What is Zen (page 3)

Enigma One

Try some Tai Chi. Yoga is GREAT for the body too. But do only what you are interested in.

Legolas

I thought about yoga too ..LOL.. But I think the other would be friendlier to me!

Legolas

Well I got my A535 ready..LOL

I have to go work out for awhile!

SixofNine

People who get angry at other drivers, do not have zen.

Head pats all around :P~

Enigma One

Hey six, how are you? Aren't you down in New Orleans? Are you and your's doing ok?

tetrapod.sapien

just a thought before i head off to bed here...

i have been practicing zazen buddhist meditation techniques lately............. sometimes i am sober, and other times i have a little sativa on the brain..... but i always enjoy it. i feel centered and peaceful after. i am aware of the scientific studies on the brains of buddhists while meditating, and i agree that the mind is the brain etc etc. but, still, there is something remarkable about it that i cannot explain with words. a place where there is neither ME or the UNIVERSE, but both. and also neither. where there is no enlightenment, and only enlightenment. it's hard to explain. mind games? sure. but still remarkable... i plan on pursuing it.

i went to check out a buddhist temple. they only have one service a week, and get this: it's on sunday mornings at 10:45. f*ck man, i am not ready to start getting up on sunday mornings for church yet, so i dropped that. lol.

but when i talked with the monk, and he found out i was an atheist, he said something very similar to what james thomas said earlier in the thread. that it is about realizing and accepting what IS, without filters and paradigms (if possible). and that got me thinking about buddha/zen nature... and depending on ones personality, initially, what IS can be pretty freaking depressing. but after thinking (pretty sure, anyways) a bit more, what IS, is neither good or bad. those two things don't exist, imo. you have a sort of balance between the two. and it makes sense to me, because my worldview is that the universe itself is neither good or evil, but simply indifferent.

i think of buddha like i think of an atheist. what was he "worshiping" when he attained enlightenment, if not the middle road between himself and nature? not too much nature, not too much self. just what IS.

sexy. the universe is sexy. :)

TS

Enigma One

Tetra....I think you have a good grasp on the startings of Buddha's teachings. Of course Taoism and Shintoism may be paths for you. When I was a JW I used to laugh at the Buddhist mindset and "metaphor speak". Now, it makes sense to me. JT's experience and teachings are....well.....self centered IMHO. JT....please no offense meant.

Tetra you must realize how little you know in order to learn how much there is to learn. The cool thing about eastern philosophy is the ability to pick and choose what fits you. There isn't a 100% correct way....only your path. Tetra...you have embarked on "your path". Please be patient and understanding in this journey. I respect you as a poster a lot. Unfortunately, we all get blinded by our own JW'ish experience and assume the worst out of all religions. You can be spiritual without being religious. I'm sure you'll find your journey an interesting one.

Peace,
Brian

poppers

"JT's experience and teachings are....well.....self centered IMHO. JT....please no offense meant."

I am sure that JT will take no offense. If I may be so bold, I will comment for him. What is discovered is that there is no self-center. This is where zen leads. JT's words point to that.

Enigma One

Poppers....my approach and JT's....and well, your's are quite different from one anothers. I only wanted to point that out to Tetra. I see a fundamental difference between our styles. Is either right or wrong? No. It is up to the one seeking enlightenment. But I thought it was important to point it out. That's all.

Narkissos

what was he "worshiping" when he attained enlightenment, if not the middle road between himself and nature? not too much nature, not too much self.

I guess this is about what I have been (poorly) trying to point to lately. The borderline between things and words, being and symbol... "We" belong to both, cannot disown either.

What is Zen

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