Hermits and Tibetan yogis

[Gerard]

[Machin Shin]

I built a stupa with a woman that received a lot of relics from the yogi's in the movie "Yogi's of Tibet". It took a couple of months to do, and most of the dreams that I had while building it have been fulfilled.

[DaoChild]

Getting away from humanity for days at a time is a great feeling for me. The solitude is, in my opinion, one of the easiest and truest sources of inspiration, healing, and realization.

 

I agree that anyone who seriously searches on their spiritual path should at least spend some portion of their time in solitude. The simple life is something that is very inspirational.

Edited February 14, 2009 by DaoChild

[Iskote]

...

Edited June 7, 2009 by Iskote

[adam mizner]

hi

it is my view that seclusion, true seclusion as taught by the Buddha is the letting go of the 5 senses. in other words the attainment of jhana. from that point the high levels can be acheived. one need not live alone but must spend much time alone.

 

metta

adam

 

Interesting. I like how the first hermit is so casually sitting on the edge of an abyss on Hua shan.

Clearly he has long overcome any fear of heights he might have once had.

I would guess if a person reaches a stage in their cultivation where they need total solitude

to continue progressing, they will be at a level where they are already sitting in meditation for long

periods of time anyway, and they need to ensure that nothing interrupts/disturbs their deep meditation

states at that point? Can a person not cultivate to a fairly high level without having to completely

withdraw from the world, as long as one has a reasonably quiet place to practice?

Just curious what others think about this.

[h.uriahr]

hi

it is my view that seclusion, true seclusion as taught by the Buddha is the letting go of the 5 senses. in other words the attainment of jhana. from that point the high levels can be acheived. one need not live alone but must spend much time alone.

 

metta

adam

Good point. So then you dont necessarily have to go out to a cave but just keep your home quiet and undesturbed?

[sarnam]

I have attempted to go into the mountains for solitude but it is very diffecult for me. I find that liveing the home life seems to be my call, I live with a women as spiritual friends, two cats, four small fish, and a small garden in my dineing area that has tomatoes , lettuce mint swisschard etc. We keep our lights low we don't listen to alot of music,but do watch videos and we socailize very little we work out I also envlove myself in various projects that I approch as a yoga I am sixtysix and offten feel I will enter the mountains to drop this body but I don't know how. The tibetens often go into solitude when they are real young it may be easier that way. But it seems to be true that mountain or city we still have to make friends with emptiness. Thank You Sarnam

[DaoChild]

Adam and Iskote,

I really like what both of you said. They bring up very very valid points, especially for those of us (All of us?) who practice Taoism or other faiths in the modern world. Rather than requiring long periods of seclusion and solitude, we can find that inner stillness in the movement of daily life.

[Iskote]

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Edited June 7, 2009 by Iskote

[Iskote]

...

Edited June 7, 2009 by Iskote

[Gerard]

I am updating my first message as someone has uploaded the movie "Yogis of Tibet" at Google Video:

 

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1120080712987405885&hl=en#

 

 

Enjoy!

[Sunya]

I am updating my first message as someone has uploaded the movie "Yogis of Tibet" at Google Video:

 

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1120080712987405885&hl=en#

 

 

Enjoy!

 

Great movie.

 

I also really like this one, about hermit monks living in mountains in China

 

http://www.amongstclouds.com/

Edited March 21, 2010 by mikaelz

[baiqi]

[C T]

Here's an insightful read pertaining to this subject:

 

"Ordinary People As Monks And Mystics" by Marsha Sinetar, published by Paulist Press.

 

In this book the author interviews individuals who have made conscious decisions to walk the roads less travelled, and some who have discovered 'new paths' for themselves.

 

http://www.marshasinetar.com/bookWebPages/ordinaryPeopleMonks.html

[3bob]

solitude from being driven about by the great upheavals of mankind is one thing but complete solitude as in being and existing separately is impossible since all are tied together. (there are many in the one but only one in the many, and some type of service involed in that comes calling sooner or later)

[Birch]

If you're in seclusion, you get rid of a LOT of noise so you can hear what is "you" vs "not you" a lot clearer than when you're with a lot of people (or overstimulated IMO).

 

Didn't people used to live in a lot more crowded conditions? I'd almost argue that as many of us are "bowling alone" there's not so much need for seclusion, in fact more the opposite!

[Gerard]

IMO seclusion is a must for certain individuals that wouldn't flourish otherwise. Eventually they return to society or they don't, it all depends on the seeker and their karma. Nothing is absolute, only impermanence.

[Gerard]

Into the Silence: Hermits of the third millennium.