Monday, June 13, 2011

Trying something

From Chogyam Trungpa's The Path is the Goal -instructions for beginning meditation:
So you keep just on the verge of your technique, with just 25 percent of your attention.  Another 25 percent is relaxing, a further 25 percent relates to making friends with oneself, and the last 25 percent connects with expectation - your mind is open to the possibility of something happening during this practice session.  The whole thing is synchronized completely.
Earlier he has said that we just "put 25% of our attention on the breathing or walking. The rest of our mental activities should be let loose, left open."  Reminds me of Suzuki talking about letting your cows have a wide field to roam. 

One of the important things I learned from Daniel Terragno was to just try things.  You don't have to make a big lifetime decision, even if you are, if you know what I mean.  Experiment.  See what works. I note that this attitude gives a certain release from craving to make it work, whatever it is  You don't have to make something work if it doesn't work. You can try something else.

As for this, I've practiced in the Japanese Zen tradition for many years, and it works for me, and has not stopped being good.  Now I feel like the Tibetan has something to offer.  We shall see.
[image: the endless knot, a Tibetan symbol]

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