Zazen happenings

[Christofer]

Hello everyone,

I wanted to share an experience I had after zazen recently. I don't know what to make of it.

After an evening sit recently, all at once I KNEW that to me, in that moment, it was right now, but that to someone else across the world at any time, it was also right now. It was a profound understanding that there is only right now. That’s the best way I can think of to explain it, I hope it makes at least a little sense. You hear it all the time that there’s only now, but at this moment I knew it in a deeper way than I had before. It was a cool feeling, but also a little alarming.

What was it? I haven’t had an experience like this before in my practice so any input or guidance you’d all offer would be greatly appreciated.

Gassho,

Chris

Sat/LAH




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[Zenmei]

Sometimes when we sit, we get these moments of profound insight, or a dissolving of the barrier between us and the universe, a seemingly direct experience of all of reality. It’s beautiful, and awesome (in every sense of the word). Sometimes it does genuinely change the way we understand and practice. Some folks have these sorts of experiences fairly often, I have only had a few.

It’s easy to get caught up in this, thinking that this intense experience is why we sit zazen. That this must be enlightenment. It’s pretty hard not to cling to it, not to want it more and more.

Some people say these kinds of experiences are just “mind theater”, and don’t mean anything.

I’m in the middle. These kinds of experiences are wonderful. I say enjoy them when they happen. But the trick is to also enjoy the experiences where you can’t stop thinking about your ex-girlfriend or the whistling sound your nose keeps making, because those are enlightenment, too. There’s a wholeness where the mundane is every bit as sacred as the profound, and we sit to realize that.

My advice is to enjoy it, but don’t take it too seriously. It may happen a lot, it may not. Either way is good.

[emoji120], Zenmei (sat)

[Christofer]

Very cool Zenmei, thank you. I have definitely found myself wanting to have such an experience again. I will remember what you said here. I liked "there's a wholeness where the mundane is every bit as sacred as the profound" a lot. Thanks again.
Gassho,

Chris
Sat/LAH


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[Mp]

Hello Chris,

What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas ... what happens in zazen, happens in zazen; what happens outside of zazen is just that too. Sometimes we may have a good experience in zazen, sometimes not so much. Whatever experience it is, just experience it. Try not to look for it again, just allow whatever to come, to come.

The mind is an amazing thing and it can play tricks on us during zazen, so let it play tricks and try not to get caught in the trap. =)

Whether good or bad, all is good zazen.

Gassho
Shingen

Sat/LAH

[Jundo]

Hello everyone,

I wanted to share an experience I had after zazen recently. I don't know what to make of it.

After an evening sit recently, all at once I KNEW that to me, in that moment, it was right now, but that to someone else across the world at any time, it was also right now. It was a profound understanding that there is only right now. That’s the best way I can think of to explain it, I hope it makes at least a little sense. You hear it all the time that there’s only now, but at this moment I knew it in a deeper way than I had before. It was a cool feeling, but also a little alarming.

What was it? I haven’t had an experience like this before in my practice so any input or guidance you’d all offer would be greatly appreciated.

Gassho,

Chris

Sat/LAH




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It sounds like a good insight, nothing to be afraid of. Yes, all is now. As Zenmei and Shingen point out, we learn from the good ones and move on, not becoming overly attached to such experiences. Last week around here, we had a fellow whose body expanded to outside the room! These are just some tricks the mind does, but some of them have good lessons for us. Yes, all is "now" (although Einstein and Dogen might also say that your now is only your now and my now is only my now too).

(and if the past is just a mental recollection of "now" back then, and the future just a mental imagining of some "now" to come, when past and future are forgotten, what use even for the word "now") A Koan.

Gassho, J

[MyoHo]

Hi Christopher,

interesting sensation that must have been indeed. So many odd things happen when we sit. It goes to show how good our mind is in creating things. Every now and again there are even things we may feel are really something special. Keep in mind that Dogen said that even after an event like enlightenment itself( really don't know what that is, bit of a red haring maybe?) we just continue our practice. Practice and enlightenment are not two. Nothing special and yet all very special because its practice otself. For me its often a bit of a struggle to shake such things off and resume Shikantaza sometimes. Dont fall for the tricks of the physical mind. Nothong wrong witg a bit of inspiration though. Good for you. Thanks for sharing.

Gassho

MyoHo

[Ryudo]

WOW.
Many people seem to have these exciting/fascinating experiences during Zazen.
For my part, my Zazen mostly is quiet dull. That is when it is good and my mind is not wondering off too much (which is fine too).
So mostly I am quiet happy with "dull", and now I try not to get attached to the "dull" Zazen and not get excited about it (which is fine too).

What a wonderful practice this is ! challenging and forgiving, compassionate, understanding. The whole universe in one simple act.
One bright pearl.

Thank you all.

Gassho, Ryudo
SatToday/LAH

[Jishin]

Hi Chris,

What an interesting experience! Tell me more.

Gasho, Jishin, _/st\_ , LAH

[Myosha]

Hi Chris,

What an interesting experience! Tell me more.

Gasho, Jishin, _/st\_ , LAH

(On the clock?)^^

Gassho
Myosha

sat today and lending a hand

[Christofer]

Zazen happenings

Hi Chris,

What an interesting experience! Tell me more.

Gasho, Jishin, _/st\_ , LAH

Hi Jishin,

The more that I’ve thought about it the more it seems like not that big of a deal really. It was just a moment of understanding a concept in a way that I hadn’t before. I think the reason it was alarming to me was that the understanding came all at once. Like a door was suddenly opened. I don't usually pick things up quickly. It takes me a while [emoji51]


Gassho

Sat

[Christofer]

Zazen happenings

WOW.
Many people seem to have these exciting/fascinating experiences during Zazen.
For my part, my Zazen mostly is quiet dull. That is when it is good and my mind is not wondering off too much (which is fine too).
So mostly I am quiet happy with "dull", and now I try not to get attached to the "dull" Zazen and not get excited about it (which is fine too).

What a wonderful practice this is ! challenging and forgiving, compassionate, understanding. The whole universe in one simple act.
One bright pearl.

Thank you all.

Gassho, Ryudo
SatToday/LAH

Hi Ryudo,

Thank you for your input. In the year that I've been sitting, I would say that it's been quiet and dull for the most part. Lots of bringing myself back to the present after trailing off thinking about new drum gear and if I remembered to put the trash cans out this week. This time I described was different though.

Gassho,

Chris

Sat/LAH

[Christofer]

Hi Christopher,

interesting sensation that must have been indeed. So many odd things happen when we sit. It goes to show how good our mind is in creating things. Every now and again there are even things we may feel are really something special. Keep in mind that Dogen said that even after an event like enlightenment itself( really don't know what that is, bit of a red haring maybe?) we just continue our practice. Practice and enlightenment are not two. Nothing special and yet all very special because its practice otself. For me its often a bit of a struggle to shake such things off and resume Shikantaza sometimes. Dont fall for the tricks of the physical mind. Nothong wrong witg a bit of inspiration though. Good for you. Thanks for sharing.

Gassho

MyoHo

[emoji1317]

[Christofer]

It sounds like a good insight, nothing to be afraid of. Yes, all is now. As Zenmei and Shingen point out, we learn from the good ones and move on, not becoming overly attached to such experiences. Last week around here, we had a fellow whose body expanded to outside the room! These are just some tricks the mind does, but some of them have good lessons for us. Yes, all is "now" (although Einstein and Dogen might also say that your now is only your now and my now is only my now too).

(and if the past is just a mental recollection of "now" back then, and the future just a mental imagining of some "now" to come, when past and future are forgotten, what use even for the word "now") A Koan.

Gassho, J

Thank you Jundo. But "now" I don't get it. I’ll just keep sitting [emoji52] [emoji38]

Gassho, Chris

[Kyonin]

Hi Chris,

That experience you had was what it was. It may have shown you the secrets of the universe or a new recipe for chili. Sometimes sitting is only mental noise and clutter. But like others also say, we live those and cherish them but we simply keep on living our daily lives.

When we sit we open up the gates to understanding. When we get up, we close them and life happens.

Thank you for sharing

Gassho,

Kyonin
Sat/LAH

[Rakurei]

There's this particular Hindu sect, I believe a Shakti or Goddess sect, that has a unique belief. They believe that if you have some form of spiritual experience while meditating or while at a ceremony, you just shut up about it. You keep it to yourself and keep moving.

In no way am I saying that sharing our experiences is wrong, but I agree with the premise here. We can easily become attached to those experiences, seek out those experiences, and then gauge our sits on if we had those experiences or not.

Smile at them, and of course accept them, and if pieces linger and stay with you - keep them. But most importantly, just sit.


Rakurei
-ST/LAH