Comments on: The Path of Wholeness http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/2010/03/the-path-of-wholeness/ Discover the Emerging Face of Buddhism Thu, 09 Sep 2010 05:12:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: VinceHorn http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/2010/03/the-path-of-wholeness/comment-page-1/#comment-675 VinceHorn Tue, 11 May 2010 18:54:57 +0000 http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/?p=549#comment-675 Hi Clayton, Its been a long time since I've read Wilber, but I seem to remember that A Theory of Everything and A Brief History of Everything are the most common introductions to his work. Also, you can check out (if you haven't already seen it) this interview I did with him for Buddhist Geeks: <a href="http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/author/kenwilber/" target="_blank">http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/author/kenwilber/</a> Have fun! Hi Clayton,

Its been a long time since I've read Wilber, but I seem to remember that A Theory of Everything and A Brief History of Everything are the most common introductions to his work.

Also, you can check out (if you haven't already seen it) this interview I did with him for Buddhist Geeks: http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/author/kenwilber/

Have fun!

]]> By: Clayton http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/2010/03/the-path-of-wholeness/comment-page-1/#comment-673 Clayton Tue, 11 May 2010 13:44:58 +0000 http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/?p=549#comment-673 Hey Vince, What would you recommend as a first read by Wilber? I have heard you Daniel and Kenneth reference him so I imagine he is worth checking out... Hey Vince,

What would you recommend as a first read by Wilber? I have heard you Daniel and Kenneth reference him so I imagine he is worth checking out…

]]> By: f m uitti http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/2010/03/the-path-of-wholeness/comment-page-1/#comment-95 f m uitti Sat, 13 Mar 2010 17:45:52 +0000 http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/?p=549#comment-95 Vince, you are doing us such a great service through Buddhist Geeks- many many thanks for that! I found your article most interesting, and the book suggestion from Duff also useful- warmest wishes to you. now I'll go donate to BG. fm Vince, you are doing us such a great service through Buddhist Geeks- many many thanks for that! I found your article most interesting, and the book suggestion from Duff also useful- warmest wishes to you. now I’ll go donate to BG.
fm

]]> By: JoelG http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/2010/03/the-path-of-wholeness/comment-page-1/#comment-63 JoelG Sun, 07 Mar 2010 02:55:20 +0000 http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/?p=549#comment-63 "While we can direct the mind to penetrate into phenomena with great precision and energy, we can also sit quietly and allow reality to just show itself as it is. Both perspectives are important and valuable, and being able to draw on each along the way can be very helpful. Said another way, we can realize that reality is already showing itself, settle quietly into this moment, and be clear and precise about it. Obviously there is a bit of a paradox here relating to effort and surrender. In many ways it is at the heart of the spiritual life." I ran across this wonderful quote--from Daniel Ingram's MCTB no less!--and immediately thought of Vince's column and new direction. The middle way indeed! "While we can direct the mind to penetrate into phenomena with great precision and energy, we can also sit quietly and allow reality to just show itself as it is. Both perspectives are important and valuable, and being able to draw on each along the way can be very helpful. Said another way, we can realize that reality is already showing itself, settle quietly into this moment, and be clear and precise about it. Obviously there is a bit of a paradox here relating to effort and surrender. In many ways it is at the heart of the spiritual life."

I ran across this wonderful quote–from Daniel Ingram's MCTB no less!–and immediately thought of Vince's column and new direction. The middle way indeed!

]]> By: ~C4Chaos http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/2010/03/the-path-of-wholeness/comment-page-1/#comment-59 ~C4Chaos Sat, 06 Mar 2010 06:24:51 +0000 http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/?p=549#comment-59 excellent post, dawg! "What I found, after several years of dedicated searching and practice, was that my orientation had gradually shifted away from transcending life, to a more inclusive relationship with it." love it! good thing you got into Wilber, otherwise i wouldn't have met you. and it was a big loss on my part. speaking of wholeness, maybe soon you can try one of the toughest spiritual practices: parenting. i'm almost there :) ~C excellent post, dawg!

"What I found, after several years of dedicated searching and practice, was that my orientation had gradually shifted away from transcending life, to a more inclusive relationship with it."

love it! good thing you got into Wilber, otherwise i wouldn't have met you. and it was a big loss on my part.

speaking of wholeness, maybe soon you can try one of the toughest spiritual practices: parenting. i'm almost there :)

~C

]]> By: VinceHorn http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/2010/03/the-path-of-wholeness/comment-page-1/#comment-53 VinceHorn Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:17:07 +0000 http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/?p=549#comment-53 Hey Duff, Thanks for the recommendation! Sounds like a really solid book. Hey Duff, Thanks for the recommendation! Sounds like a really solid book.

]]> By: Duff McDuffee http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/2010/03/the-path-of-wholeness/comment-page-1/#comment-52 Duff McDuffee Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:13:59 +0000 http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/?p=549#comment-52 Along these lines, I really enjoyed the book <em>The Wisdom of Imperfection: The Challenge of Individuation in Buddhist Life</em> by Rob Preece. Preece works as a psychotherapist and has worked with many meditators who struggle with re-integrating with the world after long periods of retreat and practice. Along these lines, I really enjoyed the book The Wisdom of Imperfection: The Challenge of Individuation in Buddhist Life by Rob Preece. Preece works as a psychotherapist and has worked with many meditators who struggle with re-integrating with the world after long periods of retreat and practice.

]]> By: Alec http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/2010/03/the-path-of-wholeness/comment-page-1/#comment-51 Alec Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:46:03 +0000 http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/?p=549#comment-51 Great post, Vince. Since I left the monastery just over a year ago, a similar process happened in my practice. I'm not sure how to put it, but this process, whatever you call it, demanded that I really "own" myself and eschew the parts of my life and practice that just weren't working. I think you captured it really well, because for me it was the same: I always wanted to transcend the world rather than being in it. My girlfriend jokes with me sometimes, she I've been "corrupted". Maybe she means that before we met I was headed for traditional Tibetan monasticism, always appearing to be some kind of a saint that I really wasn't. I always respond, If by "corrupted" you mean that I finally stopped the pretense and accepted the beautiful mess that is me and my life, well then sure. But you should know that I am happier and feel more liberated than I ever did before. Great post, Vince. Since I left the monastery just over a year ago, a similar process happened in my practice. I'm not sure how to put it, but this process, whatever you call it, demanded that I really "own" myself and eschew the parts of my life and practice that just weren't working. I think you captured it really well, because for me it was the same: I always wanted to transcend the world rather than being in it.

My girlfriend jokes with me sometimes, she I've been "corrupted". Maybe she means that before we met I was headed for traditional Tibetan monasticism, always appearing to be some kind of a saint that I really wasn't. I always respond, If by "corrupted" you mean that I finally stopped the pretense and accepted the beautiful mess that is me and my life, well then sure. But you should know that I am happier and feel more liberated than I ever did before.

]]> By: VinceHorn http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/2010/03/the-path-of-wholeness/comment-page-1/#comment-48 VinceHorn Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:43:54 +0000 http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/?p=549#comment-48 Yeah, I'm really seeing the whole balance that you're talking about here, as something that takes care of itself w/ the right involvement (read: effort + surrender). I'm swinging more toward the natural, always already side of things at the moment, but I have no doubt that the pendulum will swing back again toward the more effortful and intentional side of things. Hopefully though, in the swinging back, there's a deeper understanding of the whole process that dawns. At least that seems to be how it has worked in the past. Who knows what the future will bring? Yeah, I'm really seeing the whole balance that you're talking about here, as something that takes care of itself w/ the right involvement (read: effort + surrender). I'm swinging more toward the natural, always already side of things at the moment, but I have no doubt that the pendulum will swing back again toward the more effortful and intentional side of things. Hopefully though, in the swinging back, there's a deeper understanding of the whole process that dawns. At least that seems to be how it has worked in the past. Who knows what the future will bring?

]]> By: JoelG http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/2010/03/the-path-of-wholeness/comment-page-1/#comment-47 JoelG Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:10:22 +0000 http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/?p=549#comment-47 Nice column, Vince. I'm reminded of the wonderful Adyashanti line about how, after a person has started the process of waking up, it is so important to "give the world its freedom back." It's such a relief, for example, to realize that you don't have to worry whether someone likes or dislikes you. It's a relief to know that you can give people and the world the freedom to be just the way they are. But of course applying this to oneself--accepting just what you find and allowing ascending and descending currents to strike some kind of natural balance--is just as important. Easy to say, not so easy to always do. For me, the challenge seems to be finding this balance: balancing receptive openness with the kind of effort required to ... well, build concentration and investigate the three characteristics! Nice column, Vince.
I'm reminded of the wonderful Adyashanti line about how, after a person has started the process of waking up, it is so important to "give the world its freedom back." It's such a relief, for example, to realize that you don't have to worry whether someone likes or dislikes you. It's a relief to know that you can give people and the world the freedom to be just the way they are. But of course applying this to oneself–accepting just what you find and allowing ascending and descending currents to strike some kind of natural balance–is just as important. Easy to say, not so easy to always do. For me, the challenge seems to be finding this balance: balancing receptive openness with the kind of effort required to … well, build concentration and investigate the three characteristics!

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