Ango 2011 - Day 24

• Morning Zazen (45 Min @ 5am)
• Sat alone but on G+ a bit earlier than normal
• Had to start this one quite early as I had to be dad taxi to school this morning and so quite busy if I didn't take care of it early.
• Shobo Study
• Reading Mountains & Waters fascicle and glad that I'm not doing a deep study as it's quite poetic and challenging without any commentary.
• Much of this type of writing, including koan study I find challenging without reference to analogies from the era it was written.
• Shakuhachi Practice
• Heavy focus on the Ha Ro couplet as when coming to Ro in kan register it either drops to otsu or up to daikan...very tricky but it's just a matter of practice.
• Choshi is getting much better and I've been able to finish Daiwagaku as the remaining part of it drops back to otsu and I find much easier.  Hopefully will make my next lesson with Jon easy.
• Somewhat anxious about getting a new shakuhachi.  My wife & I have agreed that when my bonus comes in next month I can buy a new shakuhachi from Monty Levenson.  I'm looking at an advanced student one but I am honestly worried a bit on how different it'll be to play and if it'll set me back in my practice.  It's not a big deal, but I noticed that when I had a bit of a twist in my shakuhachi yuu it felt totally different and awkward.  I can't imagine a whole new shakuhachi.  Such is impermanence I suppose.
• Evening Zazen (30m @ 9:00pm)
• Sat offline tonight just because I find that my evening sits are ones where I'm kind of tired and lazy.  
• I like sitting with others from my sangha online, but at the same time, getting all setup just is sometimes more than I want to do.  I just want to sit. :)