Comments on: Results of Practice http://themiddleway.net/2007/12/01/results-of-practice/ Commentaries on Meditation, Zen, Buddhism, and Mindfulness Sun, 12 Oct 2008 18:52:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Wade http://themiddleway.net/2007/12/01/results-of-practice/#comment-11999 Wade Mon, 10 Dec 2007 20:58:17 +0000 http://themiddleway.net/2007/12/01/results-of-practice/#comment-11999 @Greg, thanks for the kind words, and sharing of your experience. @James, No words can reply to that ;) :) Peace to all. Gassho, Wade @Greg, thanks for the kind words, and sharing of your experience.

@James, No words can reply to that ;) :)

Peace to all.

Gassho,

Wade

]]> By: James http://themiddleway.net/2007/12/01/results-of-practice/#comment-11998 James Mon, 10 Dec 2007 16:42:33 +0000 http://themiddleway.net/2007/12/01/results-of-practice/#comment-11998 Great post. Present moment, wonderful moment, only moment. :) Great post.

Present moment, wonderful moment, only moment. :)

]]> By: Greg http://themiddleway.net/2007/12/01/results-of-practice/#comment-11971 Greg Sun, 09 Dec 2007 20:30:30 +0000 http://themiddleway.net/2007/12/01/results-of-practice/#comment-11971 I found this perspective on practice to be very astute. I think practice should be seen in this way. Its interesting to realize that we are not the "ego self" we have pictured in our minds, the more we strip this away the more free we become. Nothing to attain within practice, just becoming more and more honest and comfortable within our skin. I think such a perspective helps lead us away from being coming attached to misconceptions about practice I found this perspective on practice to be very astute. I think practice should be seen in this way. Its interesting to realize that we are not the “ego self” we have pictured in our minds, the more we strip this away the more free we become. Nothing to attain within practice, just becoming more and more honest and comfortable within our skin. I think such a perspective helps lead us away from being coming attached to misconceptions about practice

]]> By: Wade http://themiddleway.net/2007/12/01/results-of-practice/#comment-11834 Wade Mon, 03 Dec 2007 00:01:07 +0000 http://themiddleway.net/2007/12/01/results-of-practice/#comment-11834 @Tracy, It's great to see you back round here again, I 'lost' Zen Housewife a few weeks ago for some reason, great to reconnect with you again. Thank you for the reflection, that is motivating to me :) Enjoy your retreat, I'm sure it'll be an amazing and powerful time, regardless of how it goes, if that makes sense. @Mike, thanks for an interesting question, it's one I've had to work with as well. The idea is not to see the forms, or to be caught by the forms but to use them as a gate of practice. What I found with all the rituals I took place in was a lot of questioning. In the chanting/service/ritual I could feel my consciousness. I could hear and almost see my enlightenment. The words were the illumination of my consciousness. The more I could let go of the words, the more they opened, the more I grew in depth and voice, the more I could see and feel where and what was singing. It's amazing, when there's no I singing, and a voice is coming out, that is growing and getting better, what or who is singing? Where was it coming from? I stopped trying to look for answers to that question and just entered into the practices. In the bowing and prostrations, the question of who was bowing to who. What was bowing, the difference, and the relations between the bower and the receiver kept coming up. The rituals in all their forms aren't about be followed as forms but other forms of practice, just like Zazen. The hierarchy is an interesting one, and is based on the formal understanding of the individual. To me the titles didn't mean as much as the interactions I had personally with them all. It was in the interactions that each person's 'work' could be seen, and their different levels of understanding took the forms of the hierarchy that they have. Again, thank you for your interesting and challenging question. If I haven't answered your question, I'd be keen to try again. May all being be happy. May all being have peace. Gassho, Wade @Tracy, It’s great to see you back round here again, I ‘lost’ Zen Housewife a few weeks ago for some reason, great to reconnect with you again. Thank you for the reflection, that is motivating to me :) Enjoy your retreat, I’m sure it’ll be an amazing and powerful time, regardless of how it goes, if that makes sense.

@Mike, thanks for an interesting question, it’s one I’ve had to work with as well. The idea is not to see the forms, or to be caught by the forms but to use them as a gate of practice. What I found with all the rituals I took place in was a lot of questioning.

In the chanting/service/ritual I could feel my consciousness. I could hear and almost see my enlightenment. The words were the illumination of my consciousness. The more I could let go of the words, the more they opened, the more I grew in depth and voice, the more I could see and feel where and what was singing. It’s amazing, when there’s no I singing, and a voice is coming out, that is growing and getting better, what or who is singing? Where was it coming from? I stopped trying to look for answers to that question and just entered into the practices.

In the bowing and prostrations, the question of who was bowing to who. What was bowing, the difference, and the relations between the bower and the receiver kept coming up.

The rituals in all their forms aren’t about be followed as forms but other forms of practice, just like Zazen. The hierarchy is an interesting one, and is based on the formal understanding of the individual. To me the titles didn’t mean as much as the interactions I had personally with them all. It was in the interactions that each person’s ‘work’ could be seen, and their different levels of understanding took the forms of the hierarchy that they have.

Again, thank you for your interesting and challenging question. If I haven’t answered your question, I’d be keen to try again.

May all being be happy. May all being have peace.

Gassho,

Wade

]]> By: Mike S http://themiddleway.net/2007/12/01/results-of-practice/#comment-11830 Mike S Sun, 02 Dec 2007 20:26:42 +0000 http://themiddleway.net/2007/12/01/results-of-practice/#comment-11830 As someone who understands the basic conceptual nature behind Zen as well as other non-dual traditions, I keep wondering about the concept of "practice." Does the practice have within it the capacity to detach or to avoid identifying with the practice? Or can an individual become trapped within the practice? in other words, can the "tool" become an obstacle? Also I notice from the Zen Mt Monastery website various hierarchies starting with Abbot, Sensei, Osho, chief liturgist, senior monastic, etc. As Practitioners or novitiates (bottom rank) could this interfere with the purpose of Zen? I don't mean to sound so judgmental with these questions but I have dabbled with various Hindu/Buddhist practices and I found the ritualistic procedures (within the various ashrams or monasteries) to be an impediment to the main idea? Your thoughts? Thanks, Mike As someone who understands the basic conceptual nature behind Zen as well as other non-dual traditions, I keep wondering about the concept of “practice.” Does the practice have within it the capacity to detach or to avoid identifying with the practice? Or can an individual become trapped within the practice? in other words, can the “tool” become an obstacle?

Also I notice from the Zen Mt Monastery website various hierarchies starting with Abbot, Sensei, Osho, chief liturgist, senior monastic, etc. As Practitioners or novitiates (bottom rank) could this interfere with the purpose of Zen?

I don’t mean to sound so judgmental with these questions but I have dabbled with various Hindu/Buddhist practices and I found the ritualistic procedures (within the various ashrams or monasteries) to be an impediment to the main idea?

Your thoughts?

Thanks,
Mike

]]> By: Tracy http://themiddleway.net/2007/12/01/results-of-practice/#comment-11825 Tracy Sun, 02 Dec 2007 15:05:19 +0000 http://themiddleway.net/2007/12/01/results-of-practice/#comment-11825 Hi Wade, This post is so inspirational. Thank you for bringing back and sharing the wisdom from your retreat with us. I am going on my very first one-day retreat in two weeks time and I'm so excited. Thanks again for writing your blog, I always learn something valuable here. Tracy Hi Wade, This post is so inspirational. Thank you for bringing back and sharing the wisdom from your retreat with us. I am going on my very first one-day retreat in two weeks time and I’m so excited. Thanks again for writing your blog, I always learn something valuable here.
Tracy

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