Members Mr. Donovan Posted December 22, 2007 Members Share Posted December 22, 2007 Hi Everyone! It's been almost 2 years since I've posted anything. There's so much to say, I'm not sure where to begin. Perhaps it would be easier if people ask questions and I'll respond to them. Some background info would be helpful. These are some of the last few threads I posted before going to the Monastery. http://acapella.harmony-central.com/showthread.php?t=1083498http://acapella.harmony-central.com/showthread.php?t=1088999http://acapella.harmony-central.com/showthread.php?t=1134929 I tried posting some pictures I took of the Monastery, but Image Shack is acting funky. So if you want some pics of the Monastery you'll have to go here http://ryumonji.org/pictures.html I'm sure this conversation will be interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted December 22, 2007 Members Share Posted December 22, 2007 First of all, welcome back!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted December 22, 2007 Members Share Posted December 22, 2007 Awright... Did you enjoy the monastery experience as a whole? Do you feel you've changed as a result? And if so, how and why? And if not, why do think not? Do you sleep better now? How are women looking to you about now? Tell us about monastery life. What did you do? What were some of my favorite aspects of living in the monastery? Least favorite? Do you feel more connected spiritually? Do you have thoughts on what you are going to do next? Are you meditating every day now? Does the world seem different? Do we look a lot older? Are you happy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kelvin Posted December 22, 2007 Members Share Posted December 22, 2007 We sell a wide range of products such as Dj Equipments, Musical Instruments. If you are indeed interested and ready to order pls contact us on the information below. Provide us with your name, address, credit card, social security number, mother's maiden name, and if you have any good-looking sisters, photos and phone numbers (along with best time to call). Email: scammingmorons@yahoo.com. For information on our return policy, here it is: hah hah hah hah!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted December 22, 2007 Members Share Posted December 22, 2007 Donovan, did the monks typically spin with Pioneer CDJ-1000 MK3 or Technics direct drive turntables? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members spokenward Posted December 22, 2007 Members Share Posted December 22, 2007 If you meet the Buddha on the road and he offers you DJ gear... ok, then - back to the thread. Welcome back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members monstermaker Posted December 22, 2007 Members Share Posted December 22, 2007 So what was it like?Any anxiety about your decision to commit to it or about leaving? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rudolf von Hagenwil Posted December 22, 2007 Members Share Posted December 22, 2007 Can you clap flamenco with one hand now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mr. Donovan Posted December 23, 2007 Author Members Share Posted December 23, 2007 Thanks for all the questions! I wrote them down in my notebook and I'll work on them after the Sunday morning meditation at the Zen Center. I'll try to post answers later today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mr. Donovan Posted December 24, 2007 Author Members Share Posted December 24, 2007 OK, I promised I'd post answers soon, so here it goes. Did you enjoy the monastery experience as a whole? It was a pretty awesome experience. Although I only lasted 9 days the first time I stayed at the monastery. I had to leave early because of health problems. I had IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) which made it hard to keep up with the meditation schedule. But I'm a lot healthier now. I've been back to the Monastery multiple times. Usually just a weekend at a time. I think I like just spending a weekend at a time. Maybe I'm kind of a wimp, or maybe I'd like to integrate what I learn at the monastery into my day to day life in "the world." Do you feel you've changed as a result? Definitely. The way I experience music has really changed. I used to be so addicted to music that I had to have some background music on. I had a hard time even folding laundry without some background music. I still enjoy music, but just in a different way. I'm able to enjoy music without getting "addicted" to it. Also, I drink alcohol a lot less often. I feel like I get a better buzz from meditating than I ever got from drinking. There's other more substantial changes, but it's hard to explain right now. Do you sleep better now? I do sleep a lot better now than before. So I guess it's really helped with that problem. How are women looking to you about now? I've been spending a lot a time with a girl who's really interested in Buddhism. One weekend we even drove to the monastery together. Although, She's dating someone else now. But we're still friends and we still talk to each other a lot. Tell us about monastery life. What did you do? What were some of my favorite aspects of living in the monastery? Least favorite? That's a big question. I'll try to answer it at least partially right now. On a typical day, we would wake up around 5 AM. Have 40 minutes of sitting meditation, 10 minutes walking meditation, then 40 more minutes of sitting meditation. We'd have a morning ceremony of chanting and prostrations. Then we would eat breakfast, have a little bit of free time, do chores, and have a formal lecture. We would then have 40 minutes sitting meditation before lunch, and have a little bit of free time. In the afternoon there's a 2 hour work period followed by tea and snacks. 40 minutes sitting meditation before dinner, some free time and then 40 minute of sitting meditation, 10 minutes walking meditation and 40 more minutes of sitting meditation before we go to bed around 9 PM. On certain days the schedule would vary. Certain days called Shesshin, were more intense. During a Shesshin we would get up a little earlier at 4:30 AM and have more meditation periods in the schedule. Shesshins are usually held on weekends, that way people coming for just a weekend can fit more meditation periods into a smaller number of days. What didn't I like? Well, if I could change one thing, I would like to be able to go to bed a little earlier if I hadn't slept well the night before. After spending over a week straight at the monastery, I feel like there's a sleep debt that gradually accumulates. Maybe some people can handle it long term and some can't. I think I'm in the latter, so I guess I'm destined to be a someone who just goes to the monastery part time. Do you feel more connected spiritually? That's a good question. I think it can be hard coming back into "the world" filled with so many distractions. I think it can be very difficult being a solo Buddhist. I haven't said anything about going to the monastery at the temp job I work at. I think being in harmony with one's surroundings is an important thing. This is something I need to work on. Do you have thoughts on what you are going to do next? I'm planning on going back to school in the summer to finish my college degree. I'm leaning towards getting my Bachelor's degree in Physics. My plans often change, but it would be cool if I could stick to this. While in school, I would still want to carpool to the monastery one weekend a month to recharge my batteries. In the meantime, I'd really like to do some traveling. I have a cousin who lives in LA that I'd like to sometime in January. I've never been to California before. After I visit LA, I'd like to spend some time in a hostel in the Forests of Nor Cal. I'd also like to see the San Francisco Bay Area before I fly back home. It would be great if I could meet some SSS'ers who live in California if I visit. Are you meditating every day now? I wish! It can be easy to fall out of the habit of meditating. I tend to fall in and out of the habit of meditating. I haven't kept track but I've certainly backslide and then gotten back on track again. Does the world seem different? I guess my views of the world keep changing and evolving. Sometimes the world can seem like a very scary place, sometimes a very peaceful, harmonious place. I guess the world seems different to me on a moment to moment basis. Do we look a lot older? Your Dog with an Rainbow Afro Avatar still looks like a puppy Are you happy? My life's been kind of hectic lately. Especially with the holidays. Once things smooth out more, it will be easier to say I'm happy. So what was it like? Any anxiety about your decision to commit to it or about leaving? For a long time I've been very indecisive about whether or not to go back to school or to do more monastery training, and if so where. So I guess I have had a lot of anxiety. But now I'm feeling more comfortable with the direction my life is taking. Can you clap flamenco with one hand now? We weren't very big on koans at the monastery I was at. So unfortunately I don't have a snappy answer to this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.