Welcome home! Please contact lincoln@icrontic.com if you have any difficulty logging in or using the site. New registrations must be manually approved which may take several days. Can't log in? Try clearing your browser's cookies.
Vassa Dhamma Challenge
Bunks
Australia Veteran
in Mindfulness
Hello all
Making a commitment for the three month Vassa period starting on 1 August
- Keeping the 5 precepts as best I can
- Meditate every day
- Lose 5 kgs
I'll keep this thread as a blog. Feel free to join in. 
5
Comments
I join your Vassa challenge! If I may...but instead of 5...25kg... 🤣 and quit phone use after 20h.
Wow! 25kg! That’s hard core.
What do you mean by “quit phone use after 20h”?
Hi Bunks.
I have this poor tendency lately of using my phone to doomscroll in the evening. I thought it could be better to sit or practice my kanji, read a book, learn some recipe..
Okay!
1. Keeping 5Precepts
2. Surprise wife with Russian fluency
3. Meditate everyday without excuses
4. Control anger and laziness.
5. Phone restricted from 8pm until 10am (unless someone calls due to an emergency)
6. Exercise daily
7. Keep the diet and mindful eating to continue losing weight
8. Stop trying to convince people and listen more
9. Keep studying the Shobogenzo even if it is confusing at times
10. Be grateful for your life and to life in general
Here we go!
You may find this interesting...perhaps even helpful...
The 10% advantage
I guess what he is saying is....when setting goals, it's important not to bite off more than you can chew
I agree haha. I have this tendency of overdoing and burning out 😵 Let's see how the challenge goes!
Yes! Me too. Trying to do too much then beating myself up when I inevitably fail.
I’ve tried to keep it simple this year 🙏
Well done @Kotishka - I look forward to your updates
Me too
I suggest we aim to adopt an attitude of "these are the things we are working on", rather than "these are the things which we need to do perfectly immediately". Seems to me that if we are improving in wholesome areas we wish to improve in - all is well from the start.
You know Marcitok, I really like the way you phrase it
I will update. So far, my "pre-Vassa preparation" is starting well. Woke up early, did the chores, studied and now working a bit.
Good sleep, early rise, good breakfast.
I am convinced
This is the most needed skill.
Look around, hear peoples and our own
Efforts and realities.
At the moment I am listening to some extraordinary
Stories and stresses from oppression, personal conflict
and impossible situations
https://jointhefediverse.net/
Resilience, effort, inspiration and kindness too
Hear to help … I'll join …
Wow! I would not have expected this group to have a post promoting what the Sakyong taught. Disgraced teachers usually don't very good treatment, around here, nor should they.
That said, he did have some interesting things to say in his book, Turning the Mind Into An Ally. He advised beginners to meditate in easily managed times - 5, 10, and ideally, 20 minutes sessions. This is plain, old Shamatha meditation; simple resting, calm, abiding meditation. Beginner meditation, in the Shambhala tradition, is taught with that in mind.
@IdleChater It's a case of not throwing the baby out with the bath water
If you think about it. over the years 'famous' Dharma teachers have given Dharma talks which have been of great benefit to many people, then later they may fall from grace...Does this mean those beneficial teachings should be ignored ?
No doubt he won't be the last well known Dharma teacher to be discredited
Don't mistake the finger pointing to the moon for the moon
Well that’s like throwing away The Tibetan Book of the Living and the Dying because Sogyal was involved in its creation, or Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism because Trungpa spoke the text. These books remain seminal contributions to spiritual thought, they are what made their authors famous, even though they weren’t able to handle fame well in the end.
I’m personally not very familiar with the Sakyong or his teachings, but am willing to take a look at his teachings to judge them on their merit. This video reminded me a bit of Dan Harris’ take.
As a former Shambhalaite, I experience always a sense of "hm caution"when facing with the Sakyong's and Trungpa's works. While I condemn their sexual appetites in the way they manifested, causing a lot of harm, I did learn a lot and got myself introduced to Buddhism via their works.
Learning is possible from all teachers, good, bad or neutral. To worship them, is another story, that I will not do, nor support economically.
Pd- @lobster I will join! WriteFreely
I did not know that! A good friend of mine used to be a member at a Shambhala centre here in the Netherlands, it was the place where she had some extraordinary experiences which eventually landed her in a psychiatric ward with several different diagnoses.
@Jeroen My first teacher was an official instructor and translator for the organisation. It started really well until I discovered the sexual scandals and the responses I got were quite vague and defensive. I also found it strange to bow down to photographs of two people who transmitted the dhamma really well in writing and speech, but then their actions were tainted with confusion and unskillful actions. I went twice or thrice to an actual centre.
All of this lasted like one year, but it took another year until I cut all ties. By this, I dont mean ostrasizing them and wishing them hell: I simply informed them that I was pursuing my path differently and that their vajrayana was not my cup of tea..
I prefer my Thai Forest Tradition and Soto Zen mixture. They tend to co-exist peacefully.
I totally agree. However, having lurked on this board for a long time, I've seen Trungpa pilloried, and his teaching dismissed because of his sexual proclivities, drinking habit and, in general, bad habits. Not just here, either.
I find it refreshing, and somewhat of a surprise, to see there are those, here, who agree with me, that while we can dislike the man, we don't have to throw out his teaching. They are too valuable to throw away.
I can speak for everywhere, but in the US we seem to delight tearing down teachers who end up being revealed to have feet of clay. We seem to think they have to be better than us in every way.
I'd love to see a reasoned and intelligent discussion of topics like Spiritual Materialism, sometime, without descending to character assassination.
I was a Shambhalian, myself, but I tired of the controversy and never really cared for the whole "Sakyong" thing. So I moved on into more traditional presentations and teachers in the Kagyu lineage.
As you said, more peaceful.
What is it you like about TFT? I don't know much about it.
Hi all
Sorry to be a party pooper but I started this thread to track progress and share my experiences during the upcoming Rains Retreat period.
Happy for anyone else to join in too but would appreciate if we stay on topic.
6 days until it begins. 😃
We’re encouraging people to find a “confession confidant” to confess to and rejoice with every two weeks during the Vassa (and beyond?)
Here is the link with instructions. Can easily be done by yourself in front of a Buddha statue 🙏
You iz having a party? 🫂 nobody told me 🥳 I'll bring the whine and tantric beer, heresy, naughty vampires, trolls, disgraced sangha, ex spirituals … and our very own naughty corner 😇
Will there be plates or precepts to break? Can hardly wait … let the goodly times reign 🤓
Ok, I'll join too.
Just Do It! :flex:
Nice and simple, I like it 👍🙏🏻
Step 1. Do not regret your past
Step 2. Start where you are
Step 3. Begin
Note: You may have to repeat often. But don't worry, that is the reality of any worthwhile endeavor. And do not worry that your path is not alike to another's.
Enjoy your journey
Peace to all
I join too.
Stealing the phrasing from @FleaMarket (those are the goals I'd choose myself):
5 Precepts as best I can
Some form of meditation daily
Some form of exercise daily
If I fail on some item for some day, as I expect I will, I will write down in as much detail as possible in my journal why I think I failed.
Day 1 of 90 - Let's go!
On this auspicious day (Asalha Puja) I will share the background to the day plus the first sermon for which it is commemorated. Much merit to you all 🙏💎❤️
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asalha_Puja
Nice one! Feel free to use this thread as a blog
Asalha Puja? Thanks for sharing.
Gym was great this morning. My mother joined and is training too! Let's do it!
Edit: I will be reading this tonight
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html
Went to the local temples last night for the Asalha Puja. Beautiful ceremony 🙏❤️💎
Thank you @Bunks for encouraging us and for the excellent materials you shared. It must have been wonderful at the Asalha Puja.
Yesterday was Day 1 for me and I did all three of my commitments. I like numerical targets/scoring (which may not be everyone's cup of tea), so I am at 3(done)/3(possible)/90(overall).
Great readings to start it off with @Bunks.
Day 1 done though I spent a lot of it catching up on missed sleep. I sat down to meditate and felt so relieved from the mental break I nearly fell asleep right there.
Very good! Nice work people.
Day 1 here yesterday. Last night my house guest brought a bottle of wine to share with the meal. I had a little and was mindful not to allow it to affect the other 4 precepts.
Just finished my meditation session for Day 2.
I think my biggest challenge will be the weight loss as it’s so tangible. But I’ll keep trying.
Metta to you all! Practice well today 🙏❤️💎
D2 (4/6/90)
Meditation +
Sport -
Five precepts - (drank alcohol)
Why failed: I had a very stressful day and was very tired. Met with friends in the evening and felt relatively powerless not to drink. Why? It (supposedly) helps lower my anxiety + they were drinking so "fitting in" + "needed a pick-me-up". Great foolishness!
What could I have done better? If I knew that I'd drink, I could have stayed at home and done something else. I notice that good organization is a big part of success (I could have "time-budgeted" sport, which would have made it easier, even in the face of the tough day).
On the brighter side, I've started paying public transport tickets even for short rides ("do not take what is not given"). Round here, controls are rare, so people tend to skip paying tickets for those short rides, which I've also historically done.
Day two here was successful.
Having somewhat open-ended amounts to the goals allows a lot of breathing room which I think incentivizes doing more rather than less. I got out a couple times to the plaza and also working on some of the irrigation in the yard. I have these drip-tips that always clog so there's always something to work on with them. I haven't eliminated smoking but reduced and spaced out the useage so it isn't as prohibitive of me going places and talking to people. This is working for now. Active mindfulness is fairly good but finding a moment to sit still encounters stubbornness. I'll do it anyway even if just for a few minutes.
Good efforts all. Your posts are motivating and great to practice some mudita.
Good start! You’ve noticed the slip up so can be more mindful next time, keep going!
Well done, sounds like a good day. Keep going!
I finished my Day 3 meditation so will get ready for work soon.
My meditation has been (what’s the right word for it?) basically non existent for the last few years. I sit for 30 minutes but it’s basically just my mind running off all over the place. I am never settled. Since Covid I’ve lived with constant low level anxiety.
Ho hum
D3 (7/9/90)
Yesterday, I meditated a lot, exercised (barely, but I still count it), and kept the precepts, as I understand them.
A much anticipated PC game released yesterday. Baldur's Gate 3 for those familiar. The excitement and restlessness are in-part the cause of not sitting to meditate. The other tasks were completed. Though now it's the morning and instead of the walk I'd planned, I want to jump right into playing more of the game. Similarly there was a moment yesterday where I was already formulating how to explain having not exercised. However in that event I began setting up the stationary bike while entertaining the thoughts, and before any additional resistances appeared was able to get some cardio and felt better for it.
Today I am already formulating why I didn't go outside so I think I'll go outside and see if it helps with the formulation.
From an old post....
According to Ven. Piyasilo (A Malaysian Buddhist monk and taken from a booklet called "On Being Your True Self" )
WE ARE A "BUNDLE" OF SELVES
"In our every day lives, very often we are but a bundle of selves - of which only normally one is operative at any time. One self decides at night to get up early in the morning, but what happens ? When we get up in the morning we find that another self has taken over in the night. The new self has now taken over and he (or she) does not want to get up.
We all know that from time to time we are subjected to what are called 'moods'. For example, we may feel depressed, or angry, or restless. The moods take possession of us and we do no know why we are simply 'not ourselves'. And to the extent that they persist, we feel as through that we are someone else. If we analyse ourselves, we will discover that we are not so much a self as a succession of selves- a "bundle" of selves like a cable of wires- transmitting messages all at the same time.
NO UNCHANGING, PERMANENT SELF
There is no single unified, completely integrated self that is continually operative inside us. We can even say that we are each a collection of selves, each of which is fighting for supremacy,and this explains why we so often fail to do the things we have set out to do.
Another way of looking at this situation is that we are always going through an ever changing process without any unchanging, permanent self. We are but the totality of this "bundle" of selves, which are often in conflict with one another. It is as if we were a bundle of selves loosely tied together by the thin string of personality with' a label bearing our name and address.
GETTING "ON THE LEVEL" WITH OURSELVES
In order to harmonize our various conflicting "selves", we should learn to know ourSELVES better. This is done through the practice of awareness, of which there are four aspects: the awareness of oneself, of others, of the environment, and of the truth. The awareness of oneself is best cultivated through the practice• of meditation. Such meditation methods, like the Mindfulness of Breathing, helps us become more calm and more aware of ourselves. When we reach a state of mental calm during such a practice, we are said to have reached "horizontal integration" - we are "on the level" with ourselves.
"VERTICAL -INTEGRATION"
As we become more and more of ourselves, we get a clearer understanding and experience of other people and our environment. We begin to see our untapped energies and enjoy our own higher potentiality. Our consciousness becomes more and more developed. This is called "vertical integration", that is, the integration of our conscious mind with the Unconscious (or the "higher mind").
As our consciousness becomes more and more developed, our experience of things begins to deepen and the horizon of our thoughts begins to widen. People and things around us no more delude us, but appear as they really are. No more do we see merely the surface of things, but we begin to "see through" them!"
I am on day three already, don't even remember the first two, so must already be in the moment, following @Shoshin1 excellent post/advice …
Yesterday from what little partying I remember:
Is morning here …
https://fedia.social/
Party on bodhi!
D4 (10/12/90)
Yesterday I exercised a lot, meditated, and kept the precepts as I understand them.
@FleaMarket You gave everyone a good laugh, but only - I believe - because we all have that experience. I find that being accountable to others does wonders for my own accountability.
End of day 4 here. So far so good but I’m still fat 😂
Happy to hear it @marcitko, I like bringing laughter to others.
I'm noticing a pattern of aversion to sitting. I even do more exercise and spend more time outside as if attempting to make up for it. The thought of it brings up negative feelings I entertain instead of remove. I know how to remove them but I'm holding on instead (for now). Fortunately the mindfulness bell is going strong and I get about 30 seconds every hour to check in on myself. Sounds tiny but the more often I break the continual chain of emotions and mental story-telling the clearer and more balanced things become. Patiently biding my time til a seat becomes available.
Day 7 here. So far it’s been pretty good except for the weight loss. That’s definitely going to take some discipline.
We’ve had house guests the last week and they’ve had wine every night. I am
proud to say that apart from having two glasses with them on the first night I’ve been a teetotaller.
I’ve meditated every day and kept the other four precepts quite well I think 🙏
Hope everyone else is doing ok?
D7 (15/18/90)
Yesterday I meditated only briefly, did not exercise, but did keep the precepts.
Today I meditated, exercised a lot, and kept the precepts.
I experienced a downswing yesterday and earlier today but feel reinvigorated after my run today. Will keep pushing.
@Bunks I'm proud of you!
An old friend visited over the weekend. We caught up and shared some laughs. Our relationship is changing as a result of our chosen paths. Good, bad, who's to say. But it feels healthier. I managed to sit for a bit. Smoking less pot is allowing the mind to become less entrancing and allowing mindful moments to grow which leaves more space to be here in this moment and for remembering why that's a nice place to be. Also noticing that energy which was in the mind wants to go somewhere.
My challenges of stepping outside and doing any form of exercise might need some adjusting. I think exercise will now include 15 minutes moderate cardio alternating days, and stepping outside is currently no longer a hindrance but I will continue to do it because of the many benefits. I'm trying to come up with something else to add to the list because I'm feeling a little empowered today.
I have killed a few ants this week as the heat brings them in to the bathroom sink and I have lost patience a few times trying to shoo them out of the basin before using it. I'm not sure if they die but I think they drown down there. I did some prostrations and do my best to share the space and that felt right.
Exercise to help push through a downswing. I'm writing this on a wall somewhere.
Doing much better since joining your challenge @Bunks. 🙏
If I did any better, I would be completely delusional … some form of completion better than Nun.
My achievements today:
Anyway it is early. So still time to engage in more mayhem … 🤓🙃😇
D8 (16/21/90)
No exercise, no meditation, but kept the precepts.
Excuse: had a busy day, did not time-budget well, did not defend my time.
Yes, not the most productive day here either. I did not exercise and took a nap mid-day for a few hours. Watching bad tv in the dark during the day does not lead to feeling great. Who would'a guessed. I did make myself healthy breakfast and dinner today which felt good. I'm not sure what my excuse is. I just didn't want to do something different than what I was doing. Sometimes you eat the bear, sometimes the bear eats you.