Preparing to share my experiences with blogging as a spiritual discipline/practice, I surfed for some definitions. One amused me. It said (effectively): "A habit that encourages spirituality and replaces a bad habit." I laughed. Yes, I'll have to say that daily blog posting, which can take a half an hour or more by the time I contemplate, write, and rewrite, has replaced some sappier activities in my day.
I measure a "spiritual discipline" by the outcome in my life. If it is transformative in a manner that is evident to me, resulting in a more patient, mindful, and loving self, then I am willing to call it a spiritual discipline. Does it need to increase my knowledge of God and God's will? I am with Thomas Merton on that question. I have no idea what God's will is, and I am fully capable of fooling myself about it. All I know is to spend time seeking.
The other test: does it meet the criteria of an "organic" practice, as Peter Tran described. Is it as organic as eating, sleeping, reading the newspaper? Does it orient me toward God regularly and often, the way the five daily prostrations orient the muslim toward Mecca? Since my Apple has become organic to my life, it is the perfect vehicle for an organic spiritual practice.
Showing posts with label blogs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blogs. Show all posts
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Blog as Spiritual Discipline
I talked to Liz Simmons, vicar at Episcopal Church of the Apostles today about blogging as a spiritual discipline. We decided to do an adult Sunday school class together on the topic since she has been blogging too.
It is the perfect topic for Lent, the tradition in which one is invited to journey inward in a variety of ways. Blogging has been a good path inward for me. It is now a habit, and a discipline yielding several kinds of experience:
1. Being present to the kinds of things that show up here- things I have noticed, emotional and physical experiences, and thoughts about them.
2. Practice at saying exactly what I mean to say. I try to avoid sloppy writing, which means I edit out a lot. I learn by doing this.
3. Sharing myself with others, but only with those who voluntarily partake.
4. Occasionally having to come up with some courage in order to hit the "publish" button because I know that there are those who do partake once in a while, and I am by no means free of my ego.
5. A record of thought patterns which allows me to be an observer of my own thoughts, similarly to meditation.
6. Keeping my vocabulary intact while the rest of me is not.
I'll probably think of more.
All of these things have made blogging a transformative spiritual discipline for me. I look forward to telling others about it.
It is the perfect topic for Lent, the tradition in which one is invited to journey inward in a variety of ways. Blogging has been a good path inward for me. It is now a habit, and a discipline yielding several kinds of experience:
1. Being present to the kinds of things that show up here- things I have noticed, emotional and physical experiences, and thoughts about them.
2. Practice at saying exactly what I mean to say. I try to avoid sloppy writing, which means I edit out a lot. I learn by doing this.
3. Sharing myself with others, but only with those who voluntarily partake.
4. Occasionally having to come up with some courage in order to hit the "publish" button because I know that there are those who do partake once in a while, and I am by no means free of my ego.
5. A record of thought patterns which allows me to be an observer of my own thoughts, similarly to meditation.
6. Keeping my vocabulary intact while the rest of me is not.
I'll probably think of more.
All of these things have made blogging a transformative spiritual discipline for me. I look forward to telling others about it.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Immersed in Blogland
Am absolutely reveling in the miracle of blogland! Let me never take for granted how it is that I can share the daily adventures via the photos, or the words of those I love. From grand never-to-be-forgotten AHA! epiphanies, to adventures while traveling, to just stuff we might mutter to each other between pages of the paper, or driving down the road- it's all there in blogland.
Am now on three vacations via blogs- My kids', my nephew's, plus one in the here and now- mine.
Ain't it something?
Am now on three vacations via blogs- My kids', my nephew's, plus one in the here and now- mine.
Ain't it something?
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Why I'm Glad I am 60 (Click Here)
Embedded in the title is the link to an article that adds to my joy at living unencumbered by the biological imperatives of childrearing and wage-earning in 2007. Imagine buying in to any of these social networks! Talk about the Emperor's New Clothes!!!!
The article is both funny and terrifying. The youngblood writing it has a very entertaining style and a devilish command of the vernacular. Laugh or shudder as you will.
Oh, and the article goes a long way in explaining the growing attraction to Zen Buddhism in the U.S. In the ancient Orient, monks shaved their heads upon entering the monastery as a way of giving up external clues referencing the social networks of the day. Perhaps today's budding Buddhists are taking a similar stance. (Though in my case, the initial attraction was respite from incessant noise- verbal and otherwise).
This post does no service whatsoever to the beautiful and spiritually rich day I had with my cousin and sister at the Pink Ribbon Spa. The memories of the day are sparkling and untouched by the ludicrousness of popular culture ala consumerism.
The article is both funny and terrifying. The youngblood writing it has a very entertaining style and a devilish command of the vernacular. Laugh or shudder as you will.
Oh, and the article goes a long way in explaining the growing attraction to Zen Buddhism in the U.S. In the ancient Orient, monks shaved their heads upon entering the monastery as a way of giving up external clues referencing the social networks of the day. Perhaps today's budding Buddhists are taking a similar stance. (Though in my case, the initial attraction was respite from incessant noise- verbal and otherwise).
This post does no service whatsoever to the beautiful and spiritually rich day I had with my cousin and sister at the Pink Ribbon Spa. The memories of the day are sparkling and untouched by the ludicrousness of popular culture ala consumerism.
Monday, December 3, 2007
No More Zen Podcasts
Have decided to stop listening to zen podcasts and reading zen books. Have been listening and reading intensely for two years now. It was not lost time, not at all. New ideas always open new doors for me. But now I see that the real stuff of zen is the sitting.
Two things influence this: First, someone said recently that unless a practice (he was not referring to zen meditation, but to prayer) is ORGANIC to your life, as interwoven with your day as eating, sleeping, bathing, it can scarce transform you. I have experienced this to be true.
Second, I experienced a huge paradigm shift during recent koan practice. Now I see that the reading, though it fills my mind with neat ideas (a lot better than some of the crappy ones that lurk there), it does not result in organic transformation. To wit, ideas are so easily forgotten in the flow of action, due to busyness, tiredness, caffeine, feelings of the moment, etc. etc.
Will I stop blogging about zen? Not now, for this monk needs to call himself to awareness. For me, the diarying is discipline, and is very organic to my life after only a few short months. The ideas I write are transient and as empty as the ideas I read or hear, but the practice of reflection is not.
Roshi challenged me to experience mu during my daily life. I am saying mu to the podcasts and the books.
Two things influence this: First, someone said recently that unless a practice (he was not referring to zen meditation, but to prayer) is ORGANIC to your life, as interwoven with your day as eating, sleeping, bathing, it can scarce transform you. I have experienced this to be true.
Second, I experienced a huge paradigm shift during recent koan practice. Now I see that the reading, though it fills my mind with neat ideas (a lot better than some of the crappy ones that lurk there), it does not result in organic transformation. To wit, ideas are so easily forgotten in the flow of action, due to busyness, tiredness, caffeine, feelings of the moment, etc. etc.
Will I stop blogging about zen? Not now, for this monk needs to call himself to awareness. For me, the diarying is discipline, and is very organic to my life after only a few short months. The ideas I write are transient and as empty as the ideas I read or hear, but the practice of reflection is not.
Roshi challenged me to experience mu during my daily life. I am saying mu to the podcasts and the books.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Blog Action Day
Just this day did I do one single act differently in a way that would positively impact the environment? - a physical act, not a thought, not words. Did my awareness cause one change of action?
Thich Nhat Hanh said, "The enemy comes with a big basket of words." Hardly a day goes by in which I do not remember this.
I turned the lights off behind me a dozen times. I put on my socks. I turned off one heater before I turned on another. Practice.
Thich Nhat Hanh said, "The enemy comes with a big basket of words." Hardly a day goes by in which I do not remember this.
I turned the lights off behind me a dozen times. I put on my socks. I turned off one heater before I turned on another. Practice.
