Facing the Wall - The Middle Way, Under the Bodhi Tree 

Zen Cycling, absolutely! Thank you for this affirmation. We agree. Help us to get the word out regarding the unique content of this channel. If you wish to encounter the entire recent interview with Abbot Okumura, you may do so at: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ecfst8h4_ss.html Or, encounter a previous interview at: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-jzdYzu2236Q.html One nurturing exercise you may wish to consider is establishing a practice of going through the “Life Journey” series in sequence, one-at-a-time, on some regular schedule (daily, weekly, monthly, etc.). Many people are finding this helpful solitarily or to share with a friend or group discussion. The series uses material from some of the greatest living teachers who are mostly unknown to the popular culture; including Abbot Shohaku Okumura, Sister Joan Chittister, Kaira Jewel Lingo, Adam Bucko, and many others: East and West. All background music is provided by the cellist who opened for the Dalai Lama prior to his many on-site teachings all over the world. If you post a Comment at the end of a segment, others can be helped by your reflection. The journey begins with an awareness of “The Presence.” ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-gekfR1jrsko.html. A sequential journey ensues. The top Comment listed under each module contains a context for the specific video on screen and a link to the next sequential station. Here is a link to a short context for the “Life Journeys” series: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-vDChtBZdqiw.html Keep in touch. GO Deep!

Solidsnake, thank you for this affirmation. We hope you will continue to explore some of the additional Zen Master wisdom on this channel. Consider taking the journey of practice illuminated by the “Life Journey” series you will find on the home page of this channel. It is a sequential guided curriculum for contemporary contemplative practitioners. Check it out. GO Deep!

Taylor, we are grateful this material connected with you. Continue to explore the journey to which Abbot Okumura points. Check out the Life Journey series on the home page of the Interior Mythos Journeys RU-vid channel. It provides a sequential, guided, experiential path for learning and practicing contemplation. GO Deep!

Thank you, Desert Portal! We are grateful for your reflection and your presence on this special channel. Please consider a sustained encounter with The Life Journey series on the home page of the Interior Mythos Journeys RU-vid channel. It provides a sequential, guided, experiential path for the contemporary contemplative practitioner. GO Deep!

ChannelRandomMy, you are correct! Thank you for the affirmation. Please check out the immense portfolio of other awesome material on this channel. GO Deep!

Thank you Jozef! We are grateful to include you in our editorial team. This will be corrected. GO Deep!

@@Interiormythos it hasn't been corrected. Also in another video the sitting period should read 50 mins, not 15 mins

Thank you, Patrick! Your presence on this channel is always appreciated. GO Deep!

@bonez1188, thank you for this affirmation. Keep practicing. And, here is the great news: you do not need to travel to the East to learn from such wise beings as Abbot Okumura. You can simply incorporate into your regular practice an engagement with the Life Journeys segments available on the home page of this special RU-vid channel. The Life Journey series provides a sequential, guided, experiential path for the contemporary contemplative practitioner. Check it out. GO Deep!

@ama6103, thank you for this affirmation. We are grateful you have discovered this special channel and hope you will return often. Consider an encounter with the Life Journey series, available on the home page of the Interior Mythos Journeys channel. It provides a sequential, guided, experiential path for the contemporary contemplative practitioner. Check it out. GO Deep!

JKim, thank you for these reflections. We are grateful you have discovered this channel. We hope you will return often. Yes, may we all come to grasp the wall. The wall is actually simply this most-present face-of-Reality. Continue to explore the nature Reality that is Reality in the Life Journey series on the home page of the Interior Mythos Journeys RU-vid channel. It provides a sequential, guided, experiential path for learning and practicing contemplation. GO Deep!

Robert, Nice to have you back on this channel with your insightful reflections and questions. Here is the truth: we all need help with this! The “intrusive, unwanted thoughts” are part of the daily reality we all face, beginner or master. The question of how to deal with this “annoyance” finally is not about “getting rid” of these intrusions but the posture of relationship we choose when these appear. This clip is part of the full recent interview with Abbot Okumura that will be released on this channel July 14. We hope you will find guidance through an encounter with the complete interview. Until then, please consider engaging the following exercise which we are confident will also provide guidance. And, as you know, there are many videos on this channel. The core teaching is presented in the “Life Journeys” series (check out the Playlists. 49 short videos in this series have been released to date). The “Life Journey” series uses material from some of the greatest living teachers who are mostly unknown to the popular culture; including Abbot Shohaku Okumura, Sister Joan Chittister, and many others from the East and the West. These sequential cinematic art form modules guide one deeper and deeper into consciousness and the practices of a contemporary contemplative. To advance in becoming a contemplative practitioner, we suggest encountering one sequential module per day or some other regular schedule that works for you. The journey begins with “The Presence.” ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-gekfR1jrsko.html. This sequential contemporary contemplative practitioner journey is an excellent opportunity for solitary inquiry or shared group discussion. We know of no stronger existing guided material to nurture a deep journey in today’s world; for a beginning seeker or a master. The top Comment listed under each module contains a context for the specific video on screen and a link for the next sequential art form. We hope to see more comments and reflections from you again soon. We will always attempt to respond. If you wish to grasp the underlying intent of these cinematic art forms consider this short practical context: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-vDChtBZdqiw.html GO Deep!

@@Interiormythos I'd like to thank you for taking the time to respond and will follow the suggestions given. I look forward to the upcoming Okumora film. Your productions are always well done and the content has be helpful. It's good work.

@@robertforrester578 I can also highly recommend the Waking Up app. It's also been extremely helpful in my life.

@@jozefwoo8079 ​ @Jozef Woo Thank you for taking the time. I appreciate your input. I am, however, having difficulty finding the Waking Up app that you suggested.

@@robertforrester578 If you want to understand better the zen view on how to "deal" (don't like this word, but can't think of a better one now) with thoughts, I highly recommend the book "Opening the Hand of Thought", by Kosho Uchiyama. It really helped me with this issue. Wishing you the best of luck.

@macdougdoug, yes good eye; better than our editors who did not catch it before it went live on RU-vid. We are aware of this error but if we take it down and republish all of previous comments, etc. tied to the video are erased. So…the mistake remains. Thank you for encountering the material and we hope you will return often to this special channel. GO Deep!

Go Hakka, thank you for this interesting comment. We don’t quite understand your message. Please feel free to say more and we will respond. Until then, we are glad you have found this special channel and hope you will return often. Please consider a sustained encounter with The Life Journey series on the home page of the Interior Mythos Journeys RU-vid channel. It provides a sequential, guided, experiential path for the contemporary contemplative practitioner. You will discover this dynamic profoundly in Life Journey #7 - The Ultimate Journey. Check it out and keep in touch! GO Deep!