meditation journal: why keep one?

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  • bayamo
    Member
    • Nov 2009
    • 411

    meditation journal: why keep one?

    why should i keep one? do i keep it close by and jot down right after i sit? what should (and shouldnt) i keep track of?
    thanks and gassho..
    Oh, yeah. If I didn't have inner peace, I'd go completely psycho on all you guys all the time.
    Carl Carlson
  • Tobiishi
    Member
    • Jan 2009
    • 461

    #2
    Re: meditation journal: why keep one?

    Don't. You'll just spend your sitting time trying to figure out what you will write down.

    I have a journal of insights and thoughts, poetry, etc., closely tied in with my practice, but I don't write about sittings.

    gassho
    tobiishi
    It occurs to me that my attachment to this body is entirely arbitrary. All the evidence is subjective.

    Comment

    • bayamo
      Member
      • Nov 2009
      • 411

      #3
      Re: meditation journal: why keep one?

      interesting point, thank you tobiishi..
      gassho
      Oh, yeah. If I didn't have inner peace, I'd go completely psycho on all you guys all the time.
      Carl Carlson

      Comment

      • chicanobudista
        Member
        • Mar 2008
        • 864

        #4
        Re: meditation journal: why keep one?

        I think some folks do, even making blogs around zazen. Personally. I don't. Zazen is zazen.
        paz,
        Erik


        Flor de Nopal Sangha

        Comment

        • Hoko
          Member
          • Aug 2009
          • 455

          #5
          Re: meditation journal: why keep one?

          I used to keep one but I started adding up my hours like I was calculating payroll.
          Sets up the wrong message, I think...
          Gassho,
          -K2
          法 Dharma
          口 Mouth

          Comment

          • SunnyP
            Member
            • Aug 2009
            • 51

            #6
            Re: meditation journal: why keep one?

            I keep one but I only write in it when I am compelled to do so.

            Gassho,
            Paula
            Paula

            Comment

            • Shugen
              Treeleaf Unsui
              • Nov 2007
              • 4535

              #7
              Re: meditation journal: why keep one?

              Originally posted by kliffkapus
              I used to keep one but I started adding up my hours like I was calculating payroll.
              Sets up the wrong message, I think...
              Gassho,
              -K2
              I started feeling the same way using the zenhall. I got it into my head I needed to have 10,000 hours of meditation to be an "expert" at it and while I was sitting, I noticed I was starting to tally up how many hours left I had to go - setting up another goal.

              Ron
              Meido Shugen
              明道 修眼

              Comment

              • Jundo
                Treeleaf Founder and Priest
                • Apr 2006
                • 40263

                #8
                Re: meditation journal: why keep one?

                Originally posted by bayamo
                why should i keep one? do i keep it close by and jot down right after i sit? what should (and shouldnt) i keep track of?
                thanks and gassho..
                I would not. Zazen is zazen.

                As was said

                Don't. You'll just spend your sitting time trying to figure out what you will write down.
                Zazen comes and goes (really, all of life when we stop thinking about it). We had best not think about and analyze too much our dropping of thinking and analysis.
                ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

                Comment

                • chicanobudista
                  Member
                  • Mar 2008
                  • 864

                  #9
                  Re: meditation journal: why keep one?

                  Did the Buddha keep a meditation journal? :P :mrgreen:
                  paz,
                  Erik


                  Flor de Nopal Sangha

                  Comment

                  • bayamo
                    Member
                    • Nov 2009
                    • 411

                    #10
                    Re: meditation journal: why keep one?

                    Originally posted by chicanobudista
                    Did the Buddha keep a meditation journal? :P :mrgreen:
                    WWBD
                    what would buddha do..
                    i like it..
                    Oh, yeah. If I didn't have inner peace, I'd go completely psycho on all you guys all the time.
                    Carl Carlson

                    Comment

                    • bayamo
                      Member
                      • Nov 2009
                      • 411

                      #11
                      Re: meditation journal: why keep one?

                      Originally posted by Jundo
                      Originally posted by bayamo
                      why should i keep one? do i keep it close by and jot down right after i sit? what should (and shouldnt) i keep track of?
                      thanks and gassho..
                      I would not. Zazen is zazen.

                      As was said

                      Don't. You'll just spend your sitting time trying to figure out what you will write down.
                      Zazen comes and goes (really, all of life when we stop thinking about it). We had best not think about and analyze too much our dropping of thinking and analysis.
                      thank you and gassho..
                      Oh, yeah. If I didn't have inner peace, I'd go completely psycho on all you guys all the time.
                      Carl Carlson

                      Comment

                      • chicanobudista
                        Member
                        • Mar 2008
                        • 864

                        #12
                        Re: meditation journal: why keep one?

                        Originally posted by bayamo
                        Originally posted by chicanobudista
                        Did the Buddha keep a meditation journal? :P :mrgreen:
                        WWBD
                        what would buddha do..
                        i like it..
                        :mrgreen:
                        paz,
                        Erik


                        Flor de Nopal Sangha

                        Comment

                        • AlanLa
                          Member
                          • Mar 2008
                          • 1405

                          #13
                          Re: meditation journal: why keep one?

                          Zazen journal: No.
                          Personal Journal: Yes, and such a thing might occasionally include some zazen related items, at least that's what I do.
                          AL (Jigen) in:
                          Faith/Trust
                          Courage/Love
                          Awareness/Action!

                          I sat today

                          Comment

                          • bayamo
                            Member
                            • Nov 2009
                            • 411

                            #14
                            Re: meditation journal: why keep one?

                            Originally posted by AlanLa
                            Zazen journal: No.
                            Personal Journal: Yes, and such a thing might occasionally include some zazen related items, at least that's what I do.
                            AlanLa
                            how do you do this? do you keep a small journal with you and jot away whenever the spirit moves you, or do you write at night before bed, or upon waking.. just curious..
                            gassho
                            Oh, yeah. If I didn't have inner peace, I'd go completely psycho on all you guys all the time.
                            Carl Carlson

                            Comment

                            • AlanLa
                              Member
                              • Mar 2008
                              • 1405

                              #15
                              Re: meditation journal: why keep one?

                              I've been journaling for at least 15 years or more, probably closer to 20 now that I think about it. Before I got into Buddhism my journal effort was pretty hit and miss, mostly miss, with weeks or maybe even months between entries. Then, once I got involved in Buddhism, I started writing in it more often, almost daily. I view my journal as an awareness exercise, sort of a zazen off the cushion thing, but it's not directly related to my Buddhist practice; it's more of an offshoot from it, if that makes any sense. Once in a while I'll journal some insight I gained from zazen, but mostly it's just a daily exercise in realizing where am I and where am I going. Sometimes I write in it in the morning, sometimes in the evening, sometimes at multiple times during the day. Sometimes I write "deep thoughts" in it and other times I write stupid stuff like yesterday's entry:
                              "Weekend! Woo-hoo! And not a big workload - yay! But I do have some work to do and I should/will do it. But there's not as much pressure, so let's see how that goes. It's also a wonderful opportunity to get some other things done."
                              The only thing that I try to be consistent about in my journal is that I try to be totally honest and personal with as little mundanity as possible. It's my outlet, my sounding board, my refuge, my road map chronicle of life. Once in a while I look at an old one and see how messed up I was then versus how differently messed up, yet better, I am now, so it's a big help for me on the Path in lots of different ways. As you can probably tell, I am a big fan of journaling. I encourage you, and others, to try it in such a way that it works for you like I believe it works for me.
                              AL (Jigen) in:
                              Faith/Trust
                              Courage/Love
                              Awareness/Action!

                              I sat today

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