How should I choose the Zen practice to commit to?

[VictorV]

Hello everyone,
I know it is a very general topic. I apologize for it.
I have been practicing and trying different traditions for about two years (mindfulness, vipassana, korean zen whadu, shikantaza). In recent months I have focused on Zen practice, but jumping from shikantaza to whadu practice every few days. For some reason, I can't decide which practice I must follow regularly. I continually have doubts because I do not know how to decide between the practice that I think I should continue to be more consistent with my need to let go of my tendency to control and 'wanting things' (shikantaza) and the practice that, in the short term, relaxes me and makes me 'feel better' and less anxious (whadu). It is a doubt that begins to torture me.
How can one choose the practice to commit to?
How can I break the circle of doubts and constant changes of practice?
Thank you in advance.
V.

SatToday

[Inshin]

You are asking this question in the Sangha where the Master is a Dogenphile, the answers has to be Shikantaza But jokes aside I'm a bit like you and have experimented with few practices. So far Shikantaza proved to be the "easiest" and the most challenging at the same time. Oh, how I have doubt it! Just sitting and arriving with each breath without wanting and rejecting is just the perfect thing to do (for me personally). As Jundo said, you are in Trafalgar Square and you are trying to figure it out which Underground line to take to get to London. So I sit with the faith and conviction that I am already where I supposed to be. Shikantaza is my root sitting practice yet I do enjoy exploring from time to time by taking different "underground lines", my favourite being Antipasanti (mindfulness of breathing). I hope you'll find your perfect line.
Appologies for running long.
Gassho
Sat

[Kyotaku]

I have also practiced the various zen traditions , but I must say that koan ( hwadu ) is only possible with a qualified teacher around , whereas shikantaza is easier to practice alone at home
plus for me koan was not the right path. I was too much working towards a goal.
shikantaza became my choice in the end , so now being here as koan has to be performed in sesshin , which is expensive here in the Netherlands
gassho
sattoday
Hosei

[Bion]

How should I choose the Zen practice to commit to?

I don’t know much about other practices, but I don’t believe zazen is exclusive at all. Sitting zazen is what it is and it is done on its own, with no expectations or goals as one is completely in zazen while doing it. Whatever other practices you might do in order to relax, unwind, gain insight etc has nothing to do with shikantaza. It’s like saying one has to either sit zazen or do yoga/ go to the gym/ read books / get a massage to relieve stress / or go to some church. [emoji3526]

[emoji1374] SatToday


(Super late edit, but I’ve just realized I went over the three line goal! I apologize for that and for not apologizing before [emoji3526] )

[Seishin]

Sit zazen and drop the need and desire for all things, including which other practice you need or desire. Simples.

Sat

[Tairin]

You say you have doubts. Doubts about what exactly? Choosing the wrong path?

What expectations are you bringing to practice?



Tairin
Sat today and lah

[Naiko]

I’ll paraphrase a quote I read recently by Reb Anderson: Buddhist teachings can be summed up by the words “stop shopping.” Stop shopping for a better experience, a better way, something different.... Oh, I do get the impulse to seek more and more (maybe this new thing will be the one, will be the answer-*what answer?*). Especially now, we just have so many choices, where as just a short time ago we’d be extremely lucky to find the dharma in any form. But having met people from many religions who struck me as having attained a certain degree of enlightenment or understanding that was fundamentally the same though their practices were different, I think it’s less about the vehicle than what we bring to it. I think it’s really good to try to find a teacher you feel a connection with, who inspires and challenges you. But at some point you have to sit with the doubt and dig in and stay when the initial glow wears off and you feel restless, bored, and impatient—practice with that mind that wants to go shopping. Even if you practice Zen for 40 years and then adopt another practice, you will not have wasted your time; it’s all just your path. (Apologies for rambling on.)
Gassho,
Krista
st

[Seishin]

Thank you all for your words. I feel identified with your reflections and I will try to apply your advice, which is very interesting. I think your words will help me to commit to the practice of shikantaza. Dogen wins! ;-) I suppose that I bring two problems to practice: I try to make the practice 'useful' (to be more relaxed, less stressed) and a certain fear of committing myself to a wrong practice (at least from my personal point of view or for my own 'characteristics').
Thank you all for your contributions.
I hope to see you soon at the Zendo!

Oh Shikantaza is not uesful at all, as often quoted it is good for nothing. But at the same time everything. When stressed sit stressed, when relaxed sit relaxed. Just accept all states and wave them goodbye as they pass. There is no right and wrong practice, just practice. So just sit.

sat

[Eikyo]

I’ll paraphrase a quote I read recently by Reb Anderson: Buddhist teachings can be summed up by the words “stop shopping.” Stop shopping for a better experience, a better way, something different....

This hits home!!! Thank you for sharing Krista [emoji1431]

Gassho,
Dee
ST


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[Heiso]

These practices aren't mutually exclusive, you can do both... which probably doesn't help.


Gassho,

Heiso

StLah

[Seikan]

There's plenty of good advice above already, but I'd like to add a bit of caution, if I may. While you can most definitely practice zazen along with other practices, if you try to mix practices that have similarities, it may lead to unnecessary confusion. For example, you may run into difficulties by trying to alternate between Shikantaza and Vipassana practice as there are many similarities (depending on the form of Vipassana). On the other hand, alternating Shikantaza with a more devotional practice might be just fine. In the beginning though, it is usually best to pick one form of practice and stick with it for a while before trying something else.

First ask yourself why you are drawn to practice in the first place. Are you looking for relaxation? If so, that is fine. Start with a form of practice that is geared toward just that. Are you looking for something more? If so, then perhaps Shikantaza is the answer. You will certainly find a lot of advice and support for that practice here.

Here's the good news, you don't have to have all the answers right away! Pour yourself into one practice to start, see how it goes for a while, then try another if you feel compelled to do so. I would just caution against jumping around too much, especially at the beginning. I did that myself decades ago, and all it did was confuse me further at the time. But then again, perhaps that was just me.

Gassho,
Rob

-stlah-

(apologies for running long...)

[Tosei]

I don’t know much about other practices, but I don’t believe zazen is exclusive at all. Sitting zazen is what it is and it is done on its own, with no expectations or goals as one is completely in zazen while doing it. Whatever other practices you might do in order to relax, unwind, gain insight etc has nothing to do with shikantaza. It’s like saying one has to either sit zazen or do yoga/ go to the gym/ read books / get a massage to relieve stress / or go to some church. [emoji3526]

[emoji1374] SatToday


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Or eat or sleep or breathe.

Gassho,

P

Satlah

[VictorV]

Thanks for all this wisdom. I am sure that I will return periodically to this thread. Gassho.
V.

[Tomás ESP]

Might this be more of an emotional issue? I have the exact same feeling, jumping from one practice to the other for years. In the end, at least in my case, I have been avoiding to commit to one practice due to fear of facing reality just as it is. When I saw this line that you wrote: "I continually have doubts because I do not know how to decide between the practice that I think I should continue to be more consistent with my need to let go of my tendency to control and 'wanting things'" I really identified with it.

When you say "the practice that I think I should continue", drop that thought. How does the body feel? Where is your heart headed towards? If you really sit with your feelings and trust your gut, it might be easier to make a decision. This is being helpful in my case, because I tend to overanalyze things, neglect my own needs and emotions and be haunted by the same dilemma that you have been facing.

This is not so much a Zen perspective, but my own personal experience. In any case, much metta to you and hope you find your own path.

Gassho, Tomás
Sat&LaH

Sorry for going over 3 sentences.

[Shonin Risa Bear]

It can be good sometimes to just go back to square one and say, "Ehhhhh??" _()_

gassho
shonin sat today and also lah