DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post - Difficulties in practice after a recent retreat.

**Paul Bunyan** · 07-25-2010, 12:29 AM

Hello Heartbeat dear,

I'm really sorry about your post and the way you tell how the teacher pretends to guide your practice. My experience with the Roshi that guides us into Zen practice is a one with absolute commitment with the particular needs of his sangha members. I'm into Soto Zen tradition and the personal interviews with my teacher, the "Daishin" is mostly about my feelings during zazen, the development of skills and the tangible results in my life. He is very strict at the moment of zazen and with the commitment with practice, satoris and kais but he would never bring personal opinions about a member in public.

I think that a teacher has to encourage your commitment and look after your meditation skills and feelings with meditation but never with such rudeness. Also he do not care about gender condition because what it is meant to develop is not subject to gender but to development of Right View.

As a humble opinion, consider if there is a chance to evaluate, by yourself, the possible change of teacher. From my personal point of view it is not good to be attached to a teacher in the way you are telling us. Teachers sometimes are rude but not in the way you have told us.

Consider that I have no experience with other teachers or traditions so I just can tell about the one with which I practice meditation. Maybe there are teachers like yours that use that means to encourage spiritual progress... but I really don't know. Maybe other members can give you a better advice...

With my very best wishes for you dear Heartbeat...

07-25-2010, 12:29 AM	#4
Paul Bunyan Join Date Jul 2007 Age 58 Posts 4,495 Senior Member	Hello Heartbeat dear, I'm really sorry about your post and the way you tell how the teacher pretends to guide your practice. My experience with the Roshi that guides us into Zen practice is a one with absolute commitment with the particular needs of his sangha members. I'm into Soto Zen tradition and the personal interviews with my teacher, the "Daishin" is mostly about my feelings during zazen, the development of skills and the tangible results in my life. He is very strict at the moment of zazen and with the commitment with practice, satoris and kais but he would never bring personal opinions about a member in public. I think that a teacher has to encourage your commitment and look after your meditation skills and feelings with meditation but never with such rudeness. Also he do not care about gender condition because what it is meant to develop is not subject to gender but to development of Right View. As a humble opinion, consider if there is a chance to evaluate, by yourself, the possible change of teacher. From my personal point of view it is not good to be attached to a teacher in the way you are telling us. Teachers sometimes are rude but not in the way you have told us. Consider that I have no experience with other teachers or traditions so I just can tell about the one with which I practice meditation. Maybe there are teachers like yours that use that means to encourage spiritual progress... but I really don't know. Maybe other members can give you a better advice... With my very best wishes for you dear Heartbeat...
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