Being over-positive.

[Tarka the Duck]

Posted by onawah (here)

Posted by Tarka the Duck (here)
Dear Onawah
I can't tell you how much what you have written rings true for me. I concur with the old saying that we learn more from those whose views are different from our own, but it is wonderful to bask - however temporarily! - in the words of a likeminded soul...

I loved the way you explained how life is your path. I have chosen to follow a 'school of thought', because I have found that my temperament needs that outside structure, but one of the things I have struggled with as a result of that is the feeling that I see things differently from pretty well all the other students I mix with When I go to a teaching or retreat, I find it amusing that I am probably the only person who really would rather NOT be there...! It is often because, as you say, my energy seems to be different - but I have slowly managed to gain enough confidence to accept that, just because I don't have a Sattvic temperament, it doesn't mean that I am not cut out for the "spiritual life".

In Tibetan Buddhism, there are so many paths, as you probably know, and the one that really works for me is Dzogchen - which is termed "the way of the householder" - to practice while embracing everyday life in all its richness.
Best wishes

Kathie

I hear you! I recently went to a Tibetan Buddhist mediation group and found myself feeling very much like the odd person out. I was there to meditate with other meditators, not to memorize certain doctrines or become a follower of a particular school of Tibetan Buddhism, and I don't think the young monk who was there to talk to us and lead us in the meditation quite knew what to do with that approach.

I also recently attended a lecture given by a Tibetan scholar and my question to him about the role of wrathful dieties was simply passed over because his conclusion was that I was asking a question that could only be addressed from the perspective of a different school of Tibetan Buddhist thought!
And he actually seemed annoyed that I had asked a question that was outside of his frame of reference.
He was there to tell us only about his lineage, and seemed to feel my question was disrespectul.

It's becoming very clear to me nowadays when someone has an agenda of recruiting others to their group or their way of thinking, and it's really interesting to see their reactions when they find themselves "caught in the act"...LOL!

I think a lot of the old ways of looking at spiritual practice are going to have to be revised, although of course, there is much worth preserving as well. The level I find of competition in spiritual circles is really quite bizarre to me.

Onawah
Sorry...my mistake - I didn't explain myself properly. The reason I feel out of place on retreats is not because of a problem with the teachings - I have been fortunate enough (after a difficult journey) to find a teaching who really works well for me. I do agree that if one attends a teaching that is not attuned to, it can be really uncomfortable, and throw up more unanswered questions than it solves.

The problem I experience relates to your original posting: This entails, in part, monitoring all thoughts so that negative thoughts do not overwhelm the mind, but often it seems to me this method derails itself by attempting to ignore the reality of negativity. That can have very dangerous, unbalanced results in this 3D reality, and can end up masking a lot of hypocrisy too.

That is how I feel most of the other retreatants are...there is a veneer of positivity and peace and love and light, but they seem so delicate and protective of their 'spirituality". I know it is all part of a process, and I know I sound horrendously judgemental when I say this: fortunately, I have (finally) managed to develop a sense of humour over this, and have accepted that although I do not see things in the same way, I can accept their way. This has actually been a huge step for me!

[Dawn]

Getting stuck in any particular place will eventually cause an earthquake in your life. Too much positivity= not seeing what is. Too much negativity= not seeing what is. Anyplace you get stuck in will cause earthquakes when you eventually let go. It seems to me that emotions are the programs running us. Who's idea was it anyway to create a separate emotional body? The most important thing I have ever learned is to release emotions... something which must be done on a full time basis 24/7. If I am reactive to anything in life (positive or negative) then releasing the emotions involved will free me up to flow in it. This works for things both large and small. I get stuck all the time... for me this is part of the human experience here. Learning to release and work with the fluid nature of emotions has saved my bacon many times.

[onawah]

Posted by Tarka the Duck (here)

Posted by onawah (here)

Posted by Tarka the Duck (here)
Dear Onawah
I can't tell you how much what you have written rings true for me. I concur with the old saying that we learn more from those whose views are different from our own, but it is wonderful to bask - however temporarily! - in the words of a likeminded soul...

I loved the way you explained how life is your path. I have chosen to follow a 'school of thought', because I have found that my temperament needs that outside structure, but one of the things I have struggled with as a result of that is the feeling that I see things differently from pretty well all the other students I mix with When I go to a teaching or retreat, I find it amusing that I am probably the only person who really would rather NOT be there...! It is often because, as you say, my energy seems to be different - but I have slowly managed to gain enough confidence to accept that, just because I don't have a Sattvic temperament, it doesn't mean that I am not cut out for the "spiritual life".

In Tibetan Buddhism, there are so many paths, as you probably know, and the one that really works for me is Dzogchen - which is termed "the way of the householder" - to practice while embracing everyday life in all its richness.
Best wishes

Kathie

I hear you! I recently went to a Tibetan Buddhist mediation group and found myself feeling very much like the odd person out. I was there to meditate with other meditators, not to memorize certain doctrines or become a follower of a particular school of Tibetan Buddhism, and I don't think the young monk who was there to talk to us and lead us in the meditation quite knew what to do with that approach.

I also recently attended a lecture given by a Tibetan scholar and my question to him about the role of wrathful dieties was simply passed over because his conclusion was that I was asking a question that could only be addressed from the perspective of a different school of Tibetan Buddhist thought!
And he actually seemed annoyed that I had asked a question that was outside of his frame of reference.
He was there to tell us only about his lineage, and seemed to feel my question was disrespectul.

It's becoming very clear to me nowadays when someone has an agenda of recruiting others to their group or their way of thinking, and it's really interesting to see their reactions when they find themselves "caught in the act"...LOL!

I think a lot of the old ways of looking at spiritual practice are going to have to be revised, although of course, there is much worth preserving as well. The level I find of competition in spiritual circles is really quite bizarre to me.

Onawah
Sorry...my mistake - I didn't explain myself properly. The reason I feel out of place on retreats is not because of a problem with the teachings - I have been fortunate enough (after a difficult journey) to find a teaching who really works well for me. I do agree that if one attends a teaching that is not attuned to, it can be really uncomfortable, and throw up more unanswered questions than it solves.

The problem I experience relates to your original posting: This entails, in part, monitoring all thoughts so that negative thoughts do not overwhelm the mind, but often it seems to me this method derails itself by attempting to ignore the reality of negativity. That can have very dangerous, unbalanced results in this 3D reality, and can end up masking a lot of hypocrisy too.

That is how I feel most of the other retreatants are...there is a veneer of positivity and peace and love and light, but they seem so delicate and protective of their 'spirituality". I know it is all part of a process, and I know I sound horrendously judgemental when I say this: fortunately, I have (finally) managed to develop a sense of humour over this, and have accepted that although I do not see things in the same way, I can accept their way. This has actually been a huge step for me!

Actually Tarka, you explained yourself very well. The fault was mine. I was just adding to the list of difficulties I have encountered with my non conformist approach to spirituality.

I also accept that my way is not always acceptable to others, though I accept other approaches to spirituality.

It just seems to me that of all things, spirituality should not be "in the box", so to speak. There are as many spiritual paths as there are people on them. It's wonderful that there are so many signposts along the way, and so many teachers, but I think I can learn as much from my cat as I can from a human teacher, yet I would be ostracized in many respectable spiritual circles were I to say such a thing.

Re the discussion about overly positive and overly negative, I believe the great Pantangali wrote:
"the yogi is neither elated nor depressed"...
His teachings are classic, and so one important goal, it can safely be said, is to achieve equanimity, a state which is not easily shaken.