tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166459572149699816.post5415934591969441394..comments2024-03-24T23:13:15.572-07:00Comments on Mind Deep: Online Versus Live Sangha?Marguerite Manteau-Raohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17956537059369707663noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166459572149699816.post-44702946002394563202011-01-28T11:05:39.237-08:002011-01-28T11:05:39.237-08:00Absolutely, Lori! Thank you for planting the seed,...Absolutely, Lori! Thank you for planting the seed, yourself!Marguerite Manteau-Raohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17956537059369707663noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166459572149699816.post-55923187104620101612011-01-28T10:33:09.256-08:002011-01-28T10:33:09.256-08:00Kyle and Bonsai Doug, for those of you who are sea...Kyle and Bonsai Doug, for those of you who are searching or don't have a sangha where you live, all it takes is one or two other people to agree to meet together, be it for tea or coffee to share your practice or to sit together quietly. It doesn't take much - someone's living room or a quiet room or even outside in the park. If you don't have a teacher like Gil nearby, you can still meet and listen to Gil on an iPod or CD. I did that when I was living in a rural mountain community far from IMC - it was great to meet in my living room and sit and listen to a talk by Gil. <br /><br />So, it can happen as easily as inviting someone who shares an interest in the Dharma to talk... I hope you will plant the seed for it to happen in your own areas where you live.dharmadancerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03462035407060836067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166459572149699816.post-1568102702806223112011-01-28T06:46:59.768-08:002011-01-28T06:46:59.768-08:00I agree with Kyle - not everyone has the opportuni...I agree with Kyle - not everyone has the opportunity to sit with a sangha, yet alone with the likes of Gil Fronsdal. Is a physical sangha important? Probably. But for countless thousands of us, we continue on our path, ever searching.Bonsai Doughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07287409925480153207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166459572149699816.post-12788510465733517892011-01-27T15:21:54.228-08:002011-01-27T15:21:54.228-08:00Thank you so much for contributing so many beautif...Thank you so much for contributing so many beautiful images (Lori - your geese simile) and profound comments. I guess we are all in agreement here on the importance of having a physical sangha, in addition to a virtual one. Kyle, I realize also that many people are not so fortunate to have a meditation center close to them. I also would like to highlight Nathan's suggestion of creating one's own sangha. Gathering spiritual friends that live in relative proximity, and starting a weekly Dharma group. This is the primary reason why I started an online community for the IMC sangha, to give people in far away places to find each other and start their own communities.Marguerite Manteau-Raohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17956537059369707663noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166459572149699816.post-44983083706215405852011-01-27T11:05:42.790-08:002011-01-27T11:05:42.790-08:00As posted elsewhere: "Yes, sangha is absolute...As posted <a href="http://tumblr.com/xfb1c3xd8l" rel="nofollow">elsewhere</a>: "Yes, sangha is absolutely essential to the practice. By surrounding myself with other practitioners, I am able to speak about Dhamma all the time, which is of course totally supportive. Not only do I have a teacher and community I've been sitting with regularly here for 5 years, but I have the very unique international sangha in Burma where we are able to practice talking meditation and really forge meaningful Dhamma friendships while we are in the retreat center, which then carry on from afar. The virtual sangha is no substitute, but it's pretty good in the interim!" Meanwhile, the important point about relationship in general, serving as fodder for practice is so key. Where's the rub? Most often in relation to other people...And to the point of the actual energy generated by practicing in community, that can't be stressed enough. @dharmadancer, love the geese analogy. ~KatherineAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166459572149699816.post-13855314808298601942011-01-27T10:23:24.387-08:002011-01-27T10:23:24.387-08:00I lean towards the Physical sangha, for the sole p...I lean towards the Physical sangha, for the sole purpose of dealing with other "buddhists" in real life situations. People get hurt, some friends die, and some can be just rude on occasion. This gives us a real "clinical setting" with which to practice with peers nearby to coach you when you might have trouble. You can then talk, and more senior members will guide you in the right direction, if you so desire. And in the presence of spiritual friends help to also reinforce your good habits.<br />Online is important, but the whole picture is missing when you don't meet face to face. We all know people who shower you with praise, and then email a friend to complain.Was Oncehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15787588883235992471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166459572149699816.post-32874140292548156402011-01-27T09:09:24.097-08:002011-01-27T09:09:24.097-08:00I believe both are important. We can learn and sh...I believe both are important. We can learn and share a lot through the technology of the internet, yet we also need the community close to us in a physical sense.tscrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11243255788050279846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166459572149699816.post-72655876003301842362011-01-27T07:40:02.934-08:002011-01-27T07:40:02.934-08:00A physical sangha is great, for those who have suc...A physical sangha is great, for those who have such a luxury. I say luxury because there are thousands upon thousands who don't.Kylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14925360776637168540noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166459572149699816.post-55266627688199112942011-01-26T17:34:53.098-08:002011-01-26T17:34:53.098-08:00Physical connection of sangha is so important... w...Physical connection of sangha is so important... when I first started to come to IMC, it was a 2 hr. 45 min. drive - one way... but worth it all to sit with Gil and sangha. <br /><br />This talk by Daniel Bowling speaks about physical relationship in the world: http://www.audiodharma.org/talks/audio_player/2064.html<br /><br />There is nothing quite like sitting together... not just virtually, but physically together. It is said that geese fly together in formation and that the lead goose makes the flying easier for the others, and each goose in front of the other also helps the geese behind - and they all take turns. I think sangha is a lot like that - when we sit together, our presence together creates a slipstream for others - to support their practice and our practice together. It is mutually beneficial - and a field seems to be created - sometimes people have called it a Buddha field or a metta field, but it's palpable. Imagine aligning all of our energetic focus - that has to do something to the energy within a room or building or neighborhood...<br /><br />Just some thoughts to share...dharmadancerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03462035407060836067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166459572149699816.post-41123992490224607552011-01-26T17:20:47.696-08:002011-01-26T17:20:47.696-08:00"If the Buddha was to live in our times, I am..."If the Buddha was to live in our times, I am pretty sure he would be on Facebook, and Twitter, and blogs, AND I have also no doubt that he would insist on maintaining a live practice community."<br /><br />LOL !!!!<br /><br />Reminded me of the Christian saying, "What would Jesus do?" But now we have "What would Buddha do?"<br /><br />On a serious note, however. Sitting with others adds another flavor to the sitting space: More distractions to consider, more self-images, more judgments, more material to gently set aside. But we get to do it with the support and friendship of others.Sabio Lantzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12963476276106907984noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166459572149699816.post-49273235570554610092011-01-26T15:12:34.144-08:002011-01-26T15:12:34.144-08:00It seems to me that having dharma friends to pract...It seems to me that having dharma friends to practice with together is vital. It may not need be a full community, but doing it alone all the time is really challenging. A small number of people around the world do it just fine, and prefer to be alone, but the vast majority of us aren't that way. I'm blessed to have a good sized sangha, and a small sitting group to attend regularly. Others amongst the online Buddhist world aren't so fortunate. But even if they can find one or two friends to sit with, study with, chant with, be with sometimes, it often deepens everyone's experience and understanding.Nathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13920234350446745482noreply@blogger.com