Zen Practice with Physical Illness or Disability

[Kokuu]

It's flat out discrimination when we tend to be supportive of all physical disabilities, depressive and most anxiety disabilities, but do not do such a good job with the others.

Hi Jishin

This has been raised among Jundo and the unsui and, while we want to be completely open and supportive to people with mental health conditions and those who are neuro atypical, it was felt that we lack the expertise to offer any suggestions around this. It was discussed in detail when these guidelines were being put together.

The best we could do is state words to that effect and give information so that an individual could discuss their practice with those involved in their ongoing support and treatment.

Basically, we do not ignore this group and wish to make them very welcome here. However, we are very aware of the limitations of our knowledge and prefer to err on the side of not interfering with conditions we know little about. If you wanted to talk about this further with Jundo or any of us, I am sure we would be open to it.

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-

[Jinyo]

Hello Jishin,

when you say 'we' do you mean society in general or here at Tree Leaf?

I think society in general is not very supportive of anything that constitutes 'other' or 'difference' right across the board.
We have quite a culture of blame - even towards physical illnesses and disabilities. There is little help (at least here in the UK) for depressive illnesses
and anxiety which is expected to miraculously get better with six sessions of CBT and perhaps a pharmaceutical pill. As for Mindfullness it is the new Utopia
and sadly somewhat removed from much of what is taught here.

Do you have any suggestions as to how we might do better here or out in the wider world?

It is a subject close to my heart,

Gassho

Jinyo

ST

[Jishin]

Zen Practice with Physical Illness or Disability

I think it is wonderful that we all try to be supportive of members with physical disabilities. That said, we do not do a good job of people with psychiatric difficulties.

Of the top of my head, here are some for consideration:

Perceptual distortions:

Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective Bipolar Type, Schizoaffective Depressive Type

Mood Disorders:

Bipolar type I with and without psychotic features, Bipolar type II, Major depression with and without psychotic features, Persistent Depressive Disorder

Anxiety Disorders:

Generalized Anxiety, Social Anxiety, Panic Disorder with and without agoraphobia, PTSD, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Developmental disorders:

ADHD, Intellectual Development Disability, Autism Spectrum Disorder

Personality disorders including Borderline, Obsessive and Narcissistic Personality Disorders

Substance Use Disorders

Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders and many others not mentioned that I can not remember right now.

It's flat out discrimination when we tend to be supportive of all physical disabilities, depressive and most anxiety disabilities, but do not do such a good job with the others.

My 2 cents.

Gassho, Jishin, ST, LAH

[Meitou]

Sitting for you Kim
Metta and Gassho
Meitou
Satwithyoualltoday lah

Sorry to hear this, Kim. I'm not sure that I have any suggestions about lying down zazen. I do all of my zazen lying down at the moment. I'd say find a position that is comfortable - it may take a bit of getting used to. In terms of pain, I just let it be there. I think there are various Buddhist resources about meditating with pain but I find zazen helps - it helps me let go of that second layer of suffering, all the aversion and thoughts around pain.

I also find that sometimes my energy gets flat and I struggle with concentration whilst lying down so sometimes I add in some breath meditation too.

Sending you lots of metta.

Gassho
Eishuu
ST/LAH

[Tairin]

Metta to you Kim.


Tairin
Sat today

[Seishin]

Kim I cannot offer advice but will offer metta.

[Jundo]

I can spare the details of how this came about, but this past week I was diagnosed with lupus SLE (systemic lupus erythematous) by my rheumatologist. It kind of hit me from left field, but in reality, the signs were probably there for a while, but had not yet appeared on the blood test (it did this week).

I will just offer that we will all be Sitting for your health and peace with your condition, Kim.

Gassho, Jundo

SatTodayLAH

[Byokan]

Grateful for everyone's practice.

Gassho
Byōkan
sat + lah

[Kokuu]

I had suffer a cerebral stroke, i have hemiplegia in my body, im practice zen in mexico since 14 years ago with a group of sotozen lineage, but its very strictly, im sad because i can’t do it all activities like zazenkai or sesshins, my master dont accept my votes like a dharma integrant because my participation is limited, this notes that write master Jundo its very important note, because its inclusive...thanks for consider disability...i sat today, mokuho

You are very welcome here, Mokuhó, and your participation is whole and complete however much you are able or not able to do.

Please let us know if there is anything more we can do to include you here. The above guidelines are designed to be modified as we learn more about the requirements of different medical conditions and disabilities.

Gassho
Kokuu

I had suffer a cerebral stroke, i have hemiplegia in my body, im practice zen in mexico since 14 years ago with a group of sotozen lineage, but its very strictly, im sad because i can’t do it all activities like zazenkai or sesshins, my master dont accept my votes like a dharma integrant because my participation is limited, this notes that write master Jundo its very important note, because its inclusive...thanks for consider disability...i sat today, mokuho

Your vote counts here Mokuho. Thank you for your practice and wish you well.

Gassho Kyotai
ST

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[Jundo]

I had suffer a cerebral stroke, i have hemiplegia in my body, im practice zen in mexico since 14 years ago with a group of sotozen lineage, but its very strictly, im sad because i can’t do it all activities like zazenkai or sesshins, my master dont accept my votes like a dharma integrant because my participation is limited, this notes that write master Jundo its very important note, because its inclusive...thanks for consider disability...i sat today, mokuho

No body is excluded for such things here. The universe excludes nobody too.

Gassho, J

SatTodayLAH

[Mokuhó]

I had suffer a cerebral stroke, i have hemiplegia in my body, im practice zen in mexico since 14 years ago with a group of sotozen lineage, but its very strictly, im sad because i can’t do it all activities like zazenkai or sesshins, my master dont accept my votes like a dharma integrant because my participation is limited, this notes that write master Jundo its very important note, because its inclusive...thanks for consider disability...i sat today, mokuho

[dsaly1969]

Thanks so much for this posting! As someone with increasingly restrictive physical mobility I have found these suggestions on how to continue practice to be invaluable.

Gassho, sat today, lah.

[Koki]

Kunzang,

Here is what is usually brought up when someone wants to know where to start on taking Shukke Tokudo.

https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?15540-SPLIT-THREAD-Of-Priests-and-Priest-Training-at-Treeleaf

Gassho, sat today, lah

Thank you Geika

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