The problem, seen over and over again, is that most students really, utterly fail at that. There are better ways to get from there to here, IMO, especially for people expressly conditioned to cling to everything. If you can integrate into the culture, say a Zen temple, OTOH...
-
-
The inability to recognize the cultural contingents of practice is a problem that repeats over, over and over again. The failure of yoga in the West is a good example. Buddhism, too.
2 replies 1 retweet 3 likes -
Interesting point - please say more.
1 reply 0 retweets 1 like -
I am in the fortunate position of being two links of association away from many of those tasked with this stuff; too far to be entangled, close enough to understand broad strokes. You can't just bring the practice into a foreign culture. It won't "click". Too much baggage. E.g.:
1 reply 0 retweets 2 likes -
- Metta, compassion and love-based yogic practice DO NOT WORK for majority of westerners. - Social structure inimical to gurus, ashram, sangha etc. Those that flourish often (really often) are cults. - Scientism vs. mysticism; porting language is hard, stuff lost in translation.
3 replies 0 retweets 3 likes -
Replying to @Triquetrea @SonOfEmerson
Well said. Your last bullet point is especially important, perhaps one of the biggest obstacles to Buddhism in the West. It certainly delayed my practice for a while as a skeptic without any understanding of the subtleties and nuances of dharma.
2 replies 0 retweets 2 likes -
Replying to @Failed_Buddhist @SonOfEmerson
Mmh. I don't think cloaking it in scientific language is a clear-cut victory, either. A lot of these ideas *are* mystical or existential. Why lie?
1 reply 0 retweets 2 likes -
Replying to @Triquetrea @SonOfEmerson
Not necessarily scientific language - that often produces disastrous results that end up backfiring (see plethora of quantum woo on the market). Just more practical language that is in harmony with a scientific understanding (ala Wright or Harris).
2 replies 0 retweets 1 like -
Problem is that Buddhists are, ironically, too attached to Buddhism, and any attempt to employ skillful means is considered heresy.
1 reply 0 retweets 2 likes -
Replying to @Failed_Buddhist @SonOfEmerson
It's almost as if declaring yourself a Buddhist is about as authentic and useful as, say, declaring yourself a Christian. ;)
2 replies 0 retweets 3 likes
I just unabashedly call myself a heretic and a blasphemer from the get-go so there's no possibility of getting pulled into a broken orthodoxy it brings a separate set of challenges though, but challenges that feel like they're much more tractable.
Loading seems to be taking a while.
Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.