Comments on: BG 173: Zen, Vipassana, and Psychotherapy http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/2010/05/bg-173-zen-vipassana-psychotherapy/ Discover the Emerging Face(s) of Buddhism Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:27:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Anonymous http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/2010/05/bg-173-zen-vipassana-psychotherapy/#comment-2640 Anonymous Thu, 10 Jun 2010 10:57:09 +0000 http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/?p=1589#comment-2640 <strong>Shell Shocks - World War One - Studie...</strong> I found your entry interesting thus I've added a Trackback to it on my weblog :)... Shell Shocks – World War One – Studie…

I found your entry interesting thus I’ve added a Trackback to it on my weblog :) …

]]> By: Panchenlama http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/2010/05/bg-173-zen-vipassana-psychotherapy/#comment-2639 Panchenlama Tue, 25 May 2010 07:29:22 +0000 http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/?p=1589#comment-2639 Time for the Lions of Ashoka to roar the lions' roar! Time for the Lions of Ashoka to roar the lions' roar!

]]> By: curious http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/2010/05/bg-173-zen-vipassana-psychotherapy/#comment-2638 curious Tue, 25 May 2010 00:28:05 +0000 http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/?p=1589#comment-2638 I'd love to know what she means by "Samadhi" here. I'd love to know what she means by "Samadhi" here.

]]> By: livinlite http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/2010/05/bg-173-zen-vipassana-psychotherapy/#comment-2637 livinlite Mon, 24 May 2010 16:58:04 +0000 http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/?p=1589#comment-2637 So, ultimately I believe in the practice of vipassana as the direct path to realization...but I think some of us have to take an assessment of where we are in life in general, work with the stories (maybe through psychotherapy) that we take to be our "self", learn to see them as "no-self", and lighten up around that stuff first before doing more intense practice, so the life we inhabit gets a little calmer and more conducive to that deeper practice and we have the ability to integrate cushion time with the rest of life. At that point, maybe it becomes time to experience some deeper retreats and plum the depths of insight work. After which a re-grounding into a more integrated daily practice might be just the right medicine. And then more retreat, more grounding, a mix of the two...self-realization, then back to filing papers, paying the mortgage, and cooking dinner. This rambled on a ways. Thank you for the interview...looking forward to the 2nd installment. So, ultimately I believe in the practice of vipassana as the direct path to realization…but I think some of us have to take an assessment of where we are in life in general, work with the stories (maybe through psychotherapy) that we take to be our "self", learn to see them as "no-self", and lighten up around that stuff first before doing more intense practice, so the life we inhabit gets a little calmer and more conducive to that deeper practice and we have the ability to integrate cushion time with the rest of life.
At that point, maybe it becomes time to experience some deeper retreats and plum the depths of insight work. After which a re-grounding into a more integrated daily practice might be just the right medicine. And then more retreat, more grounding, a mix of the two…self-realization, then back to filing papers, paying the mortgage, and cooking dinner.
This rambled on a ways. Thank you for the interview…looking forward to the 2nd installment.

]]> By: livinlite http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/2010/05/bg-173-zen-vipassana-psychotherapy/#comment-2636 livinlite Mon, 24 May 2010 16:57:58 +0000 http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/?p=1589#comment-2636 "They weren't in a hurry in terms of their meditation practice. They were happy enough to have been able to enter the sangha as disciples of a monk they respected, and they were content with the practice of service in the new community in which they had chosen to spend their lives. 'Every place is your place of practice' (said the kitchen manager)" Which I take as a good lesson to bring awareness and the Zen attitude to every part of life. (cont'd) "They weren't in a hurry in terms of their meditation practice. They were happy enough to have been able to enter the sangha as disciples of a monk they respected, and they were content with the practice of service in the new community in which they had chosen to spend their lives. 'Every place is your place of practice' (said the kitchen manager)"
Which I take as a good lesson to bring awareness and the Zen attitude to every part of life. (cont'd)

]]> By: livinlite http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/2010/05/bg-173-zen-vipassana-psychotherapy/#comment-2635 livinlite Mon, 24 May 2010 16:57:02 +0000 http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/?p=1589#comment-2635 By hardcore, I'm talking about non-stop noting off the cushion...it's possible when walking to work, but a bit hard when in a board room...which is exactly the place where a more relaxed check-in works perfectly for me "am I in my body? feel the desire to speak? feel the pull to have people listen to me? how's my breath? feel the palms getting clammy.", etc. So, I also really like the sort of tangential way of looking at some other non-vipassana practices that could help create a firmer grounding. Maybe Zen helps things take on a lighter aspect...well, simple Zen practice/content, not so much Zen ritual as I understand it with the huge sits and robes... I'm enjoying adding in a little Tao as well (Red Pine translation), and some fun reading "Zen Baggage" (Red Pine), both of which are helping me to keep things in perspective and not get too tight with my vipassana work. There's a great line in Zen Baggage where he's talking about how certain monks at the temple sit all day, others have to be more active in their duties: (cont'd) By hardcore, I'm talking about non-stop noting off the cushion…it's possible when walking to work, but a bit hard when in a board room…which is exactly the place where a more relaxed check-in works perfectly for me "am I in my body? feel the desire to speak? feel the pull to have people listen to me? how's my breath? feel the palms getting clammy.", etc.
So, I also really like the sort of tangential way of looking at some other non-vipassana practices that could help create a firmer grounding. Maybe Zen helps things take on a lighter aspect…well, simple Zen practice/content, not so much Zen ritual as I understand it with the huge sits and robes… I'm enjoying adding in a little Tao as well (Red Pine translation), and some fun reading "Zen Baggage" (Red Pine), both of which are helping me to keep things in perspective and not get too tight with my vipassana work. There's a great line in Zen Baggage where he's talking about how certain monks at the temple sit all day, others have to be more active in their duties: (cont'd)

]]> By: livinlite http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/2010/05/bg-173-zen-vipassana-psychotherapy/#comment-2634 livinlite Mon, 24 May 2010 16:56:33 +0000 http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/?p=1589#comment-2634 Going to have to listen to this one over again. Excellent intereview. Having just come back from my first 5-day retreat and experiencing all the "quirks" of re-integration, I can totally empathize with the feeling of needing something to ground me for those times in between periods of deeper insight. It's something that Daniel Ingram points to in MCTB, but I could see many people sort of glossing over that with a "yeah, yeah...OTHER meditators need to ground themselves and do some positivity work to keep from weirding out friends/family, etc. or getting too lost in the insight experience but NOT ME". I had that reaction the first time I read through a few of the sections that mentioned it. But now it's sinking in. A relaxed approach to insight practice, checking in as often as possible throughout the day on how you're relating to the world and how you're getting stuck or striving or pulling away, is definitely doable...but I struggle to do a more hardcore practice and still maintain functionality in the world that is necessary when you're married, have a job, etc. (cont'd) Going to have to listen to this one over again. Excellent intereview. Having just come back from my first 5-day retreat and experiencing all the "quirks" of re-integration, I can totally empathize with the feeling of needing something to ground me for those times in between periods of deeper insight.
It's something that Daniel Ingram points to in MCTB, but I could see many people sort of glossing over that with a "yeah, yeah…OTHER meditators need to ground themselves and do some positivity work to keep from weirding out friends/family, etc. or getting too lost in the insight experience but NOT ME".
I had that reaction the first time I read through a few of the sections that mentioned it. But now it's sinking in.
A relaxed approach to insight practice, checking in as often as possible throughout the day on how you're relating to the world and how you're getting stuck or striving or pulling away, is definitely doable…but I struggle to do a more hardcore practice and still maintain functionality in the world that is necessary when you're married, have a job, etc. (cont'd)

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