Hello friends,

As continuing my path, I now wish to seek some form of formal training.
My primary intention is to practice "learning to stay".

As many other people with quick mind, I have found staying at any framework beyond the initial beginning quite difficult.
So I wish to enter some sort of daily training program\course that would be a vehicle for this. Not anything too cognitive- this is because my "doing" aspect is very weak.
Basically, "being instructed" is very important aspect for me to exercise – as is developing basic endurance, concentration.

So the framework must have a reference to the body- physical and maybe energetic.
I am looking for any ideas people might be aware of. Not anything too lengthy (1 year or less.)

I am considering several western-Buddhist\Zen monasteries or training in chi kung\Daoism. But less esoteric ideas would do, maybe something to do with martial arts\physical.
Could be some sort of craft making. I have beginners background in kung fu and very good aesthetic skill. I am not limited to a specific country if the program will be suitable…

Any response would be noted with gratitude. Many Thanks.
Gemini

p.s. I am 25 years old.

I am going to maybe piss you off by reiterating some of your words here, but it's just me trying to offer some words. You said that you have difficulty staying at any framework beyond the initial beginning and that you don't want anything too lengthy. Then, you are asking to develop basic endurance and concentration. What you are asking for and desiring is inherently incongruent. You ask for something quick while desiring endurance. I think the challenge for you isn't any particular practice that is the perfect fit, but the challenge of enduring through ANY practice that challenges you to stay put. There is no quick fix. That is the point. To proceed with relentless patience is a practice in itself and it doesn't even really matter what you are doing. You could be arbitrarily moving bricks from one pile to the other to develop patience and endurance. It sounds to me like this is the practice that you are truly desiring-the ability to be forthright and to develop the ongoing challenge of continual practice without immediate gratification. The persistence of practice is, in itself, the goal. Thus, your goal is one of endurance and with endurance you will discover that every aspect of your life is the embodiment of patience, endurance, and concentration.

---

This is that and so are you.

Hi Gemini,
Good for you for reaching out for some assistance! We all need some from time to time. I too like programs with some structure. I currently do Holosync, which sticks me with an hour long CD to listen to. In the past I went to Tai-Chi classes with a teacher I think a lot of of and he charged by the month, come to as many or as few classes as you want, the price is the same. I'm cheap, so I went to classes.

You could go a 10 day Vipassana course with the Vipassana Association International (dhamma.org). But I must warn you that they are not integral, they are rational/orange, so take their teaching in that awareness, but they will teach you to sit for 10 days.

You could check out Integral Spritual Center and look at what being offered by their teachers. Genpo Roshi's Zen Center would be my first choice. They have a 30 day program.

Being Integral means not sitting in a monastary for a year, you need to be a "monk in the world." (I think). Though at your age, maybe it wouldn't be so bad. The Bonders and Andrew Cohen have residential programs, listen to their IN dialogs and check them out.

I'm going to speculate that 95% of year long programs are going to be Traditionalist or Rationalist, so be careful who you join up with.

Oh, and I think Anna, in the previous post is right.

Best wishes,
Mark Evans

hey thanks you both :-)
anna- was a little too abstract for me.
mark- thanks for the references plus I think your assessment of the level of different frameworks is right.

g

Gemini, I just want to acknowledge you on your growth. Seems your doing much better and are in a good space.

As a physical practice that made a BIG difference in my life has been a committment to weighttraining and jogging. the endorphin high is next to sex.[almost]

And again I share with you what I have shared with ou in the past. choosing what is as a practice blows the mind so you can experience your life without the resistance to what is. Like, rocks are hard, water is wet, and am experience sadness.  We dont make the rocks wrong for being hard, nor the water wrong for its wetness and we choose the whatness and suchness of sadness. As a practice this starts a process of ownership of experience.

 

 

---

Bill Kilburg,

thanks!!

i am growing fast. exposing shadows very fast..... o_O

I guess, first was the stage of dissing lots of stuff- physical junk - completely throughly writing important memories also. as much as I can, making some order. I perhaps spent two years just doing that.

also, ending contact with ALOT of people who were re-playing old, old, old scripts with me.
really working on not taking too much B$. still working on that. making distance etc.
making room for authentic frienships.

also, really allowing myself to write and talk (with therapist I trust) on everything I fancy.
writing alot (I think probably my 13th if not more notebook).

realizing social popularity, like most TV shows, are based on the lowest common denominator.

second stage, lots of observations on self. The discovery of the relative self "family". Not sub-personalities per se, but orientations. Still doing this - crystallzing my strengths .
I seem to have really contrasting transcendant\descending impulses. i've discovered Intensity as being common to both.

I have tons of green-meme shadows. tons. all really silly. like "doing things by myself is really pathetic". "not living up to my potential- is it true?" (thanks byron katie!).

now working to practice being with myself without covert talking (otherwise known as mind). "like the hearts beats, mind talks and its fine" (-me!).

it is not taken for granted by people like me the concept of being in other states other than mental chatter.

i think catharsis is something really healthy. not quite zen, but healthy.

Thanks G for sharing what is making a difference in your life. I found what you shared very valuable and beneficial.

Keep up the good work , brother G.

---

Bill Kilburg,