I suggested this, so here I am trying my best to do it.
I believe my interest in Buddhism in general started with my interest in martial arts. Or at least there was an exposure to eastern philosophy and religion. I've always been a seeker of one sort or another. My family was never particularly religious although we were ostensibly Catholic and I did take communion. Beyond that it never really resonated with me. I saw examples of hypocrisy over and over. In my adult life I even tried, really, to follow a Christian path. I went to church, played in the church band and got dunked in a river. This had more to do with my former brother-in-law being a pastor of his own church and my wife's (at the time) pushing me that way. But I couldn't maintain it. The phoniness and over the top blind faith in something that could never be experienced just felt wrong.
I appreciate Buddhism's sense of personal responsibility. You have to do the work to get the reward, so to speak. That always sounded right to me. It isn't enough to just have faith in something for change to happen. I can only be the right kind of person by BEING the right kind of person. And almost every example I've seen of practicing Buddhists was of someone truly living what they believe. It never looked phony to me. If they chanted or prayed, they meant it. There was no pointing to the sky in some pseudo-ecstatic way. There was never any subtle or blatant condemnation of different faiths (yes, I realize I'm doing that right now). And there was never any pushing their beliefs on anybody else. Their selling point was the example they set.
As far as to why Zen specifically attracted me...again, it starts with martial arts and specifically Japanese martial arts. Judo, Aikido, Kendo, Karate and Samurai philosophy all have a strong intertwining of Zen in them. Their discipline, ritual and emphasis on emptying the mind; the titles too, "Zen in the Martial Arts" and "The Zen Way to the Martial Arts". The emphasis on simplicity and discipline appeals to me because simplicity is something I strive for and discipline is something I need. In some sense I see Zen as strict and even severe and although that doesn't sound particularly pleasant, it does feel right. Significant transformation comes through hard work.
I see Zen as a way to improve my spiritual life, but also every other aspect of my life. It's a way to approach my interactions with my children, get me to appreciate every moment, help me cook better, improve my study habits and level up my tennis game.
I'm sure there are plenty of flaws in my approach, but these are some of my thoughts and the ways that I've been drawn to this. I'm learning every day new ways to look at this path, new ways of understanding my mind and new ways to think about "just sitting".
Gassho
Jenn
Sat Lah
I believe my interest in Buddhism in general started with my interest in martial arts. Or at least there was an exposure to eastern philosophy and religion. I've always been a seeker of one sort or another. My family was never particularly religious although we were ostensibly Catholic and I did take communion. Beyond that it never really resonated with me. I saw examples of hypocrisy over and over. In my adult life I even tried, really, to follow a Christian path. I went to church, played in the church band and got dunked in a river. This had more to do with my former brother-in-law being a pastor of his own church and my wife's (at the time) pushing me that way. But I couldn't maintain it. The phoniness and over the top blind faith in something that could never be experienced just felt wrong.
I appreciate Buddhism's sense of personal responsibility. You have to do the work to get the reward, so to speak. That always sounded right to me. It isn't enough to just have faith in something for change to happen. I can only be the right kind of person by BEING the right kind of person. And almost every example I've seen of practicing Buddhists was of someone truly living what they believe. It never looked phony to me. If they chanted or prayed, they meant it. There was no pointing to the sky in some pseudo-ecstatic way. There was never any subtle or blatant condemnation of different faiths (yes, I realize I'm doing that right now). And there was never any pushing their beliefs on anybody else. Their selling point was the example they set.
As far as to why Zen specifically attracted me...again, it starts with martial arts and specifically Japanese martial arts. Judo, Aikido, Kendo, Karate and Samurai philosophy all have a strong intertwining of Zen in them. Their discipline, ritual and emphasis on emptying the mind; the titles too, "Zen in the Martial Arts" and "The Zen Way to the Martial Arts". The emphasis on simplicity and discipline appeals to me because simplicity is something I strive for and discipline is something I need. In some sense I see Zen as strict and even severe and although that doesn't sound particularly pleasant, it does feel right. Significant transformation comes through hard work.
I see Zen as a way to improve my spiritual life, but also every other aspect of my life. It's a way to approach my interactions with my children, get me to appreciate every moment, help me cook better, improve my study habits and level up my tennis game.
I'm sure there are plenty of flaws in my approach, but these are some of my thoughts and the ways that I've been drawn to this. I'm learning every day new ways to look at this path, new ways of understanding my mind and new ways to think about "just sitting".
Gassho
Jenn
Sat Lah
for positive poetry 優婆塞 台 婆
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