"The best political, social and spiritual work we can do is withdraw the projection of our shadow onto others.'' -C. Jung. He was a bit of a Buddhist there I think.😉
Loving your Vlog, interesting stuff, it is very easy to waste lots of time trying to find yourself. I know I have, there's nothing to find! Thanks for your videos.
This is very helpful hearing your progression as a student. One precious snowflake to another. Hillarious. Gassho. I never knew why the amorphous blob people annoyed me so much.
Coming back to this talk after a few years is really interesting. The teaching seemed to hit different and really struck deeper chords. I'm going 5o need some time to unravel if i am happy as Adam, happy as a wrestler, happy as a musician, happy as a dad, or somw combination of that. Thank you for giving this teaching.
Feeling gender dysphoria and you are not in the right body makes it hard being who you are. The arguements, while have worth, fall short of addressing a deep incongruentcy between one's self and body. That is not to mention the negative and violent reactions people have against a trans person being who they are. It's hard seeing what you put forth as a practical answer and praxis for trans people. Also, identities are always politicized. Politics is about prioritizing identities.
One can always support identity politics while viewing his (and only his, may I say) own identity as 'dissolved'. By voting, being inclusive, calling others by their names/pronouns of choice etc. To my understanding, the word 'identity' is used in a different context in the field of identity politics, compared to Dogen buddhism. Being trans and defending your identity is not to be viewed as being fixated on the idea of an 'identity'. It's more like defending one's right to manifest their body in this world the way it really is. Nothing wrong with that. In fact, since people are attacked and killed for being trans, it's crucial to support politics that empower them and make them visible. Part of that struggle is to demand space, equality and respect in society's various fields. To do that, it's important to argue, intellectualise, do research etc. When you do that, words that point to identity issues tend to gain a certain gravity and substance that may alienate the buddhist scholar. As if trans people for instance are attached and emotionally invested in their identity. If that happens, it's because of the urgency of the issue; people are marginalised and attacked cause of their way of being. So, for trans people, it's not a mere matter of preoccupation with ideas. It's in their lives themselves, and the need to assert things that are self-evident for other groups of citizens. To elaborate on Brad's quote on the video, about the cop asking your name; in the case of identity politics, the cop won't recognise your name, he may try to force you an identity that's not representing you, he may deny you your rights cause he regards your name that of a second-class citizen. When put in that position, people can't just sidestep or dissolve their identity, and if they do, it will be for self-perserverance reasons. The rest of the discussion is (for me) sociological Vs spiritual hoopla. People can agree to disagree. Depending on their personal evolution process, they should be free to form discourses according to their intellectual needs, and participate or abandon those discourses when they feel they're no longer evolving. Having theoretical reservations about gender topics shouldn't be viewed as being against trans people. And it certainly does not make Brad Warren a transphobe. His books were inclusive years before the issue went mainstream. Plus he comes from the positive spectrum of the punk/hardcore scene of the 80s, which had direct connections to the lgbtq+ grassroot movement. If anything, Brad's approach may provide relief and perspective at times when intellect and emotion start to weigh. People tend to abandon politics cause they get a burnout from the way discussions and procedures are handled. And zen builds resiliance. It's a paradox; by not clinging to an identity as a thought pattern or an emotional burden, one may experience it in a more 'stress-free' manner. The experience of gender won't disappear with zazen, the same way that the arms and legs won't disappear.
Excellent presentation, especially the description of the types that take on the affectation of the “ zen student” This is what led me from Chan to the Jōdo Shu of Honen and his acceptance of people “ just as they are “ . I find it similar in practice to just sitting. Keep up the good work, culture is for germs,as is identity politics.
First I've seen of your videos but thank you. Your flow is a great tool and do not let the depths of contemplation discourage you from articulating deeper I think that's where many offshoot demystifying
Yeah the blob personality thing most likely comes from acting out the intellectual understanding of what a spiritual person is supposed to look like. It's totally understandable given that's the way we learn almost every thing else. Things get much nicer when that gets dropped.
Thinking it is possible to have moral agency, skills and attitudes without identity. Some create tormented notions inside as a defense to re-assert an identity - binding morality to identity. How could any attitude, skill or moral ever fully represent a person anyhow - just another impermanent arising. Identity is just thoughts pretending to be permanent(by aggregated emotion to reify) which passes. There is no permanent person whether you think there is or not, the difference between meditators and the ordinary is they actually know it through attentive space showing impermanence or dependent emptiness. Thinking what Zazen lacks is the 4 Great exertions, then all the garbage is restrained off(Still) or abandoned with stillness and flux in a kind of dance without forming a false exaggeration of a persona. Thinking it best to see all the junk of the mind one inadvertently picks up just like mud on your shoe not the original you and abandon it, it wears off(is forgotten), or has no impact if still off it on arising.
I met her at NAMM. She was just sitting at a table signing autographs. I didn't get to say much to her, though. She's amazing. She makes me less ashamed for using a pick.
Hi Brad, the disconcerting loss of identity you experienced during Zazen, has that ceased occurring? (I will do my best to take your answer seriously in spite of Moe Howard scowling at me over your left shoulder).
This is the first time I have heard of you. I was tagged in this video, in response to something I posted on my Facebook page this morning regarding why gender identity is SO important to people, in gender. It was pretty amazing because, as I considered my post yesterday and how I should frame it, it occurred to me that MY attitude regarding gender and such is VERY similar to that of (certain) zen buddhist monks who reject a focus on personal identity. I used to practice zazen many years ago and at one point, fairly early on, I hit 'the Void' and it scared the shit out of me and literally messed me up for DAYS. That is what you're describing here. However, it's also taking 'the red pill' (matrix reference) and once it happens, you can never go back. I don't know if I will feel such a strong agreement with your other material, but this one was very appropriate for me, right now. Thank you. I will post a link to my post in a comment below, if you wish to check it out.
Hi Brad, thanks for doing what you're doing :-)
"The best political, social and spiritual work we can do is withdraw the projection of our shadow onto others.'' -C. Jung.
He was a bit of a Buddhist there I think.😉
Loving your Vlog, interesting stuff, it is very easy to waste lots of time trying to find yourself. I know I have, there's nothing to find! Thanks for your videos.
This is very helpful hearing your progression as a student. One precious snowflake to another. Hillarious. Gassho. I never knew why the amorphous blob people annoyed me so much.
Coming back to this talk after a few years is really interesting. The teaching seemed to hit different and really struck deeper chords. I'm going 5o need some time to unravel if i am happy as Adam, happy as a wrestler, happy as a musician, happy as a dad, or somw combination of that.
Thank you for giving this teaching.
Feeling gender dysphoria and you are not in the right body makes it hard being who you are. The arguements, while have worth, fall short of addressing a deep incongruentcy between one's self and body. That is not to mention the negative and violent reactions people have against a trans person being who they are. It's hard seeing what you put forth as a practical answer and praxis for trans people.
Also, identities are always politicized. Politics is about prioritizing identities.
One can always support identity politics while viewing his (and only his, may I say) own identity as 'dissolved'. By voting, being inclusive, calling others by their names/pronouns of choice etc.
To my understanding, the word 'identity' is used in a different context in the field of identity politics, compared to Dogen buddhism.
Being trans and defending your identity is not to be viewed as being fixated on the idea of an 'identity'. It's more like defending one's right to manifest their body in this world the way it really is. Nothing wrong with that. In fact, since people are attacked and killed for being trans, it's crucial to support politics that empower them and make them visible.
Part of that struggle is to demand space, equality and respect in society's various fields. To do that, it's important to argue, intellectualise, do research etc. When you do that, words that point to identity issues tend to gain a certain gravity and substance that may alienate the buddhist scholar. As if trans people for instance are attached and emotionally invested in their identity. If that happens, it's because of the urgency of the issue; people are marginalised and attacked cause of their way of being.
So, for trans people, it's not a mere matter of preoccupation with ideas. It's in their lives themselves, and the need to assert things that are self-evident for other groups of citizens. To elaborate on Brad's quote on the video, about the cop asking your name; in the case of identity politics, the cop won't recognise your name, he may try to force you an identity that's not representing you, he may deny you your rights cause he regards your name that of a second-class citizen. When put in that position, people can't just sidestep or dissolve their identity, and if they do, it will be for self-perserverance reasons.
The rest of the discussion is (for me) sociological Vs spiritual hoopla. People can agree to disagree. Depending on their personal evolution process, they should be free to form discourses according to their intellectual needs, and participate or abandon those discourses when they feel they're no longer evolving. Having theoretical reservations about gender topics shouldn't be viewed as being against trans people.
And it certainly does not make Brad Warren a transphobe. His books were inclusive years before the issue went mainstream. Plus he comes from the positive spectrum of the punk/hardcore scene of the 80s, which had direct connections to the lgbtq+ grassroot movement.
If anything, Brad's approach may provide relief and perspective at times when intellect and emotion start to weigh. People tend to abandon politics cause they get a burnout from the way discussions and procedures are handled. And zen builds resiliance. It's a paradox; by not clinging to an identity as a thought pattern or an emotional burden, one may experience it in a more 'stress-free' manner. The experience of gender won't disappear with zazen, the same way that the arms and legs won't disappear.
Very interesting. I need to think about this and watch it again. Also, I never knew Moe Howard wrote a book.
Every 5-10 years or so I come across you on the internet. This was the first time that I found there to be actual content. Thanks.
Excellent presentation, especially the description of the types that take on the affectation of the “ zen student” This is what led me from Chan to the Jōdo Shu of Honen and his acceptance of people “ just as they are “ . I find it similar in practice to just sitting. Keep up the good work, culture is for germs,as is identity politics.
Awesome - love your work !
First I've seen of your videos but thank you. Your flow is a great tool and do not let the depths of contemplation discourage you from articulating deeper I think that's where many offshoot demystifying
Do more of vlogs and podcasts. I am sure Dogen would have, had those technologies been available then.
this was really helpful, especially the stuff about knowing who you are v being who you are
Finally, a balanced Buddhist blog/vlog desu yo.
Yeah the blob personality thing most likely comes from acting out the intellectual understanding of what a spiritual person is supposed to look like. It's totally understandable given that's the way we learn almost every thing else.
Things get much nicer when that gets dropped.
Hey, nice vuroguh!
I always know who I'm not.
Thinking it is possible to have moral agency, skills and attitudes without identity. Some create tormented notions inside as a defense to re-assert an identity - binding morality to identity. How could any attitude, skill or moral ever fully represent a person anyhow - just another impermanent arising. Identity is just thoughts pretending to be permanent(by aggregated emotion to reify) which passes. There is no permanent person whether you think there is or not, the difference between meditators and the ordinary is they actually know it through attentive space showing impermanence or dependent emptiness. Thinking what Zazen lacks is the 4 Great exertions, then all the garbage is restrained off(Still) or abandoned with stillness and flux in a kind of dance without forming a false exaggeration of a persona. Thinking it best to see all the junk of the mind one inadvertently picks up just like mud on your shoe not the original you and abandon it, it wears off(is forgotten), or has no impact if still off it on arising.
Have you taken lessons with Carol Kaye or did you meet her at a signing? She's one of my favorite bassists.
I met her at NAMM. She was just sitting at a table signing autographs. I didn't get to say much to her, though. She's amazing. She makes me less ashamed for using a pick.
Enjoying your "v"log, please try to focus the camera on your face, although Moe is better looking...
why did you bob your blog?
Hi Brad, the disconcerting loss of identity you experienced during Zazen, has that ceased occurring? (I will do my best to take your answer seriously in spite of Moe Howard scowling at me over your left shoulder).
Hmmm, yes, the site is pretty bigly fucked!
It's fixed now. My paranoia was wrong. We apparently didn't pay a bill for something. Not the hosting bill, but some other bill.
This is the first time I have heard of you. I was tagged in this video, in response to something I posted on my Facebook page this morning regarding why gender identity is SO important to people, in gender. It was pretty amazing because, as I considered my post yesterday and how I should frame it, it occurred to me that MY attitude regarding gender and such is VERY similar to that of (certain) zen buddhist monks who reject a focus on personal identity. I used to practice zazen many years ago and at one point, fairly early on, I hit 'the Void' and it scared the shit out of me and literally messed me up for DAYS. That is what you're describing here. However, it's also taking 'the red pill' (matrix reference) and once it happens, you can never go back. I don't know if I will feel such a strong agreement with your other material, but this one was very appropriate for me, right now. Thank you. I will post a link to my post in a comment below, if you wish to check it out.
facebook.com/SebyBellWV/posts/982478975232855
its hard to let go the past, but basically it doesn't seem to want to do anything else