I’ve been feeling very balanced and peaceful over the last several months. I refocused a lot of my personal reflection and meditation practices at the end of 2007. After almost two years of focusing my attention on a Tibetan based Buddhist practice (Kadampa Buddhism), I decided to experiment with another Buddhist practice (Zen Buddhism). So far it seems to be a lot more complimentary to my unique personality and mindset. Yet I know I learned a lot from the Tibetan Buddhist practice and will continue to integrate it into my life as much as possible.
Zen Buddhism (vs Kadampa) seems to be aimed directly at obtaining a peaceful state of mind. It’s less about analyzing thoughts and ideas, less about trying to understand or control our life. The primary basis seems to be about accepting the inevitable complexities of life and being open to all possibilities. It’s about realizing the paradoxical nature of all phenomena. It’s about always maintaining a beginner’s mindset in which we never let ourselves actual believe we know something for sure. It’s about being at peace with constant change. It’s about awakening the mind to see the awe and beauty in all situations. Zazen is the primary tool - a sitting mediation that focuses specifically on calming the mind while breaking down our conditioned responses and preconceived ideas. Achieving such a goal aims to help us to continually experience reality with a fresh perspective and empower us to make more conscious choices.
I’ve definitely come to notice that my mind is more at peace/ less agitated. My mind no longer gets stuck on analyzing past events and preparing to control future scenarios like it once did. My intellectual thought processes have significantly subsided from my mind. If my mind is clear and in-the-flow, I seem to gain access to insights beyond the level of my intellect. Everything just seems to sort itself out without much effort. I’m usually quick to accept whatever happens to me as necessary for my personal growth and well-being. I take things less seriously and have been able to laugh and smile at the infinite complexities of everyday experience.
Followers
