Herding with the Zen Master

Today, after thinking about my lesson yesterday, I would like to write about Herding Meditation. There is a famous Zen saying that goes like this:

Before Enlightenment, chop wood, carry water
After Enlightenment, chop wood, carry water

I love this saying, because it means nothing in your life changes. It is your mind that changes. Now, you will chop wood and carry water "mindfully" with an appreciation for the importance of the smallest and most humble of tasks.

Thich Nhat Hanh is one of my Buddhist teachers. He is a Vietnamese monk who came to the US in the 1960s to make a case for the situation in his country. He was a friend of Martin Luther King Jr. and he is the Nobel Peace Laureate for 1964. Still actively writing and speaking today, his books bring the simplicity and beauty of Buddhist practice to everyday life - especially his best seller Peace is Every Step. Called "Thay" (teacher), he seems to me to be a very kind and enlightened man. He is not pushing Buddhism as much as he wants people to live with peace and happiness.

In his books Peace is Every Step and the Art of Living Mindfully, he talks to the busy person about how to introduce small moments of appreciation and meditation to your life. He is very funny, writing about Washing Dishes Meditation, Driving Meditation, Phone Ringing thankfulness, Walking Meditation.

This takes us to my lesson yesterday and why Scott Glen is my favourite Zen Master of stockdog training!

The batteries in my camera died, but it is probably just as well no pictures were taken of me with Jet and Ted, because I am so rusty after months of not working since my move. In fact, it is a credit to my dogs that they were as good as they were, considering the changes in our lives in the past year. On my way home, I spent a good deal of "driving meditation" thinking about how my handling has been set back with a lot of upheaval in the past year. But, what better time for a new beginning - because, that is what we have every day. New beginnings.

I've been busy adopting a "live in the present moment" philosophy lately and this pairs up perfectly with dog training, because that is how dogs think! Scott gave me some excellent goals and training tips to move forward and get back into shape in the field. As always, there are so many pieces to work on. It is OK to have the big picture goal of trialing, but if you train that way it takes you away from the moment. Dog training is a great way to stay focused.

For example, let's take Ted. Yesterday morning I wrote that I am trying to work on the turn around the handler. Yesterday during my lesson, I realized I am way ahead of myself (thinking of the future). Scott pointed out (and has said this before) not to think about trials, think about training, now! It is fine to have the big picture goal of trialing, but without training in the present, you are not going to have the right focus.

With Scott's help, I learned how to work with Ted to keep him driving and not go to the head of the sheep by watching his every step and kindly but firmly reminding Ted where he should be. This constant feedback and direction to Ted meant never letting your mind wander, and being completely aware and involved as he worked the sheep. I also had to be reminded of my tone - to use it the right way in my commands.

Being mindful and aware of what was actually going on every second while working Ted is so important. This goes to show you how you can read all of these books about living in the moment - but applying it to your every day life is not always obvious. It comes out in the subtleties.

Next, Jet. The lesson there - keep it calm and keep from over-commanding! Jet tends to lose her head, so my job is to keep mine, and help her to stay calm. This is a huge responsibility both to Jet, and to the sheep we are working. For Jet, the goal is to watch the sheep, to see how they are reacting to her. The moment the sheep pick up their pace, is the moment to calmly tell Jet to take her time.

This is truly multi-tasking at its finest - sheep, dog and handler. When I was in there with Scott seeing the potential for this to come together so nicely, I was reminded about the beauty of stockdog work.

Focus, mindfulness, present moment, awareness, calmness, simplicity, tone, responsibility, kindness, and being "one" with your dog and sheep. I am very sure this is what Thich Nhat Han would call Herding Meditation.

I just watched a DVD of Eckhart Tolle (author of The Power of Now and other books) speaking at a retreat in Scotland. He made a joke to the audience that had so much meaning. He said we can worry about the future, but guess what, when the future arrives, it will be NOW. The same goes for the stockdog trial of the future. If I can't discipline my mind in training to be in the present moment, I am not going to have the discipline to be completely present for the minutes on the trial field.

"Buddha" is not a name. It actually means "Awakened One." I like the ties between working with my dogs, and waking up to the importance of being in the present moment and appreciating the things we can do TODAY; not living in the past, and definitely not living in the future. A focus on all of my future hopes and dreams would rob me of the day I have to work with my dogs today. And these decisions - how we work every day - will help unfold the future in a positive way.

This is very powerful, and yet very simple. And there is nothing like a dog to keep you here in the moment. Dogs are like little Buddhas - they live in the moment. As always, they are much smarter than most of us when it comes to these simple things.

So, that is all very deep and reflective. The real work comes in the practice. It is not about talking and thinking - it is about practicing these things until they are a habit. And hey, that is another thing both Thay, and Scott, tell their students.

There is just one last thing. Many traditional Buddha statues show Buddha with multiple hands, and eyes on the hands. The reason is that it shows how someone who is enlightened has many eyes to see with compassion and many hands for acting (the practice) and not just talking or thinking. Do you think that Zen Masters of Herding have the advantage of extra eyes and hands? When I struggle away and then watch Scott, he sure makes it look that way! I want that!

For more info on herding with the Zen Master of Stockdog Training, visit http://www.altapetestockdogs.com/clinics.htm

Interested in Thich Nhat Hanh? Click here for more and other links - http://www.shambhalasun.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=29&Itemid=161