daverupa wrote:kmath wrote:at times the Dhamma is so dry
Would you like to expand on this?
Sure. I find many of the contemplations (elements, body parts, khandas, impermanence) somewhat interesting initially but pretty soon they lose their spark. My mind just sort of says: so what? This is no fun.
The more devotional practices are refreshing but tend to fall short for me as well. For example, recollecting the Buddha tends to bring up more fear than anything else lol. I guess I'm projecting onto him, but the point is I don't feel this great love for the Buddha that gets me going. Do you know what I mean?
Cultivating bhrama viharas is another way to bring some emotion to practice. The only issue with those mediations is that they feel a bit contrived. Sure I want some feeling, but I'm just going to "send this person metta?" It just doesn't feel natural.
I think some of these views come from my Christian background. I always assume a religious path must include a great deal of service to others, which is not at all emphasized in Buddhism. That service can bring quite a bit of joy and fulfillment to the heart, and not having it contributes the the dryness I experience with Buddhism.
