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Zen: why all the fuss?

Posted on Jan 31st, 2008 by Angela : Spark of the Divine Fire Angela
I was sitting zazen the other day, and an image came to mind. Actually, it was more like a whole story, but it only lasted a second, I swear! :-)

Anyway, I was thinking of a piano player who'd been playing by ear for years, and doing fine. She'd created beautiful music by listening to and studying much more serious musicians (like Beethoven, Scott Joplin and Billy Joel). Then, after a few decades of this, she realized that something was missing, that maybe she had something really *important* yet to learn. And that day, she started doing scales, for the first time in her life.

That's what I thought. It's like doing scales. Boring, and vital.
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Tagged with: spirituality, zen, buddhism, zazen

Why are gurus so weird?

Posted on Feb 7th, 2008 by Angela : Spark of the Divine Fire Angela
Did you ever wonder why you'll run across a spiritual teacher who clearly has genuine insight, and then as you get to know them you'll find attachments and judgements that are almost shocking? I don't know about you, but I've even wondered that about myself. I "get it," and yet I find myself judging, becoming angry, defensive, being attached to crazy stuff. Why? Am I just expecting too much?

I was reading Robert Aiken recently, and found something that really gave me an "ah ha!" He was talking about a popular spiritual teacher, who he didn't name. He said

His writings sparkle with genuine insight, yet something is awry... What went wrong here? I think he chose a short cut to teaching. My impression is that he underwent a genuine religious experience, but missed the vital, step-by-step training which in Zen Buddhist tradition comes after realization.


It makes so much sense! And now I'm remembering my karate teacher saying that the black belt means that you're now ready to start training. Same idea, huh?
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