JMJM and Kristy,
I think they quit mostly because they are what they would call 'bored', and they don't know how to handle boredom. They're too used to always having their mind active with conversation, TV, iPods, daydreams, fantacies, puzzle solving, etc... They just can't handle sitting in silence and doing nothing. ...Bill! --- In [email protected], Jue Miao Jing Ming - 覺å¦ç²¾æ <chan.jmjm@...> wrote: > > Hi Kristy, > > Well, it is not just westerners. For the last ten years, our statistics > shows about 80 percent of the people quit after 2 sessions, Asian or > American. The reasons being meditation is like detoxing our habits... > a cold turkey feeling. The first few months are tough, especially our > stringent requirement in sitting. :-) > > I am not sure of your definition for awareness. Let me use mine.. > According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Treasures_(traditional_Chinese_medicine) > <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Treasures_%28traditional_Chinese_medicine%29> > > Awareness is "Shen" or like our inner god, spirit, focus, clarity.... > "Shen" is supported by "Chi" or energy or liveliness. In other words, > if we are tired, we can think clearly and we can not focus. > > In our practice, "awareness" is cultivated gradually as the "chi" is > enhanced. In my experience, "awareness" gradually broadens its > sensitivity as well as its region. Meaning it starts on breathing, then > on chakra, then on energy channel, then on mind, then on spirit. When > it is able to be aware of our spirit, then it become a holistic, whole > body and mind kind of awareness, an integrated complete oneness > internally and externally. We call that state of being synchronization > to the universal energy and wisdom. That's how Buddha "transmits" from > heart to heart. > > Historically western medicine is compartmentalized, the Chinese medicine > is integrated. Same applies to the term of awareness, it includes our > body, mind and spirit as one. > > If you are still around the Bay area, we have a meditation center in > Milpitas located at 1782 Clear Lake Ave #248, Milpitas, CA There is an > English session at 2pm every Saturday with about 6-7 non-Asian. Feel > free to contact Mr. Yenkang Liu 14082069325. > > Thank you for the opportunity to share. > JM > > Be Enlightened In This Life - We ALL Can > http://chanjmjm.blogspot.com > http://www.heartchan.org > > > On 2/9/2011 11:34 AM, Kristy McClain wrote: > > > > Hi JM, > > Thanks for posting this! Very interesting. As a westerner practicing > > zazen, there is often a difference in training, and its always helpful > > to learn how its done in other countries and traditions. I was very > > intrigued by the chi-flow guidelines you mention here. Do you have > > many westerners at your school, and is there a difference in how they > > are able to "acclimate" to the teachings and practices? Meaning-- is > > there any more, or less resistance to the process and teaching > > models? My experience in the USA , has been that many students here > > don't like being uncomfortable, and are easily discouraged if there > > is not meaningful or "fast" progress in their practice. (Patience is > > not a typical American value, it often seems). > > One other note.. when I was in college in Palo Alto, (CA), I took a > > course from a buddhist priest who was on-loan from the SF zen center. > > He taught the fundamental principles of posture for zazen. Being > > young and fit, I was able to sit in half-lotus with no discomfort the > > first time I tried it, and could get into full lotus, but chose not > > to sit that way back then. But the practice was new to me, so I had > > little knowledge or awareness about the contemplative path. > > My question? Does posture lead to the awareness, or does the awareness > > come first in your experience? In my case, I didn't have the maturity > > to really understand, or embrace the practice. It was not until > > after my car accident and recovery, that I found a deeper understanding. > > Thanks, k > > > > > > --- On *Wed, 2/9/11, Jue Miao Jing Ming - 覺å¦ç²¾æ > > /<chan.jmjm@...>/* wrote: > > > > > > From: Jue Miao Jing Ming - 覺å¦ç²¾æ <chan.jmjm@...> > > Subject: [Zen] Lotus Posture > > To: [email protected] > > Date: Wednesday, February 9, 2011, 9:00 AM > > > > Good morning to all, > > > > In our school, we have a practitioner named Dr. Jing Lun Huang. > > One of his research paper told us, measured through scientific > > instruments, the chi flow enhanced through acupuncture needle is > > three times the average speed of a normal flow. Half lotus > > enhances the chi flow by 8 times. Full lotus enhances the chi > > flow by 24 times. > > > > Now why is chi flow important. When the Middle Channel, Ren & Du, > > is open and flowing, we can enter stillness quicker and deeper. > > > > Personally speaking, when I am in half lotus, my spine is bit > > slanted, because one leg is higher than the other. I don't sit as > > long and not as comfortable. When I am in full lotus, my chi > > flows through both legs equally. I feel a more solid base as well > > as entering into a state of full chi without sensing my physical > > body faster. Therefore deeper. > > > > We recommend three ways to sit. > > > > 1. On a chair is for those had surgery or injury on the hip or > > knees. But the spine must be straight without leaning on the > > back of the chair. > > 2. For those may have sore back, weak knees, arthritis, natural > > illness without surgery or injury. On the floor with a > > cushion to raise the hip by about 2-3 inches, so that the > > knees are lower than the hip. This reduces the strain on > > the lower back and enable the spine to be straight. Then > > slowly lower the cushion as practice continues. We have > > plenty of witness informed us that these symptoms can be > > self-healed after dedicated practice by following our > > instructions. > > 3. Everyone else, half lotus is a minimum. May begin with easy > > lotus, cross legged, but half lotus is minimum. > > > > These are our experience and instructions through out all our > > classes for your reference. > > JMJM > > Hear Teacher > > Order of Chan > > > > -- > > Be Enlightened In This Life - We ALL Can > > http://chanjmjm.blogspot.com <http://chanjmjm.blogspot.com/> > > http://www.heartchan.org <http://www.heartchan.org/> > > > > > ------------------------------------ Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! Talk about it today!Yahoo! 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