HOLY CRAP I'VE BEEN IN THE CITY 7 MONTHS!!! and this is what I did on my two hundred and first day in the big apple.
Hippie thine name is Kyle.
Today was a very granola day. After some drudgery at work and no sales I went to yoga (early today thankfully) and had my ass kicked. I am making progress though, I am going longer and longer before I need to drop down into child’s pose and collect my breath. I am also slowly but surely holding the poses longer and longer which is amazing to me.
At Yoga For The People you aren’t guaranteed what teacher you will get, they try and avoid teachers gaining a following because yoga is supposed to be about you and your practice (or some bullshit like that) and the teacher I had today was phenomenal.
As a side note an observer someone getting there yoga certification I assume, said that I have “really great body awareness” I have some idea of what she means by that and it makes me happy.
After yoga I met my friend Ashley at SGI buddhist temple/whatever it is. She wanted to introduce me to the practice a bit since I showed interest. I am going to a meeting tomorrow that is more about explaining things but today I just went into the temple and listened to people chant.
After I listened and got some information on what they where chanting about I joined in. SGI practices what is called “Nichiren Buddhism” one of the main forms of practice being chanting of “Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo” Here is a link to some more in depth information on what that translates into and what it all means. I wont type it out if there is an existing explanation. I will tell you what I translate the practice into.
From what I can understand you are using this chant as a tool. You have a focal point (which is generally the Chinese characters of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo) and you chant as a way to search inside yourself. The phrase is essentially engaging the universe. From what I can tell this particular brand of Buddhism holds many of the same tenants I do. That we are in with and of the universe, that there is a binding organic force moving the wheels, an element that connects us all. I believe that element is both physical (being atoms and such) and spiritual in nature.
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo is their way of engaging the universe and connecting to it. It is a form of motivation and a source of clarity. Some people call it praying because you are focusing on things you need and want from your life but really it is a kind of reprogramming or self fulfilling prophecies. You use this chant to channel your emotions and state of mind into a positive place, a place of action, a place of willingness to do what is needed to achieve your goals and the belief that those goals are attainable.
There are a number of other tenants to this I am looking into. I am not swallowing this whole I have a lot of digging to do and already I need clarifying on certain things I’m reading and intend to seek out that clarification. But if you take the chant and the motivation behind that chant alone, I approve more than that I think I can get behind that kind of mindset.
That’s about it for now.
I love you all
KH-
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