in this neck of the woods there are no zen teachers... and i am unable to travel to a location..any other suggestions?..merle
Hey, I dunno, as we say in these 50 US-of-A States. I've been practicing since 1973, and earlier, if you count the time before I poured myself into Hatha Yoga classes. I've always been a nut. All I know is that there is no Zen without zazen. There are many ideas, notions, popular informal identifications of what zen is, or may be (no, there is no doubt!, in the Popular mind), but... most of it is fluff, undigested organic material. It should be composted. The best is to align yourself with a teacher and a sangha. That is what we all do, who have some hard-won opening, or easy life afterwards. ;-) Zazen has to be continued, no matter who, no matter what. The many poisons arise endlessly. Zazen is a yoga for the body. There is no "mind". Mind is a fiction created by delusion. It's forgivable, but only to a point; but, mostly, people who believe in mind are insufferable. It's never too soon to begin a practice. Really, it takes a teacher and a sangha. ...Unless you are unique in the history of our old Planet. Join a sangha and sit zazen NOW. Attend sesshin(s), as soon as possible. Let's compare notes afterwards! I mean, only for fun, compare notes... . Settle for no less than 7-day sesshin(s). It takes at least 3 days to settle-in. After three days, things become sweet. We might see eye-to-eye, like nobody's business, afterward(s). One eye open to wisdom is momentous. You'll see. ;-) Pardon, if this seems obscure. I hope it's clear as ice to many here. --Joe > Merle Lester <merlewiitpom@...> wrote: > > > > Â thanks joe..zen is swift and zen "makes no bones"...zen "breaks bones" > swift insight > Â is that not the zen way?
