RE: [Zen] Intro
Al, Well, everyone knows the practice isn't complete until the paperwork is finished. From: Zen_Forum@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Al Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2008 10:37 AM To: Zen_Forum@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [Zen] Intro From: You left out one thing. __ NOD32 2897 (20080222) Information __ This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. http://www.eset.com <><>
Re: [Zen] Intro
Yep. From Bill this should have read: . When hungry I eat. .When tired I sleep. .When rested I wake.. man. .Bill - Original Message From: Al <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Zen_Forum@yahoogroups.com Sent: Thursday, 21 February, 2008 12:36:37 PM Subject: Re: [Zen] Intro From: You left out one thing. __ Sent from Yahoo! Mail. A Smarter Inbox. http://uk.docs.yahoo.com/nowyoucan.html
Re: [Zen] Intro
From: You left out one thing. Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! Talk about it today! Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
RE: [Zen] Intro
Perhaps it is time to reveal the depth and breadth of my practice: When hungry I eat. When tired I sleep. When rested I wake. Bill! From: Zen_Forum@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jue Miao Jing Ming Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2008 3:37 AM To: zen_forum@yahoogroups.com Subject: [Zen] Intro Perhaps it is time to outline how our practice is different, in case there is anyone interested to learn. I can answer private or public emails or setup a Skype audio conference at a convenient time for all interested parties together. We have three levels of practices. One follows the other and no short cut. 1. Sitting Chan - Fundamental Chi cultivation to connect 10 chakras through 3 Chi channels (like acupuncture). 2. Life Chan - Apply Chan concepts to everyday life. (Quite the same with Japanese zen) 3. Heart Chan - witness the sutra and Tao-Te-Jing through spiritual experience. It is free. Most of our teachers are volunteers. That includes me. If anyone benefited from our practice, can make a donation or teach others, or both. Requires a dedicated daily practice of 20-30 minutes for 6-9 months to learn and witness at the beginning. Chan is resulted by extracting the essence of Buddhism and Taoism in both practice and concept. Our Sitting Chan practice follows very closely to the Taoist Acupuncture practice. It is a lot of hard work. In 2-3 months, insomnia, midnight urination, allergy could be reduced. 6-9 months, high-blood pressure, gout, and other immune system related discomfort can be reduced. It takes about 1 years to learn Sitting Chan. 3-4 years to master Sitting Chan, connect with Life Chan, and start to experience Heart Chan. These are average time. It varies from people to people. Chan is to let our body, mind and spirit be completely synced with the universal life force and wisdom. In Chinese, the word Chi or Qi means life force, or air, or energy. Sync our internal Chi with that of the universal Chi. Without Chi, ask any China man, we die, flowers die, animals die, the world dies. In 3-6 months, all practitioner shall witness something by oneself. I apologize for this unorganized list. I am trying to talk to both types of readers - one who practices Zen and one who reads Zen concepts. Let me know if you have any questions. Thank you for your patience. JM __ NOD32 2888 (20080220) Information __ This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. http://www.eset.com Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! Talk about it today! Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
Re: [Zen] Intro
From: "Jue Miao Jing Ming" <> I apologize for this unorganized list. I am trying to talk to both types of readers - one who practices Zen and one who reads Zen concepts. > You have a good sense of humor. Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! Talk about it today! Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[Zen] Intro
Perhaps it is time to outline how our practice is different, in case there is anyone interested to learn. I can answer private or public emails or setup a Skype audio conference at a convenient time for all interested parties together. - We have three levels of practices. One follows the other and no short cut. 1. Sitting Chan - Fundamental Chi cultivation to connect 10 chakras through 3 Chi channels (like acupuncture). 2. Life Chan - Apply Chan concepts to everyday life. (Quite the same with Japanese zen) 3. Heart Chan - witness the sutra and Tao-Te-Jing through spiritual experience. - It is free. Most of our teachers are volunteers. That includes me. - If anyone benefited from our practice, can make a donation or teach others, or both. - Requires a dedicated daily practice of 20-30 minutes for 6-9 months to learn and witness at the beginning. - Chan is resulted by extracting the essence of Buddhism and Taoism in both practice and concept. Our Sitting Chan practice follows very closely to the Taoist Acupuncture practice. It is a lot of hard work. - In 2-3 months, insomnia, midnight urination, allergy could be reduced. 6-9 months, high-blood pressure, gout, and other immune system related discomfort can be reduced. - It takes about 1 years to learn Sitting Chan. 3-4 years to master Sitting Chan, connect with Life Chan, and start to experience Heart Chan. These are average time. It varies from people to people. - Chan is to let our body, mind and spirit be completely synced with the universal life force and wisdom. In Chinese, the word Chi or Qi means life force, or air, or energy. Sync our internal Chi with that of the universal Chi. Without Chi, ask any China man, we die, flowers die, animals die, the world dies. - In 3-6 months, all practitioner shall witness something by oneself. I apologize for this unorganized list. I am trying to talk to both types of readers - one who practices Zen and one who reads Zen concepts. Let me know if you have any questions. Thank you for your patience. JM
RE: [Zen] Intro
Try HYPERLINK "http://www.do-not-zzz.com/index2.html"http://www.do-not-zzz.com/index2.html _ From: Zen_Forum@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of jdavid55 Sent: Thursday, August 30, 2007 15:33 To: Zen_Forum@yahoogroups.com Subject: [Zen] Intro The moderator invited me to introduce myself. I am 60+ years of age and have been reading about Buddhism for many years. I have attempted to meditate several times, but my practice has not lasted more than a month or two at most. I recently began again. I am drawn to and intimidated by the directness of Zen and also drawn to what seems to me to be the gentleness of Theravada approaches and vipassana meditation. One of the challenges I face in my meditation is that at times my breath becomes so shallow I have great difficulty finding it. Any tips would be most appreciated. jd55 No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.484 / Virus Database: 269.12.12/979 - Release Date: 08/29/07 20:21 No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.484 / Virus Database: 269.12.12/979 - Release Date: 08/29/07 20:21
Re: [Zen] Intro
Bill wrote (Saturday, 6/17): > [snip] ... I lost my interest in Buddhism and have since focused > my practice exclusively on zen. (I know suggesting a separation > of zen and Buddhism is a controversial view and not accepted by > many on this forum. I would be glad to discuss it further if > anyone is interested.) Hi, Bill. Thanks for sharing the interesting info on your Zen journey I guess the separation you speak of is as old as Zen (no dependence on the "ism" aspect of formal Dharma imported from India). But to me the key is in the meaning of this word "dependence" and its strong link to basic Buddhist teaching - no clinging, no attachment. So in a way we're right back in Buddhism when we affirm no-dependence. In other words, the Eightfold Path, especially Right View. I came to a point in my own Zen practice, in the early 90s, when it became clear I was stuck and was trying to duplicate certain experiences I'd known in the beginning. Also realizing that I hadn't basically changed, despite all the storm and stress (and love) of practice, and was still carrying around a lot of mental baggage and negative habits. But so were a lot of my Zen friends. Definitely part of the problem was that I didn't have a teacher at this time. That was almost fifteen years ago. Anyway, I'm grateful for the learning that came via excursions through Theravada (longer - one hour - sittings of vipassana with their boredom, controlled anxiety, etc.), and the Tibetan way (powerful imagery, use of emotion, and intellectual input). It's been quite a trip and as always Zen is homebase. Interesting that you use the Hekigan Roku as a practice tool. I do too, along with the Mumonkan. They're the roshi. I want to comment on an issue you raised, about the Western- oriented meditation centers of Thailand and their commercial character, but this post is already too long. So next time. All the best to you and your wife and the village of Ahngnam. Metta, ~ Frank . Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ~--> Something is new at Yahoo! Groups. Check out the enhanced email design. http://us.click.yahoo.com/jDk17A/gOaOAA/i1hLAA/S27xlB/TM ~-> Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! Talk about it today! Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
RE: [Zen] Intro
On Saturday, June 17 enroute05 (Frank) wrote: To: Zen_Forum@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [Zen] Intro [Frank...]Hello, Bill, and thanks for the welcome. [Frank...]I stayed at Wat Ram Poeng while in Thailand, up near Chiang Mai...snip... [Frank...]Before that I'd spent several months on two different trips in Sri Lanka, at a meditation center in the tea highlands near Kandysnip... [Frank...]I've stayed four times at Bodhi Zendo in the mountains of Tamil Nadu in south India...snip... [Frank...]Also, as I mentioned in the last post, I stayed for a while (in '92) at Sogen-Ji Zen Monastery in Okayama, Japansnip... [Frank...]In 2001 I went up to Ladakh, in the western Himalayas, to find out what Tibetan Buddhism was about...snip... Wow! Thanks for chronicling your Buddhist background and the web links. Quite impressive! At different times in my life have fantasized about undertaking a pilgrimage such as yours to explore the diversity in Buddhism, but never did. The story of my zen journey is much more mundane. I was raised in a US Midwestern, moderate Christian environment but always had an interest in exploring other religions. Through reading I became especially interested in Buddhism in general and zen in particular. I finally took the step of visiting an actual zen center in California and soon became intimately involved with the training there. I was fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to continue my association with that center over the period of many years under the tutelage two Japanese Roshis, the first a Soto master and the second Renzai (also with Soto lineage). The Soto master emphasized shikan-taza (no-mind) and the second employed koans (mostly from the Blue Cliff Record). At sometime during that period I lost my interest in Buddhism and have since focused my practice exclusively on zen. (I know suggesting a separation of zen and Buddhism is a controversial view and not accepted by many on this forum. I would be glad to discuss it further if anyone is interested.) [Frank...]I guess the moral to all this is that there's plenty of Dharma out there, and the different traditions are NEVER what thought they were - via prejudgment - before looking deeper and in fair-mindedness. Not that everyone needs to do this - but I did and my Zen practice was enriched by it. I hope you will actively participate in this forum and share with us some of the different Buddhist practices to which you have been exposed. [Frank...]Where are you in Thailand, and for how long? Please say more. I live in the mountains near a town called Petchabun. That's about a 5-hour drive north and east of Bangkok. It's just south of Phitsanoluk and a couple hours west of Ubon Ratchathani. I built a house there near a little mountain village called Ahngnam and live there with my wife. I've been in Thailand for a little almost 4 years and in Ahngnam for a almost 2 years. [Frank...]... and for how long? I intend to live there for the rest of my life, so I hope that will be for a long, long time! [Frank...]Is there Zen practice where you are? Yes, of course. I am here. But regrettably there is no zen sangha here. That is one reason I was very pleased to find the Yahoo! Zen Forum. It's my e-sangha! I'm not as consistently active as I like to be but my home in Thailand does not have a landline phone. My only access to the internet from my home is GRPS over my mobile phone. GRPS is rather slow at the best of times, but the area where I live does not get a good, strong signal so it's very, very s-l--ow. I'm in Singapore working right now so I have access to a wonderful 100 Mbps line from my hotel room and am making the most of it. I've tried exploring the possibility of interacting with the local Buddhist monks at the many wats near me, but the Theravada Buddhism they practice just doesn't interest me. And to be frank they don't seem to knowledgeable about what they're doing, or at least can't explain it to me. I've also checked out the various Vipassana centers around Thailand, but they seem too commercially-oriented, almost franchise like. A good clue is virtually all of them conduct their programs only in English. It's obviously not an operation aimed at the local population. I think they're just meditation centers set up in an exotic location (Thailand?) to make them more attractive to prospective English-speaking customers. Maybe I'm being too cynical? If you or anyone else on the forum knows of any zen sanghas in Thailand please let me know. I've searched the web but have found none. All for now...Bill! Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ~--> Your favorite religious organization? Make a donation at Network for Good. http://us.click.yahoo.com/EOl1HB/LPaOAA/i1hLAA/S27xlB/TM ---
Re: [Zen] Intro
Hello, Bill, and thanks for the welcome. > Where did you live while studying and practicing in Asia? > I live in Thailand and am surrounded by Theravada Buddhism > which is not appealing to me at all. I stayed at Wat Ram Poeng while in Thailand, up near Chiang Mai ( http://www.palikanon.com/vipassana/tapotaram/tapotaram.htm ). It was a hard, deep, mainly psychological experience in vipassana and I'm not the least bit interested in doing it again. Before that I'd spent several months on two different trips in Sri Lanka, at a meditation center in the tea highlands near Kandy. It's a good, rather laid-back place for practice - though now it's become sort of famous and there are too many guests, even during the summer monsoon when the place is crawling with leeches and other beings (a traveler's description, with photos, is at http://sophia.smith.edu/~jhubbard/2001/Nilambe.htm ). I've stayed four times at Bodhi Zendo in the mountains of Tamil Nadu in south India ( http://www.bodhizendo.org ). This is an unusual center started by a Jesuit Priest, and the practice is a bit soft and eclectic but you can make of it what you want, with extra sittings, work, etc. There's a terrific library with Buddhist, Hindu and Christian works. Also, as I mentioned in the last post, I stayed for a while (in '92) at Sogen-Ji Zen Monastery in Okayama, Japan. It's Rinzai. The roshi (first rate!) is Shodo-Harada. In 2001 I went up to Ladakh, in the western Himalayas, to find out what Tibetan Buddhism was about, studied for a brief period under a lama and came away changed. I guess the moral to all this is that there's plenty of Dharma out there, and the different traditions are NEVER what thought they were - via prejudgment - before looking deeper and in fair-mindedness. Not that everyone needs to do this - but I did and my Zen practice was enriched by it. Where are you in Thailand, and for how long? Please say more. Is there Zen practice where you are? Best Regards, ~ Frank . Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ~--> Great things are happening at Yahoo! Groups. See the new email design. http://us.click.yahoo.com/iDk17A/hOaOAA/i1hLAA/S27xlB/TM ~-> Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! Talk about it today! Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
RE: [Zen] Intro
On Saturday, June 17, Frank wrote: [Frank...]This is a first posting. I live in a little town in northern New Mexico and have been in Zen practice since the mid 1980s but also have studied and practiced Theravada Buddhism and Vajrayana (mostly in Asia). ...balance snipped... Welcome to the site! Where did you live while studying and practicing in Asia? I live in Thailand and am surrounded by Theravada Buddhism which is not appealing to me at all. Thanks for the link to Mountain Cloud Zendo. I looked at it briefly but will go back and spend more time there. I know we have some other members of the forum also from that area. I hope they will identify themselves to you. Maybe you already know them. Again, welcome! ...Bill! Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ~--> Check out the new improvements in Yahoo! Groups email. http://us.click.yahoo.com/Lik1AB/fOaOAA/i1hLAA/S27xlB/TM ~-> Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! Talk about it today! Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[Zen] Intro
This is a first posting. I live in a little town in northern New Mexico and have been in Zen practice since the mid 1980s but also have studied and practiced Theravada Buddhism and Vajrayana (mostly in Asia). My introduction to Zen was at New York Zendo in Manhattan and at the upstate Dai Bosatsu monastery. The roshi was Eido Shimano. In the early 90s I spent some time at Sogen-Ji monastery in Okayama, Japan, and practiced under Shodo Harada Roshi. My main practice center now is Mountain Cloud Zendo ( http://www.mountaincloud.org/ ) in Santa Fe, which is about an hour south of where I live. It was started in the 80s by Philip Kapleau and has since become associated with the Diamond Sangha of Honolulu. After about five years in Zen I became interested in the larger field of Buddhism - historical background, other forms of practice, approaches to the Dharma, etc. - and these still occupy me, though Zen for me remains the heart of it all. Looking forward to some spirited conversations ... ~ Frank . Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ~--> Your favorite religious organization? Make a donation at Network for Good. http://us.click.yahoo.com/EOl1HB/LPaOAA/i1hLAA/S27xlB/TM ~-> Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! Talk about it today! Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
