Stephen, Welcome!
Reciting mantras, chanting etc. help to calm the mind and make it tranquil, but don't lead us to wisdom by themselves. Just sit and follow the breath. You'll soon notice that thoughts and sensations come and go by themselves. Don't follow them - just observe. Eventually you will discover that nothing can be grasped and held onto. Everything is in flux and transient - even what you call your 'self'. Put the books away and just sit. Mike --- In [email protected], "shepherdspie1962" <shepherdspie1962@...> wrote: > > Hi: > I've read several books on Zen. My favorite being "the teachings of zen > master huang po". In it he says that the cause of our delusion is our > analytical thinking, i.e., always judging things as good/bad, right/wrong, > etc. From his perspective the point of practice seems to be to discipline our > minds so that we can stop this kind of thinking. But I wonder if there are > different techniques that work sufficiently well or, if some techniques might > work for one person while another technique works for someone else [for > example: chanting versus silent meditation]. Also when sitting I'm not sure > if I should be trying not to think at all, or if I should be repeating a > mantra, or repeating a koan, or just sitting and letting my mind do whatever > it does...feedback appreciated. thanks. > ------------------------------------ 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: [email protected] [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/
