why do you emphasize this less lately?
2:52 – I heard you suggest to someone that sitting practice may help with sports. Do you think it’s beneficial to emphasize goals or results?
5:23 – Do you think the same applies to sitting practice? (continuation of 2:52)
5:57 – What helps you avoid overusing the idea of “taking it easy”?
8:46 – How can I stop being overly critical?
10:37 – How can I avoid being superficial?
15:26 – What are your thoughts on marriage?
18:58 – What is the background of breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth, and when—if at all—would you recommend transitioning from nose to mouth breathing?
21:40 – Is there a reason meditation groups tend to be made up mostly of older people?
24:01 – Are your sitting instructions the same for a child as for an adult?
28:07 – How can I repair the hurt I have caused someone?
29:58 – How has your transition back to the U.S. been after your trip to Europe?
35:40 – How is your unexplained desire to go to the grocery store similar to a heroin addiction?
38:06 – How do you decide whether to buy something more expensive that may last longer versus a cheaper option?