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

ZalthoLIVE - Claude AnShin Thomas

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?