Hi Jamie,
Originally Posted by
jamieguinn
My take is that if it isn't working for you and you are losing interest... then stop. Move on to something else that does work for you. And if you are dealing with constant and intense anger and depression, I would suggest maybe looking into clinical counseling. Who knows, maybe you'll take up the practice again, maybe you won't.
I agree with that advice fully and completely. Zazen, or the particular way of Zazen known as
Shikantaza, is not for everyone in every situation.
That being said, it is also important that folks not "give up" too soon, or not give it a good college try! I see many folks who just don't understand what it is all about when, I believe, they might. So, one has to use some judgment in telling people to "give up baseball" too soon ... (says the baseball coach!)
Personally, I find the suggestions to look for no results silly. Part of our semantics is to talk about goallessness, but that in itself is a goal. We talk about moving toward nirvana, awakening, enlightenment, happiness, virtue, balance, etc. but insist there is no goal.
If it's a goal you want, then mindfully pursue the goal you are aiming for.
You have to pierce what this "goalless" means a bit more, Jamie. It is not but semantics. One does not achieve goallessness as a goal. One achieves goallessness by dropping, to the marrow, all goals and thoughts of achievement. (Much as one does not stop from hitting oneself in the hand again and again with a hammer by having a "goal" to stop the hitting ... one stops the hitting by stopping). It is more than mere talk, and non-attaining is an art to be attained.
Gassho, Coach