Your thoughts?
Keep practicing 
cheers
heh heh heh:D
For those who wanted more on Chan Buddhism, check out this site:
http://www.hsuyun.org
It has plenty of information. There is also a e-book there called
The 7th World of Chan Buddhism that is well worth reading if you’re interested in some of the Basics of Chan. You can quickly find it by clicking on the drop down menu located in the upper right hand corner of the page.
the web of chan
I think that the web has been great for the spreading of Chan - so much is online now. There are more resources at your keyboard fingertips than ever. So practice should be easier, right? 
So practice should be easier, right?
is it hard to do?
it is for me…
Especially now. Last night I had to do some wushu stuff. Man, I’m way too old for wushu. Wushu is too hard. I love it, it’s a rush to move the energy that way, but I’m alway sore for days after. Give me traditional any day.
[SIZE=1]Oh wait, we were talking about Chan. Nevermind.[/SIZE]
lol.understanding and empathising…
I guess that’s what make ch’an practioners and practioning so rare and precious,especially in such a modern day hustle-bustle life…yah, it’s hard at times to remain committed, but that’s the trip right…xingku on my friends 
Lucky we’ve got you to guide us, holy one.
lol@ gene. Man, you are too old for performance wushu, what the blazes are you doing man!?
I am fully commited to styles that use minimal kicking techniques myself Subsequently, my hand skills have improved immensely over the last 3 years or so.
But I do my baksillum sets still and with diligence. Those are more than fancy enough for me traditional kungfu wise.
As for Ch’an, well, I practice seated meditation everyday and let the external distractions just drift through me while I practice.
As for the buddhist aspect, just help people who appear in need.
I don’t attend the sangha as much as I would like, but i find it elsewhere in my friends and family as well.
Adhering to the Dharma can be found in the middle path.
acknowledging the master is for me simple actions taken through the above two notables.
so, is it hard? I guess it can be if you become to bound to the external. Many of us cannot avoid that, what with having responsibilities, it is hard to make all of them and still have time to look inward.
But, it’s what ya gotta do.
cheers
KL
lol@ gene. Man, you are too old for performance wushu, what the blazes are you doing man!?
I haven’t a clue. I think we went into doing some wushu for two reasons. First, the class I’m in has a few beginners that don’t have their legs yet and wushu trains legs. Second, because Cui Yahui just visited. All I know is it’s been two days now and I’m still sore. I do enjoy wushu because it’s so expressive - honestly I like to dance, but I’m a crummy dancer. I’m a crummy wushu player. But it’s still fun, now and again. You get that real rush - it’s like flying. The funny thing is that the last few classes have been structured so - warm ups, then this sanda/muay thai/36 elbows hybrid of solo and partner drills, then wushu. We’ve been doing this for a week or so. It’s funny to move from the real practical elbow and knee stuff to the flowery stuff. I get off.
But to bring this back on topic, dabbling in wushu again is great for me personally right now because it brings me back to beginner’s mind. Suzuki roshi said (and Im paraphrasing) that it was all about beginner’s mind, that beginner’s mind is limitless, while an advanced practitioner has already reduced the degrees of freedom and by doing so, has become impure. In his view, the practice is easy, and even enlightenment is easy, but beginner’s mind, that’s the hard part.
So, Toby, don’t follow Blooming, follow freedom76
…dabbling in wushu again is great for me personally right now because it brings me back to beginner’s mind.
I wonder if this is a commonality amongst men who are 40 and are Dragons! lol
I have undertaken “new beginnings” for the very same reason, a return to the uninhibited viewpoint. The fresh perspective unmarred by presupposition or foreknowledge.
Not only is it humbling, it’s a kick! Anyway, you’re doing wushu and I’m opening up to more hardcore training with people from backgrounds 180 degrees from my own experience.
I think that the mind that is ready to learn will always be more fertile and quick to bring to fruition the learning applied than the mind that must be tilled, furrowed and seeded. Just an observation.
cheers
‘fessin’ up to some mid-life crisis, are we?
Actually, it’s just how Sifu Tony Chen teaches - he throws a lot of stuff at his students and sees what sticks. We’ll see if we do more wushu tonight. We’ve actually been doing more of his thai/36 sanda and the wushu is sort of a cool down (!?) I haven’t done muay thai since I was in Bangkok (they kicked my butt and sent me packing). And the 36 elbows stuff is new, although somewhat familiar since Songshan Shaolin has some elbow stuff. But in truth, I always have endevored to keep things fresh. I’d like to say it’s a zen thing, but in truth, major memory lapses help.
Ha!
Well, I think my mid life thing has passed (or not begun yet:eek: )
But yep, new waves of different things in a given genre opens ones eyes and minds to the endless possibilities, the limitations and the capabilities.
Real good for the understanding bone which is connected to the kungfu bone!
cheers