Bill, You're quite correct in reminding us about the dangers of communicating by email. Body language is a huge part of communicating, even more so than the words spoken or heard. However, I don't think see any anger in Kris' posts to me at all because he knows I'm always right about everything and that he's a complete dick. I think he secretly wishes he was me. True story.
Mike ________________________________ From: William Rintala <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Wednesday, 5 September 2012, 20:48 Subject: Re: [Zen] Re: " dancing with the daffodils" Just an observation here. It is so hard to determine what is meant by what is written in emails. I percieve stress in this last exchange, frustration, almost anger but then what was meant might be simply gentle prodding or poking. Years ago I was involved in an email exchange regarding an issue at the hospital where I worked. I responded to a query by asking "What is it about this issue that concerns you?" It was reported to my supervisor and I was asked to make a face to face apology. When I realized that what I was asking could be taken negatively I was horrified and I've never trusted email since. I don't know where it fits in Zen but "Love one another" needs to be there somewhere. Otherwise you end up punching yourself in the face. Bill not Bill! Find what makes your heart sing…and do it! ________________________________ From: Kristopher Grey <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Tue, September 4, 2012 1:12:29 AM Subject: Re: [Zen] Re: " dancing with the daffodils" On 9/3/2012 6:46 PM, mike brown wrote: > I think you have a very shallow idea about what vipassana is. Doesn't matter a wit if I do or don't - but since you keep dragging your cushion around for me to see: FWIW I don't think it's zoning out at all (though some will use it that way). It's also not like you invented it, or it's a big secret. Do you get a discount, or good karma, for mentioning it? ;) No matter what I express, you come back to you own assumptions about what I think - mostly involving some perceived attack on your practice. This makes one of us appears shallow, and the other appear simple minded. You can choose which is which. Any practice can be an escape - or retreat if you prefer. Why do you think people organize/attend those? Some find it helpful to disengage in that way. Creating greater contrast between self-awareness and autopilot, until that sort of in/out of awareness structure implodes. The house of cards you mentioned. Then 'practice' opens up. My concern is with the user, not the practices used. With what they think they are fixing, or what fix they are getting from it. A not so subtle difference. There is a similar difference to how you and I are using the term 'mindfulness'. What you describe I might call a basic sense of self-awareness. A sort of 'witnessing' with/as a conscience. This can be developed, as it is still 'ordinary mind' (clearly not all have the same capacities in this regard, and it appears to come and go, etc.). If something you "do" then it's a form of mindfulness training, which is still ordinary mind training (while such a distinction makes sense anyway) and will serve as long as you still have ordinary uses for it (meaning you are still alive/functioning). Catching and getting control of the "ox". The higher and lower self business of other traditions. The conflicted animal and godlike natures of man. Fortunately, even this division can be seen as false. Short of that, much personal struggle appears. All is seen through that lens. Anyway, my point was not - despite your well intentioned but unnecessary defenses/efforts to skew them as such - a criticism of your practice. I was simply noting the way you appear to differentiate practice from other experiences, maybe attaching some significance in the process that reinforces this. How this is can be 'counterproductive', yet is also an integral aspect of any practice, an aspect of what the practice reveals, what is carried to all other experiences... what has always simply been this experiencing... Tomorrow, remind me to stick to one liners and crappy neo-haiku. Still reeks of rotting flesh, but less dead bones for zen dogs to sniff at/snarl over. KG PS - Equanimity is not a a lack of personality, or invariability of reactions to what arises. No stone Buddha! "Cranky" was simply my acknowledgement of what was presenting. Redirected energies, responding differently to different stimuli/situations. I see no need wasting more energy pretending to be this or that, unless I do. Something I used to do to manipulate myself and others, I now only do if it aids interactions with others. Looks the same.
