Starting a Daily Practice

General discussion, particularly exploring the Dharma in the modern world.
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Tennyson
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Starting a Daily Practice

Post by Tennyson »

I was reading over the morning practice thread in this forum, and since I don't have a strict morning practice (or any kind of morning routine at present), I wanted to ask what a daily practice is like for you folks, and compare my daily practice.

I'm still new to Buddhism, and I admit to being a little eclectic in how I've practiced, drawing on what I've read both from Mahayana sources like Fo Guang Shan, the Kwan Um School, and Sanshinji, and on websites such as Access to Insight and Dhammatalks, which are centered around Theravada. My practice at this point is largely based on meditation, mantra, and study.

My solo practice typically goes a bit like this:
1. I repeat "namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma-sambuddhassa" three times.
2. I bow three times, saying "I take refuge in the Buddha, I take refuge in the Dharma, I take refuge in the Sangha" three times each.
3. I offer incense to the Buddha or some ice water (I only use incense if my grandmother is out of the house because it gives her a bit of a headache).
4. I spend between ten and twenty minutes meditating silently. I've made good use of Thanissaro Bhikkhu's guided meditations to help me get into meditation.
5. I recite a couple of sutras, usually the Heart Sutra and Great Compassion Dharani in Japanese (the versions I'm comfortable using, since I cannot pronounce Chinese to save my life).
6. Recently I purchased a mala as a visual reminder to practice, and I've been using it to count mantra recitations, usually "Om mani padme hum" or "Gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha", though I've thought about incorporating "Namo Amitabha" as well.
7. Finish by bowing and taking refuge again.

My solo practice can only go so far, though, and I've begun sitting with the Indianapolis Zen Center via Zoom on Monday and Wednesday evenings. We sit for longer periods than I do on my own, but I'm working my way up to sitting for longer by myself. I eventually plan on attending a service in person, but I live too far from Indy proper for that to be feasible right now. If I end up moving closer to Indianapolis, I'll attend in person. I enjoy the meditation and Dharma talks I've been getting from the teacher at the center, too. I'm currently unemployed, so my practice might have to be shortened or changed in the event of working longer hours (which I'm open to, since I'm not super-attached to these practices in particular).

I don't want to seem like I'm fishing for compliments, but what do you think of my practice? Is it too eclectic or should I keep doing it as-is? I'm hesitant on siding with one school over another or one branch over another just as I'm starting out. I'd like to learn about and maybe practice with as many major schools of Buddhism as I can, so that I can get a "well-rounded" understanding of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, and the ways in which different cultures and schools interpret the Buddhadharma.

All this being said, what's your daily practice like? Do you practice daily, weekly, or every few days? What aspects do you emphasize in your practice: meditation, devotion, chanting, or sutras? What do you get out of your practice, and how does it work for you in your pursuance of the path?

:bow:
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Ayu
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Re: Starting a Daily Practice

Post by Ayu »

Tennyson wrote: Fri Jan 28, 2022 7:11 am...
I don't want to seem like I'm fishing for compliments, but what do you think of my practice? Is it too eclectic or should I keep doing it as-is?
I think, you should better trust yourself. Don't ask random people on the internet, because you don't know if they are wise, truly knowledgeable, disturbed or simply idiots. Don't offer such an intimate thing like your personal morning practice for discussion.
(I already regret that I answered in the other mentioned thread at all.)

If you tried and practiced your routine for a while, you will mend it anyhow according to your needs. It's not set in stone and you will adjust it to your preferences. It's not predetermined. It's yours.
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seeker242
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Re: Starting a Daily Practice

Post by seeker242 »

That looks like a fine practice. Although, Kwan Um teachers like to point out that "practice" is really a 24/7 activity, which is true. :smile:
One should not kill any living being, nor cause it to be killed, nor should one incite any other to kill. Do never injure any being, whether strong or weak, in this entire universe!
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PadmaVonSamba
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Re: Starting a Daily Practice

Post by PadmaVonSamba »

If your practice is beneficial, it will bring you some transformation. You will grow and change gradually. As you change, your practice, your daily routine will change too. So, it’s never an absolute fixed thing.
While some elements remain the same, if you find that after a couple of years, that your routine has become that, a routine, then you need to look at whether it is helping you or not. And regardless, keep in mind the altruistic motivation for your practice. Just like feeding the cat every day is for the benefit of the cat, the practices of a Mahāyāna Buddhist is really for the benefit of others.if you keep in mind, “I’m not really doing this for just me, but I’m doing it for all beings” then the details, such as whether you burn incense or not, won’t matter too much.
EMPTIFUL.
An inward outlook produces outward insight.
narhwal90
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Re: Starting a Daily Practice

Post by narhwal90 »

+1 for reaching out and sitting with folks. If/when you're comfortable it might be helpful to ask around that center to talk to teachers and see what participating directly is like. But maybe observe them for a while, see if they practice what they preach, how open they are. Whatever commitment you might make is entirely up to you.
Giovanni
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Re: Starting a Daily Practice

Post by Giovanni »

narhwal90 wrote: Fri Jan 28, 2022 2:13 pm +1 for reaching out and sitting with folks. If/when you're comfortable it might be helpful to ask around that center to talk to teachers and see what participating directly is like. But maybe observe them for a while, see if they practice what they preach, how open they are. Whatever commitment you might make is entirely up to you.
Good posting. Good advice. I think we should always be careful before committing too quickly. We see the very colorful Tibetan tradition or the serene aesthetic of Zen and jump in. It might be a good idea to get used to simply following the breath and other basics and seeing what arises for the future?
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Queequeg
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Re: Starting a Daily Practice

Post by Queequeg »

Starting a Daily Practice?

My best advice: Just Do It.
There is no suffering to be severed. Ignorance and klesas are indivisible from bodhi. There is no cause of suffering to be abandoned. Since extremes and the false are the Middle and genuine, there is no path to be practiced. Samsara is nirvana. No severance achieved. No suffering nor its cause. No path, no end. There is no transcendent realm; there is only the one true aspect. There is nothing separate from the true aspect.
-Guanding, Perfect and Sudden Contemplation,
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Kim O'Hara
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Re: Starting a Daily Practice

Post by Kim O'Hara »

Hi,
You seem to be on a good path and you have already received good responses but I just wanted to comment on -
Tennyson wrote: Fri Jan 28, 2022 7:11 am ... I'd like to learn about and maybe practice with as many major schools of Buddhism as I can, so that I can get a "well-rounded" understanding of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, and the ways in which different cultures and schools interpret the Buddhadharma. ...
I think this is a good idea for anyone relatively new to Buddhism but you will hit its limits at some point, when you can't go further with a particular school with committing to it* as your central practice - perhaps your only practice, depending on which school it is.
But by then you should know enough to be sure that that is the tradition which makes most sense to you, or appeals to you most, so that solves itself quite neatly.

:namaste:
Kim

* Oops! That should have been 'without committing to it', of course. Sorry!
Last edited by Kim O'Hara on Wed Feb 02, 2022 4:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
zerwe
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Re: Starting a Daily Practice

Post by zerwe »

It's not fair to ask or compare your practice to that of others. Some of us have likely had a much longer running start and others maybe not.

What is important is that you feel like your practice is effective for you and, if you have the capacity to, expand upon that gradually.

In the beginning people should approach practice gradually and comfortably. Otherwise, as one of my dear teachers said, " we might look at our cushion and become nauseous."

Practice should be that we are happy to do so not necessarily that we are compelled to do so.

Shaun :namaste:
Siouxsie
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Re: Starting a Daily Practice

Post by Siouxsie »

I don't want to seem like I'm fishing for compliments, but what do you think of my practice?


Your practice is great! Rare it is to be human, rare it is to have heard of the Dharma and rare it is to practice it. You’re doing really well from another’s perspective. I wish you great luck in your practice. :)
All this being said, what's your daily practice like?


Currently, it consists of mindfulness of Guanyin and Amitabha. I also keep the precepts, as well as studying sutras. Writing sutras has great merit, some sutras state that if you copy them it provides great benefit.
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Johnny Dangerous
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Re: Starting a Daily Practice

Post by Johnny Dangerous »

My advice would be to seek out a teacher or a community more intentionally and deepen your practice with them. I can’t say what that would look like but it seems you are reaching the point where that is the best way to continue.
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when afflicted by disease

Meditate upon Bodhicitta when sad

Meditate upon Bodhicitta when suffering occurs

Meditate upon Bodhicitta when you are scared

-Khunu Lama
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