Comments on Profile Post by PotentLife

  1. zen_road_to_awe
    zen_road_to_awe
    practitioner and student of zen, not sure how in depth you are seeking. To me these are two stages of dropping off the mind. First dropping preconceptions and judgement, and then dropping away their root. Zazen is a good method to get from one to the other.
    Nov 20, 2015
  2. PotentLife
    PotentLife
    Thanks, @zen_road_to_awe . Nice description. I'm just wanting to explore and imagine myself in such states. They're new terms to me and I find them beautiful. I'd never heard of Zazen as a word. Do you prefer shikantaza to koans?
    Nov 20, 2015
  3. zen_road_to_awe
    zen_road_to_awe
    Zazen, sitting meditation, is the preferred method of the Soto school that I follow. We do koan study as well, but it is usually only during sesshins (extended practice periods). The Rinzai school focuses more on koans, but also practice zazen. Shikantaza is a very pure, and some would say advanced, method of zazen, it is difficult for beginners or even many teachers.
    Nov 20, 2015
  4. zen_road_to_awe
    zen_road_to_awe
    Personally I like koans intellectually [ which my teacher says is not the point ;) ], but zazen is what keeps me present and does greater work upon me.
    Nov 20, 2015
  5. PotentLife
    PotentLife
    Wonderful! Thanks for taking the time to make the concept of this process more real for me.
    Nov 20, 2015
  6. zen_road_to_awe
    zen_road_to_awe
    glad to help. You can send me a message any time if you are looking for zen resources.
    Nov 20, 2015