Wednesday, September 29, 2010
I'm smart enough, what I see in the comment section, be considered to be the prevailing opinion on my written. I get about a thousand hits a day. So even if there are 500 comments, they still represent far fewer people than the number of actual readers. However, it is interesting that people say something like that, because I feel of her tend to see it the other way around.
I tend to write about the things I'd like to read myself, but I do not think anyone writes about it. I write about spiritual celebrity not because I think that I am so goddamn interesting and what each of wants to read my exploits, but because I think that the issue is in itself very interesting and no one else seems to be ready to say anything about it.
Spiritual celebrities is big business nowadays. Look at types such as the Dalai Lama, Eckhart Tolle, Thich Nhat Hahn, Gempo "bootlicker" Roshi, etc., etc., etc.. These guys make me look like sausages such as ... I do not know ... Zero Defex perhaps as compared to Green Day. Types like these "people". In the sense of "let your people call my people and we meet for lunch." The entourage have to keep their fans in check. The sedans have in order to get to the airport. They fly first class. But I have not seen that one of them is talking about the issues involved. Maybe they do it and I do not fit properly on. But I doubt it.
Spiritual celebrities is nothing new. Yogananda was the middle of the 20th century, a big star. Krishnamurti also. Dogen was very famous in his time of Buddha and said that he drew thousands to his speeches. What was it all about?
Maybe it's me, but I'm always more interested in the basic core than on the philosophical side spun of things. Even my fascination with Japanese monster movies is more of a passion for how they are made as one for the movie itself. If I get a DVD I watch the "making of" bonus material on before I watch the movie. Sometimes I watch the film itself not at all.
What is "Dharma" refers to - for me is all the stuff Dharma. It is as much the Dharma as the more philosophical matters. And do not break up your pretty little heads, I plan to dive into more philosophical in the new SafeForWork * Suicide Girls column, I will start soon.
But this stuff is what drives the Dharma. That's the way it reaches people who need it. It's all included in the same case. It is the Dharma.
I had a funny conversation with Nishijima Roshi on the eve of the release of Hardcore Zen. I said, "If this book comes out first if it sold well, I'll be famous. Does not this contradict what Dogen about fame and profit, has said not to look? "
He said something like," said Doge of fame and profit Search . You have not written the book to get rich and famous with the target. Sometimes you do something sincere and people like it, then get fame and money. In this case, you set up deals with the real situation when it arises. "
Well, I did not become rich and not very famous. But a degree of fame (and no amount of profit, at least until now) was in the episode. Now, what man do in such a case? How to keep a level head as a practicing Buddhist? Should we run away. Many people in my position have done. Should we head-on into fame and fortune, while the Practice your password? also have done a few.
I am looking for a middle way. to spend a month in Tassajara was a radical attempt to connect me with the Zen again. I attempt to know is whether this effort was successful or not. Based on my experiences in the Tassajara and return to the world then, I begin the difference between forced discipline and discipline that comes from a self-understanding. But this may be another matter.
The economic side of Zen teaching is both frustrating and fascinating. Take For example, the concern of a "real job" to be found. When I started writing about Zen, I had a 5-day week, 10-18 Clock job. But so I could make stuff like the passing of several days Sesshins month or two trips to Europe not to talk to people from Poland, Ireland and Finland and all the other countries over there on Buddhism. Also I could not dedicate a few hours of the day pure writing practice.
Now people want me to do such things. But half the people who speak such invitations have no idea about the fundamental economic matters connected with it are. Imagine for example that I earn lots of money with my book sales. Which is not so. My advances amount to about 1 / 3 of what I had to be content with a "real job" and coped with the market realistically only every two years, a book of mine. So I earn about 1 / 6 of what I had before. It really is not enough to supply one person. Thank God I have to feed a family.
There are people out there who want me to come and lead a three-day retreat and do not understand when I speak of how the event will be funded, especially when it comes to my Payment goes. Maybe they think the Dharma should be free. And that should do it! But there is rent and the cost is not without reason. Now the choice seems to be, find a way in to earn money with the dharma, or just listen.
The most common solution to this problem is to establish a community center as a support for the teacher. To found something like the San Francisco Zen Center and Plum Village or whatever, and many people with "real jobs" to donate their money to the teacher to enable him or her cause to make, without having to take a "real job" must.
may not be a viable option in my case because I'm so damn anti-social. I mean I like people and so yes, but I rub on all the things it needs to hold together a community on.
Now I test other options. Sometimes I think the vague dream that will sell Sin Sex and Zen with the same tonnage as NOW! The Power of Now or its latest edition Ghost Writer musings from the Grand Master whoever (I recently spoke with a guy as Ghost Writer Books for any spiritual master writes and types for $ 15,000 - collected as a standard set, I write my books myself, thank you, and my rate is far lower than that). Then I would be independent and could be the things I want to do, just do Sun Therefore, the whole self-promotion (and if you feel harassed like this, then try to imagine how it is to have to do really!).
One of the people I met in Tassajara and talked about such things, had previously engaged in the promotion of spiritual teachers. He said the secret would be that it is a "promise" must include. You have to tell people that they get something of value when they visit your presentation or your seminar. This reminds me very hard because I'm so steeped in the "Zen is not good" tradition of Sawaki Roshi. Maybe I'm just a damn.
Anyway, I leave you with a photo from the top, which is the clear evidence that zazen me the power of levitation have been (click on the image for a larger version to see, so you 'll know yourself). If you want to have the secret of levitation for you, use the " Donate "button at the top left of this blog.
* SafeForWork, opposite of NotSafe / SuitableForWork (NSFW) as an abbreviation for Internet sites are not suitable they are to be seen on the job.
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