Dear Alex and all, I don't think practice "makes" people irritable or edgy, it just helps us face what is already there. Your temperament is already known to those around you whether you realize it or not. If someone retreats in order to avoid seriously harming others and work on the mind, yes, it could be said that the practice is making a difference. The crux of the matter is the same for all of us; do we use our practice to shut down or open up?
Thanks, Diana --- Alex Bunard <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > --- Diana <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > "Maintaining a household, raising a child, driving > a > > car, having relationships - these are the > activities > > that we spend most of our daily lives engaged in. > > If > > our practice is not making a difference in these > > areas, then it's not really working." > > > > John Daido Loori > > He should've been more specific. Yes, maybe my > practice is making a difference in those areas, but > can I really say that it is working, merely on > account > of doing that? What if my ptractice makes me more > edgy, more irritable, makes me want to burn bridges > and hurt others so that I could retreat to the > mountains, away from the gossip land? > > Can we say that, by making such a difference, my > practice is working? > > Yes, it is obviously working, but not towards > freedom. > > Alex > > > > > > > ===== > No karma was produced during the composition of this > letter > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam > protection around > http://mail.yahoo.com > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Would you Help a Child in need? It is easier than you think. Click Here to meet a Child you can help. http://us.click.yahoo.com/O2aXmA/I_qJAA/i1hLAA/S27xlB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Noble Eightfold Path: Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration, Right Livelihood Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZenForum/ <*> 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/
