Ritual - discomfort and seeking to understand

[Jakuden]

I’d say rituals are important to my practice, although sometimes I feel resistance and other times it feels natural. Even when I don’t feel in the moment when doing them, I feel they can bring clarity in that moment and a reminder to drop any resistance.

Gassho,
Jakugan
St

This is one of the most important aspects for me too, along with all the things others have mentioned. My mind resists it all, including many of the non-Zen things I have to do all day! Both the Zen and non-Zen rituals give the essential substance to the relative/form side of the coin, while Zazen provides the non-form balance.

Gassho
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH


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[Rich]

It is most important to develop a daily practice.
All the rituals are pointing and supporting you in this direction.
Take what you need and leave the rest.

Sat

[Jundo]

It is most important to develop a daily practice.
All the rituals are pointing and supporting you in this direction.
Take what you need and leave the rest.

Sat

[Tairin]

It is most important to develop a daily practice.
All the rituals are pointing and supporting you in this direction.
Take what you need and leave the rest.

Sat

Tairin
Sat today and lah

[Ryumon]

I'm still wondering why they tied up the cat...

Gassho,

Kirk

sat

[Shokai]

Because you can't tell a cat to do anything. You need to restrain it from doing what it wants

gassho,Shokai

[Jundo]

Because you can't tell a cat to do anything. You need to restrain it from doing what it wants

gassho,Shokai

That is why it is sometimes said that guiding a Zen Sangha is like "herding cats."

Gassho, J

STLah

[Ryumon]

Because you can't tell a cat to do anything. You need to restrain it from doing what it wants

Do you not know the story about the cat tied up for zazen?

http://users.rider.edu/~suler/zenstory/ritualcat.html

Gassho,

Kirk

sat

[Heiso]

It is most important to develop a daily practice.
All the rituals are pointing and supporting you in this direction.
Take what you need and leave the rest.

Sat

[serenewolf]

I have been having difficulty with this as well, i think its a large part of why i have been procrastinating on jukai prep. I wonder if there is a fear of becoming "stuck" to rituals. Coming from a formerly christian background i remember that there where many rituals but they carried little weight or personal meaning.
Gassho
David
Sat/lah

[Jundo]

Here is an ancient ritual and ceremony ...

https://youtu.be/Spf8SJs7aN8

... and another old one ...

https://youtu.be/gmRf41SVHS4

(alas, did not get to go this month) ...

... Also this ...

https://youtu.be/cnoBr7kx5mQ

Nuff said?

Gassho, J

STLah

[Meitou]

Our rituals, when all conditioned ideas about 'ritual' are dropped, are for me an open hearted expression of love, faith and respect for the tradition, our teachers and ancestors. There is an ineffable beauty in bowing, in every sense, to this precious gift.
Gassho
Meitou
Sattoday lah

[Bokugan]

But when I saw that painting it just hit me. You have to know the rules to really truly break the rules. If you just break the rules you are really just kind of flailing around. You can't really be spontaneous unless you know the other side of that coin. So I feel that learning and performing the ritual actually frees me in some weird way. I am not sure I am explaining this very well. It is one of those things I feel in my bones but I don't know if I can articulate it as well as I would like.

This is very thought provoking. I feel your point came across well.

Ryan
Sat Today

[Onka]

Our rituals, when all conditioned ideas about 'ritual' are dropped, are for me an open hearted expression of love, faith and respect for the tradition, our teachers and ancestors. There is an ineffable beauty in bowing, in every sense, to this precious gift.
Gassho
Meitou
Sattoday lah

Gassho
Onka
sat