To: private email
From: tyagi nagasiva
Subj: Buddhism (9301.buddhsm.tn)
Date: 49930115 

I never met Gautama Buddha.  Therefore I cannot say I agree or diagree
regarding what he or she taught.  However, the teachings ASCRIBED to
that historical person seem to indicate that the practice includes
sitting, and sitting often includes being with our feelings.

My experience with Buddhism and many other 'spiritual' practices has
mainly consisted of people who practiced meditation in a way that
included sitting and learning to accept their experience.  This may
include a detachment from these feelings so as not to be fully
engulfed/ruled by them, but it always led back to accepting them and
learning to be with them.

I think that one alternate road might be engaging the feelings directly
and watching ourselves carefully while this is happening.  How deeply
can we feel?  Are we centered only upon our OWN feelings or can we
also engage the feelings of others?  The Road of Wisdom is quite
pretty, yet without Compassion to balance it, it becomes dull and
painful quite quickly.

Cf. Herman Hesse's wonderful story, _Siddhartha_. 

(c) 1993
tyagi nagasiva