Concerning my recent post about my recent reticence to blog, Nick said, "Now that I'm trying to blog more frequently, I have the same dilemmas. There are things I'd like to share, but I don't for some of the same reasons you mention. I've been pondering an anonymous blog, but the notion leaves me feeling empty somehow."Ben said, "Blogs work best for the blogger and the reader when they address topics the bloggers know and care about and the readers want to read about. Although we adore your idiosyncratic posts about hurricanes and plane trips and weird photo essays (especially the ones involving breasts), perhaps your topic is Zen. Maybe you should examine what part of your Zen experience it makes sense for you to share with your readers."
Greensmile said, "Your teaching posts might make a good collection...consider a page that gathers the links and a permanent link to the gathers left on the sidebar."
These comments are appreciated, but only add to my concern. Were I to blog solely about Zen teachings, it might lead the reader to conclude that Zen is a series of teachings, a collection of opinions, or worse yet, dogmas, that can be learned, studied, acquired and incorporated.
The "Zen experience" is without limitations . . . there is no experience that is not "Zen experience." Idiosyncratic posts about hurricanes and plane trips and weird photo essays (yes, even the ones involving breasts) are as much an expression of the dharma as a discussion of the nature of impermanence, the perception of consciousness and the role of faith. The latter are no more "Zen" than the former, and the former are no less "Zen" than the latter (although one group might be more useful to you than the other).
So anything I say just confuses the matter more. If I compartmentalize the posts, I'm discriminating between this and that, and perpetuation the delusion that there is a "this" different from the "that." If I talk freely about whatever's on my mind, however, I'm not being skillful, and might confuse the reader not only about Zen, but also about The Project, the environment, and the affairs of my heart.
Silence might seem like the best option, but at this point that option seems a little solipsistic.
So please bear with me as I try to re-find my voice, and maybe re-tool this blog a little bit.
2 comments:
Since my suggestion requires no further blogging on your part, not much to stop anyone from making a kind of scrapbook page. I am sure, at 80K+ hits, there are quite a few readers who could put toghether their own "best of Shokai" page. And each such page would be unique and individual like all the others.
I like the mix of postings you have. The foundation, as Ben said, is clearly Zen Buddhism, or at least your interpretation of it. When I read any of your posts, I use that as the frame of reference, the context.
I enjoy learning how other people perceive the world through their own lens. We are in the same ballpark from a world view perspective I think, and seeing where you're at helps me attenuate my own world view.
Now having said all that: from a marketing standpoint, it probably makes sense to find a niche to hang your hat on. If that's your goal, then I'd say you are almost there with Zen. You could weed out the posts that aren't obviously on-topic, and you'd be there. Then you could start an outrigger blog for your peripheral commentaries.
Tho as I said, I kinda like it as it is now.
Meanwhile I'm still in search of a niche.
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