Merle, I'm sure this is a lot in Christianity for many, but I don't see it. I was raised in an atheist household, I went to a secular school, none of my social circle are Christian. Maybe my lack of feeling like I was created by anything outside the natural world is proof I'm a far way from being "perfecto". I'm truly sorry if my lack of faith, or inquiry, has touched a raw spot for you, but my worldview doesn't see the need to "accept" that Christianity has something to offer me any more than I would any other supernatural claim. When you wrote "lighten up", I hope you were referring to me going to Hell? ; )
Mike ________________________________ From: Merle Lester <[email protected]> To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, 4 August 2012, 1:12 Subject: Re: [Zen] Samadhi mike..meaning what?...do not be so quick to judge..there are christians and christians...just as there are buddhists and buddhists.. . not all folk who meditate and sit cross legged for hours waiting for the "light" they too are not the "perfecto"..you are so desiring to be lighten up. .accept that christianity to may have something to offer if you take the time to examine merle Merle, Guess I met too many Christians. Mike ________________________________ From: Merle Lester <[email protected]> To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, 4 August 2012, 0:58 Subject: Re: [Zen] Samadhi godfathers, mike..you live in a world where there are millions of christians and your not the least interested or curious to find out the nitty gritty of it all....... why?..merle Kris, I know absolutely sweet f.a about Christianity, never mind Christian forms of meditation, so I'll accept what you say about grace, being open and 'just this'. I would still, however, argue that being overwhelmed emotionally at feeling like you are being filled with the Holy Ghost, or whatever else, is not observing with equanimity and is therefore not shikantaza. If I sit down to practice shikantaza and I have a feeling that my dead grandmother is with me, is it still shikantaza if I feel overwhelmed and start bawling my eyes out? Or does Jesus get a free pass? Mike ________________________________ From: Kristopher Grey <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Friday, 3 August 2012, 19:33 Subject: Re: [Zen] Samadhi 'Grace' - symbolized by the intersection of the cross. The non-point appearing to rest on the horizon between heaven and earth, where from both spring from... Just this... There are Christian meditative practices... though not taught/practiced by the consumer Christians. Prayer, real prayer not asking for magic favors, it is a form of meditation. Like other meditation, some prayers have a focus, some do not. A completely open prayer - openess to what is/will be - simply being - is this not also 'shikantaza'? Look past the differences, and there is only this. KG On 8/3/2012 6:24 AM, Bill! wrote: >Mike, > >I would describe it as something similar to being filled with the Holy Spirit and giving yourself over COMPLETELY to God's will. > >Bill! (not Joe or Bill) > >--- In [email protected], mike brown <uerusuboyo@...> wrote: >> >> Joe, >> >> How would you describe shikantaza to someone from a religion such as Christianity? >> >> Mike >> >> >> >> ________________________________ >> From: Joe <desert_woodworker@...> >> To: [email protected] >> Sent: Friday, 3 August 2012, 3:24 >> Subject: Re: [Zen] Samadhi >> >> >> Â >> Shikantaza is "just keeping empty". In the Zen sect. >> >> I'll say no more! >> >> --Joe >> >> > >> >"ED" <seacrofter001@> wrote: >> > >> > Mike, >> > >> > Is shikantaza insight meditation, absorption meditation or both? >> > >
