Attending talks, attending retreats, and meditating on a daily basis are all fundamental to Zen training. However, when it comes to attaining some mastery of Zen, these alone are generally not sufficient. The missing piece is the one-on-one interaction with someone that has familiarity with the essential Self that Zen is all about.
The best term for this one-on-one interaction is mentoring. Mentoring as it applies to Zen practice is discussed in detail in the Vision statement for this Zen group. Although the goal of any particular mentoring commitment depends on the people involved, consider the following possible goals as a starting point for discussion:
Zen meditation practice - The goal is to learn how to practice with the mind and emotions.
Zen life practice - Building on an understanding of meditation practice, the goal is to learn how to practice with one’s life, especially relationships and work.
Self-realization - The goal is to awaken to the Essential Self, to expand this awakening, and to come to terms with the implications of this awakening. The goal may include becoming a mentor for others.
If you are interested in entering into a mentoring relationship with me, let me know, and we will work out what this might mean in your case. One-on-one doesn’t necessarily mean face-to-face, although that is preferable. We can take advantage of phone calls and email as well.
Mentoring is open to anyone. Beginning students are especially welcome. All that is required is a willingness to look at yourself with some honesty, and a willingness to receive feedback.
Mentoring opens the door to feedback. Without an explicit mentoring relationship, it is really not my place to provide feedback regarding your practice.
Mentoring with me is only going to be appropriate for some people, some of the time. It is not in any way expected as a part of participating in our Zen meetings and retreats.
Sam Gabriel, San Diego, CA
http://home.roadrunner.com/~clothespin
sam_gabriel@yahoo.com