Zen or Buddhist practitioners on WP?

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Are there any Zen or Buddhist practitioners on WP? What have your experiences been like within the Buddhist community? Why Zen or Buddhism? Any tips or suggestions for a newbie within this philosophy?

There are quite a few of us with Buddhist or Zen leanings on WP. I'll reply in more detail later, don't have much time now.

*raises hand*

I was into it as a teen, in my 40s now. It was basically an obsession. I read everything I could about it (I had a job at the library so that helped). I meditated whenever I could. Had a satori experience on my lunch hour at 23 and haven't felt a need to "practice" ever since. I was reading a Zen book by Alan Watts and turned the page, which was blank, and that was the trigger. Realized that looking for the essence of Zen was like looking for your hat while you happen to be wearing it, laughed like crazy, walked around the mall 3 inches off the ground (felt like it), and went on with my life.

Zen has been the most helpful philosophy to me I have yet encountered in life. As with other forms of Buddhism the emphasis is not on following rules handed down by some authority but on direct experience.

I see someone else was also influenced by the 20th century philosopher and "spiritual entertainer" Alan Watts (1915-1973). His books are excellent, but I enjoy hearing him speak much more than I enjoy reading his words. He is a blast to listen to. There are some clips on YouTube that feature some of his talks on various subjects. I highly recommend them.

I think I might be, but I'm not sure.

Me too,but I'm a real lazy practitioner.

+1

Yes,
I'm interested in this thread. I've been checking out different meditation workshops in a casual kind of way over a period of years. I don't think meditating on my own without guidance is very productive, for me at least. Today I went to check out a new meditation center. I really liked it, but there were SO many people there. I felt overwhelmed. A long time friend of mine has a history of becoming romantically entangled with fellow members of various centers, which can negatively affect this friend's practice. So I am aware that mixing within a meditation center setting is no way to escape my personal issues, and I feel anxious about contaminating a focussed environment of meditation with all my distracting personal issues (i.e. excitement about talking to cute guys, etc.). For this reason, the social part of going to this place intimidates me.

I also feel some internal resistance to some of the vocabulary that can occasionally be used in traditional buddhist chants or prayers or songs. I perceive some of the terms as trite and simplistic. But I'm trying to get past this prejudice because I the experience of visiting this center was otherwise really amazing, and inspiring. In fact, I wondered how many aspie people were sitting in the room.

Does anyone recommend a book on the subject?

Thanks for all the replies, guys. I have actually bought a number of books, but those that I am most interested in are the accounts of monks as they go through life on this path. I am finding it extraordinarily difficult to actually meditate though. Like, for some reason I feel extremely self conscious sitting on the floor with my eyes closed.. and have no actually meditated (I know, stupid probably). My next step is to somehow get over that. I am also having problems with nearness of Zen temples.. I am two hours away from the closest Zen center which really puts a damper on the whole practicing with others thing. Any suggestions for that? Also, what are the reasons that all of you got into Zen? I am seeking calm in my life and in myself. Does Zen help with that? Not necessarily slowing down the constant conversation in my head... but moreso the drama in my life. Like, anytime my fiance's ex-wife calls.. I can feel the adrenaline start throughout my body and I ride on her drama.. Does it help with that? Any other tidbits of advice would be great too.

This is my go-to set. The CD is not continuously guided, but nudges you occasionally if you get stuck in your head.

meditation kit/Sharon Salzburg

If you could go out and buy a standard college ruled spiral notebook and open it to the 28th page you will have at your hands the complete essence to Zen Buddhism.

Look into an empty glass.

What I think i figured out out from reading a book Chuck Norris wrote about it, is that it's the ego-less state that tends to come when you become proficient in a subject, right? I wish I was in that state all the time. I have to interact with people, and they kill it. I might not be talking about the same thing as Zen. I think I am.