Awareness

There is a subtle but important difference between being aware of a thought and thinking it.

When you are just aware of a thought it is not fully born, it is not there yet, and if you play it well, you don't have to let it take over !

Once a thought becomes fully conscious, it is much more present and becomes commending and compulsive. It will suck you in and grab control of your consciousness. 

In terms of dependent origination, your ego is born.

This difference is better experienced than said. But I will try 1 simile.

Imagine you are on a board surfing the crest of a wave. As long as you stay balanced on your board, you are simply aware of the strength of the wave. The wave and you are one.

But if you dont pay attention and fall off your board, all of a sudden you feel the strength of the ocean. 
 

Training is necessary to acquire the ability to be aware of thoughts without being taken over by them.

This applies, of course, to Zazen. Be aware of thoughts, emotions or other mental activities before they become powerful enough to drag you in, you can keep surfing the crest of the wave. 

Try it...

Dharma gates are boundless, I wow to enter them...

Cross Training

Practice is not just about improving skill in one discipline.

Martial Arts, Zen and Mosaics are the 3 legs of the chair I sit on. If you remove one leg, the 2 remaining legs won't stabilize your ass. If you make one leg stronger, it increases the stability of the whole chair.

That's what Cross Training is about...

Don't get stuck anywhere,  learn in one place to be more efficient somewhere else, Dharma gates are boundless, enter them !