Hello Dave and forum
--- On Mon, 3/1/11, Dave P <wookielife...@yahoo.ca> wrote:
From: Dave P <wookielife...@yahoo.ca>
Subject: [Zen] Re: Mindfulness pt 2
To: Zen_Forum@yahoogroups.com
Received: Monday, 3 January, 2011, 7:21 AM
1) Is ten minutes okay? I ask because I already have a timed CD with a 10
minute zazen session.
MEL: Even 3-5 min. would be good for starters, and then increase it as you ago
along. Music and other aids aren't of any help in the long run. All these aids
would do for you is to help you avoid confronting the Self, or the Big Mind. If
the Big Mind(or Buddha/enlightenment mind) can't be trusted, then zazen which
is seated silent meditation that just breaths and keeps a straight seated
posture will be of no benefit whatsoever. All we do us just sit, and breath
You will also come across certain issues/topics regarded by some as important
such as the body's power points(I think they call them chakras or something),
Buddhist terminologies of all sorts, history and lineages, and so on......I
don't have a clue how these additional stuff help, and I'm saying that as
someone who has had OCD for years. OCD is a big enough problem for someone, and
filling the head with all the extras doesn't help. The lighter weight on the
mind, the better. Let's think about it this way...the mind is already weighed
up with enough poundages on whether the lock on the door, gas on the stove,
leaking taps/faucets, things that may be missing, cleanliness of something or
another...and so on....I mean, the problems for an OCD patient is practically
endless and total up to a huge load for each suffering individual
So, what all this amounts to, is,....just sit with an upright posture, and
breath. Nothing else. Oh yeah, do read up on Zen literature(not sutras, or the
history of the Buddha and other scholastic stuff). I highly recommend Zen Mind
Beginner's Mind. However, I have to warn you. No Zen literature of any sort
will be of any helpful advise to you if you don't clear and clean the mind out
first, especially of any preconceived notions you may have about Zen. Disposing
of any religious or moralistic baggage you may also be carrying from the past
will take you through leaps and bounds from this OCD problem. And yes, do get a
medical opinion, or counselling. I can't promise the problem will go away
forever, as that is really only up to you in the end. So first off...declutter
the mind, and then just sit, and breath
in peace
Mel
