I am, and will probably always be, primarily a home-practitioner. In all honesty, no matter where we are or where we practice, we all are home-practitioners. Whether we call a monastery or temple our home or whether it is a trailer, apartment complex, mansion or shelter that we abide in – we are home. When we work, struggle, fight and die – we are home. Getting to that place is difficult and, at times, a struggle but that path that we walk only leads to one place – home.
Unfortunately, when you mention that you practice at home, you are immediately placed at the bottom of the Buddhist totem pole. Low-ranking and flighty, you are considered to be unschooled in the Dharma and loose in practice. While this may be true at times, I think that home-practitioners require an added bit of credit for pushing themselves to work on enlightenment while outside of a Brick and Mortar sangha.
How to find a local Sangha:
- The Pluralism Project at Harvard University – Its Harvard, right? They’ve got enough brainpower to move an elephant by just thinking it. I don’t know what the deal is with this project but they have a nice listing of local resources and sanghas (including my own).
- The World Buddhist Directory from BuddhaNet – BuddhaNet has got everything you need to get started in a home-practice including a way to get your practice out of your home. That’s fine, BuddhaNet, whatever…I don’t care. The resource is MASSIVE and will hopefully get you what you need.
- Go Sit – Sure! Why not! If it is meditation you are looking for and not other practice then try it out.
- DharmaNet – Like BuddhaNet, this one has plenty of resources to start a home practice and practice with those pesky “real-life” people. What is next? SanghaNet? hmmmmm…
- Sweeping Zen – Don’t know much about this one and I think it is rather new but it seems like BuddhaNet’s younger but hipper brother. And I love the name. Dirty thieves.
- American Zen Teachers Association via digitalZENDO blog – I think this one is definitely slated towards Zen and “authentic” Zen at that but it also has a resource for searching for a center. Again, this one is new and I never really used it but Jaye at digitalZENDO is amazing with his dharma so I assume this to be worthy of a shot.
- DharmaWeb – Nice wiki of free readings, news and Dharma-Center database. Worth a look.
Some Online Resources
- TreeLeaf Zendo
- Wild Fox Zen
- AudioDharma
- Great Mountain Zen Center Chant Book and Chants
- BuddhaNet Audio
again i’m glad to have bumped into you. i hope they ask some of the posters on the shambhala sun to make further comment.
seriously on this topic tho…it makes me think the home practice takes more energy and dedication because no one makes us do it.
peace
zenfant/shane
http://www.zenfant.wordpress.com
I think Home-practice balances out though. For all the extra energy and dedication that is required (and helpful in the long-run) often we are running around blind. It took me a year just to get my Home-practice developed to the point that it was adequate. I’m still working on making it good.
That is why I have these resources up. They are free and avaliable to all and are often the same that is provided in an “brick and mortar” zendo or meditation hall.
A suitable replacement for, supplement to or permanate fixture in…your practice.
For some practitioners, a home practice is all they have. Others utilize it along with a sangha or traditional teacher/guide. Others, like me, are stuck in Buddhist Purgatory for a while and making the best of it. Sometimes, I think that this is the best of it.
Cheers,
John
John Daido Loori was my teacher. We lost him recently.
Good luck in your practice.
While not my teacher, John Daido Loori Roshi’s writings were a huge part of my practice. He touches on the importance and difficulties of home-practice better than any other American Zen Master that I can think of.
Bows,
John
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