--- In [email protected], John Davis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > First, to Tonya: Congratulations on finding a sangha. I hope it is a good match for > you. And please do post of your experiences. > > Now: > > > > > It depends on how serious a matter you take practice. 30 minutes of > > sitting a day is not enough, not even close. Nor is an hour or two. > > You must be "doing zen" 24/7. How you do it is up to you. When you > > have distractions that take you away from being mindful, the practice > > is a lot more challenging, but not impossible. > > > I trust you mean "for me" (meaning yourself) here. If you join a zendo or a monastary, > then this is true of people who wish that experience. As to "living Zen", I strive for > that as it is the same as living Shinshin Toitsu Do and Shinshin Toitsu Aikido. > "Shoulding" on people is not a good, or Zen thing to do.
I didn't mean it to sound dogmatic, but it's simply a fact that the goal of practice is to strive for constant effort. Otherwise sitting in zazen for just a small amount every day is a waste of time, or just recreational. Not that I have a problem with recreational sitting - many people do it. But if it doesn't carry out into the rest of your activity then it's not really zen practice. All easier said than done of course. > > > So residency in a community is just a way of concentrating practice. > > For me, occasional visits and retreats are heplful to get me back in > > sync. Being a resident of such a place isn't really practical for > > most of us. > > > Like I said, it is helpful, but like anything, can become an attachment. > > > Ultimately it doesn't matter what you do, as long as you do it > > mindfully, with your whole mind and body. It can even be > > Christianity or Judaism. Just done with the whole mind and body. > > That's all. > > And this is exactly what I was saying. :) > > John > > Ki is extending, > John Davis > > "Let us have a Universal Mind > that loves and protects all creation > and helps all things grow and develop. > To unify mind and body and become One with the Universe > is the ultimate purpose of our study." > -- Koichi Tohei Sensei > > "Masakatsu - Righteous victory, proper attitude > Agatsu - Victory over self > Katsuhayahi - Victory over speed of light, doing things so perfectly that time is no longer a factor" > -- Akira Tohei Sensei, no relation to the above. This from an interview in www.aikidoonline.com/ . > > "Beware the Medical-Industrial Complex!" > -- John Davis > ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Join modern day disciples reach the disfigured and poor with hope and healing http://us.click.yahoo.com/lMct6A/Vp3LAA/i1hLAA/S27xlB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Current Book Discussion: Appreciate Your Life by Taizan Maezumi Roshi 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/
