Practical and Theoretical Zen

[existencebeyondexperience]

Theoretical Zen is the use of koans and riddles to bring about epiphany or enlightenment, the end result being a 'Zen' of whatever, for example the Zen of meditation is easy, the Zen of daily life is a bit more difficult. Ultimately, it is the understanding that all is oneness.

Practical Zen is the us of such knowledge in daily life - not just knowing, but being. Regardless of what comes at you.

I've been using the practical aspect lately, as a lot of things are trying to goad me to break my inner balance and I'm not just simply not letting it; I'm transcending everything the unbalancing effect would use to disrupt it.

The interesting thing is that what results in practicing this mentality is a several-days-long period of inner turmoil, which if it never escapes into the physical, eventually transmutes itself and a Stone is had in the process.

Example: Last night at work was awful. I was sore for no reason, tired beyond description (with a full night's sleep) and bad juju from the day before being unimaginably nightmarish and no set goals were accomplished. All night long, I pushed inward, not letting it affect me or those around me - the only indication was someone saying I looked tired (I think it was the dead eyes they referred to) but the end result was a very lucrative night of tips, having been sure all night that my inner sourness would become manifest as a crappy night.

The real theoretical zen in all of this is the fact that I'm using this method to accumulate money, meanwhile being as enlightened as I am. To use the noble path is to not think of it or see that path anywhere.

[LadyArae]

I do this all the time. Excellent method of survival at first... then I found actual peace in it. Funny how that works.

[LadyArae]

Actually I just this rather fitting to what you described in your day:

"When your consciousness is directed outward, mind and world arise. When it is directed inward, it realizes its own Source and returns home into the Unmanifested."

[existencebeyondexperience]

I've become accustomed to the bizarre,
But it's the slight shifts in the mundane
that startle or alarm.


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A significant shift of the mundane then
shows me the means to be shockingly Zen
in the face of subtle bizarrities
to which I am as yet, unaccustomed.

[LadyArae]

I've become accustomed to the bizarre,
But it's the slight shifts in the mundane
that startle or alarm.

A significant shift of the mundane then
shows me the means to be shockingly Zen
in the face of subtle bizarrities
to which I am as yet, unaccustomed.

I've been thinking about this lately... as all aspects of my life have become "stressful" recently. It amuses me that the simplest things often become the most complex. I think, at least in my case, it's something to do with the fact that often times I naturally reduce the complex things to simple basic principles and then write it off from there. But you can't find the base point of something which is already reduced to such...

...simplicities can be so complicated

[existencebeyondexperience]

Such is elegance, upon which all else real is built.

[LadyArae]

Such is elegance, upon which all else real is built.

So, so very true.

[existencebeyondexperience]

Zen shows us that in the oneness, reality fades and reveals its illusory nature; in these times only the surreal can be counted as actual.

[existencebeyondexperience]

That is also why when existentialism runs out of steam, absurdism holds the reserve fuel. Metaphor becomes 'pataphor (a mixed metaphor within a mixed metaphor, requiring a long-winded and esoteric explanation in order to understand it the first time).

[LadyArae]

That is also why when existentialism runs out of steam, absurdism holds the reserve fuel. Metaphor becomes 'pataphor (a mixed metaphor within a mixed metaphor, requiring a long-winded and esoteric explanation in order to understand it the first time).

This is a breath of fresh air in my recent internal drownings. I've gone against everything we discuss here. Til now. Thank you for reviving and grounding me ^_^