Quote:
Originally Posted by verklingen
zen isn't a disconnect, it's a heart-felt equanimity for the balance of circumstance. i see zen as reciprocal to the west's linear rationality. instead of setting out to connect all the dots, the intent of zen is seeing the dots, letting them connect and then seeing how oneself connects to them.
do you meditate?
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^ this.
sounds like there might be a mistake going on on both sides. Your friends are still living in their egos and therefore see your lack of "extreme" expected emotions to circumstances wrong. Instead of seeing that you (according to yourself) are feeling great, they are judging you as wrong/inadequate because they hold expectations about what you should be.
You, however, seem to be missing the fact that the zen mentality is not a disconnect from all things, but a CONNECTION to all things equally. It's not that you don't feel bad when someone dies. You just don't allow the ego (I'm alone. He/she is gone. I am sad) to overpower your entire psyche (I loved him/her as I love all things. Nothing is gone, merely changed).
I've encountered similar reactions from friends/family when I began to study zen. They see you less "engaged" and you are, therefore, less engaged in their eyes. In reality you are FAR MORE engaged than ever, just in a new way. Zen is about letting go. Letting go of perceptions and expectations most of all.
This change can be weird and disconcerting to people who perceive you a certain way and EXPECT you to behave in a way they want.
__________________
Just look out around us, people fightin their wars...
They think they'll be happy when they've settled their scores...
Let's lay down our weapons
and hold us apart
be still for just a minute
try to open our hearts
MORE LOVE.
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Rev
It's not what you see, it's that you're looking.
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