Praise for Many Ways, Middle Way, No Way Hollywood Buddhism Sizzles! Michael Attie knows his dharma, and understands show-biz, and he puts the two together in this profound, lighthearted and often touching book. Attie will take you with him to visit the esteemed Zen master Sasaki Roshi or the Hindu saint Neem Karoli Baba, and then to meditate in his ‘Don't Worry Zendo’ or at the Playmates lingerie meditation hall. Can you find universal consciousness through the Feather Boa Dance? Read this book and find out! You'll have a good time on the way. —Wes Nisker, author Crazy Wisdom, (Ten Speed Press) Michael Attie’s Many Ways, Middle Way, No Way examines Buddhism’s many facets—its principles and practices, its lineages, and its consonance with other disciplines—all the time reminding us not to take anything too seriously. Attie’s approach is encyclopedic, thoughtful, compassionate, and best of all, gently outrageous. —Jeff Kane, author The Healing Companion, (HarperSanFrancisco) A witty, compassionate, reverential and wise description of meditation and ordinary spiritual practice by a wandering pilgrim whose understanding matured immeasurably at midlife when he became the owner of “the world’s largest lingerie store.” Based upon his personal experiences, Attie describes an unconventional, self-authenticated, non- authoritarian spiritual practice drawn from Eastern devotional traditions and meditation techniques that embraces everyday life and promotes relationship and the collective experience. Attie’s romp through Eastern mysticism and practice illuminates, instructs and celebrates life’s juxtaposition of chaos, passion, music, poetry, art, travel and people with spiritual practice. His world is a warm place filled with love, humor and appreciation. –Stan Madson, editor, The Bodhi Tree Book Review In Many Ways, Middle Way, No Way, Michael Attie blends his clear and approachable Dharma interpretation with deep insight gained by living a joyful and attentive life. In so doing, he opens wider the path toward balance and clarity in our own lives. This manual is a true gift: an 1 invigorating book filled with love, humor, wisdom, and a dose of invaluable anecdotes from poets, roshis, saints and sages. –John Brandi, author, Heartbeat Geography (White Pine Press) Michael Attie is passionate about meditation. With enchanting tales about his journey through the halls and temples of several Asian spiritual traditions and hilarious directions for breaking down staid concepts about meditation, Attie will entice even the most reluctant to find a cushion and begin a meditation practice. His life as a "Lingerie Monk," the richness of his experience as a meditator, and his earnest storytelling animate this personal and useful book. –Susan Suntree, Editer, Wisdom of the East: Stories of Compassion, Inspiration, and Love(McGraw-Hill) Many Ways, Middle Way, No Way is a unique, humorous and openhearted book which will delight the independent-minded spiritual seeker. –Adelaide Donelley, author Sorrow Mountain(Kodansha) 2 Many Ways, Middle Way, No Way A GUIDE TO MEDITATION, SPIRITUAL AWAKENING AND FUN Michael Attie 3 Stay open and quiet that is all. What you seek is so near you that there is no place for a way. —Nisargadatta Cover design: Jake Freydont-Attie & Noah Bardach ISBN 0-9772538-0-5 Published by: Neon Buddha Press 444 n. flores st. Los Angeles, CA 90048 [email protected] Copyright ©2005 by Michael Attie All Rights Reserved 4 Table of Contents Preface ......................................................................................... 8 PART ONE INTRODUCTORY .................................................. 12 Introduction ............................................................................... 15 Why Meditate ............................................................................ 19 The Paradoxical Way ................................................................ 23 A Short Spiritual Autobiography .............................................. 27 Bhakti And Jnana/Gurus And Teachers .................................... 39 Your Way .................................................................................. 47 PART TWO THE BASICS .......................................................... 55 The Knot: Breathing ................................................................. 57 Resistance—Sangha .................................................................. 61 Just Sit Here .............................................................................. 66 Difficulties, Obstructions, Distractions ..................................... 75 Grieving, Healing, Blissing ....................................................... 81 Concentration And Observation: Zenassana ............................. 86 PART THREE THE HEART OF THE MATTER ....................... 91 I’ll Think And I’ll Think ........................................................... 93 Compassion And Emptiness ..................................................... 99 The Feeling Of The Heart ....................................................... 109 Form And Formless ................................................................ 120 Two Spiritual Beacons ............................................................ 125 Advaita/Self-Inquiry ............................................................... 133 Inquiry Ii Being A Noboby And Being A Somebody............. 145 PART FOUR DHARMA IN OUR EVERYDAY LIVES .......... 157 Microcosm/ Macrocosm ......................................................... 159 Lovingkindness ....................................................................... 165 Take It Easy, Slow Down! ...................................................... 173 Anger ....................................................................................... 177 Bringing Meditation Into Everyday Life: You Are The Boss 182 Generosity/Gratitude ............................................................... 191 Sleeping, Dreaming ................................................................. 199 5 PART FIVE MANY WAYS, NO WAY .................................... 207 Death I ..................................................................................... 209 Death II ................................................................................... 215 Let Yourself Go: Out Of Control ............................................ 224 Fanaticism ............................................................................... 229 Don't Know Mind ................................................................... 232 Many Ways, No Way .............................................................. 239 PART SIX LOVEGAMES & DHARMAPLAY ........................ 247 Walking Meditation ................................................................ 249 The Lingerie Zen Sect ............................................................. 256 Dialectics Of Delusion ............................................................ 264 Mystics’ All-Time Hit Parade ................................................. 275 Cosmic Joke/Cosmic Smile .................................................... 287 Wide Open Dharma ................................................................ 296 Grace ....................................................................................... 301 6 7 PREFACE I wouldn’t know whom to begin to acknowledge and thank for the inspirations and ideas in this book. I lay no claim to them being ‘mine’; they come from here, there and everywhere. Writing this introduction, I realize why Milton Berle has always been my favorite comedian. Most of his humor usually centers around one topic—joke thievery. Meditators are sort of inspiration thieves. A line or concept from here or there—a lecture, interview or a book—sticks in your mind; insights from your sitting practice are confirmed and inspired. After a while it all fades in and you may not exactly recall where insights first came from. Although we are all ‘little Miltons,’ meditators aren’t possessive of wisdom, but believe that there is only one great teacher, whom we can all hear when we allow our usually busy minds to become quiet. Real understanding comes from this teacher and doesn’t belong to anyone. So I don’t feel too guilty for my omissions. Here and there I acknowledge a source, but I’m sure that many of the ideas and lines in this book I lifted right out of someone’s talk or book without any credits. I can only thank and acknowledge many teachers and friends in dharma1* who have inspired me along the way. A great blessing of my life has been to have met and studied with a number of deeply enlightened and inspired beings—all wonderful manifestations of the teaching. With gratitude I name the main ones who have shared their hearts, wisdom and inspiration: Joshu Sasaki Roshi2**, Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, Soen Nakagawa Roshi, Robert Aitken Roshi, Maezumi Roshi, Kalu Rimpoche**, H.H. The Dalai Lama, Neem Keroli Baba, Ramdass, 1 *Dharma is one of the most commonly used words in Eastern Mysticism—both Hindu and Buddhist. It means truth, reality, teachings—the truths about life, the universe, the human heart, mind and spirit, which we can learn through the practice of meditation and/or some spiritual discipline. 2 **Roshi and Rimpoche, Japanese and Tibetan respectively, for teacher. 8 Many Ways, Middle Way, No Way Mother Krishna-bai, Jack Kornfield, Joko Beck, Steven Levine, Thich Nhat Hanh, GarySnyder, Shinzen Young and my parents, Nanny and Eli. Thank you, Thank You, Thank You. And