Yesterday while jogging, I thought about some of the things that have been causing me angst recently. I realized that at the root of most that angst is attachment to objects and concepts. If I can loosen those attachments--particularly to a concept I call categorical identification ("I am this," "I am that," or "gosh, I could be that")--and just live the best I can with things as they are, much of that angst should lessen or even disappear. The attitude of detachment has helped me deal with the challenges of "exceptional" parenting in the past 18 months or so that I have been studying Buddhist philosophy. I didn't have terribly strong notions about what parenting should entail to begin with, and I've managed to let go of even those notions.

Also yesterday, I received a CD from a friend in New Jersey containing the Big Mind teachings of Dennis Genpo Merzel Roshi, abbott of the Zen Center of Utah. Big Mind is a program that fast-tracks its participants into a Zen state of mind. I watched the introductory portion of the CD last night; it looks like it should be interesting.

Today I'm mulling over the notion of ego-abandonment. I may post about it if I come up with anything at all interesting.