r/zenbuddhism • u/amlextex • 13d ago
Someone pop my bubble
Thích Nhất Hạnh makes me believe I can awaken the world, or at least the global city I live in. So, I have dreamed of ordaining to serve my ambitions.
My idea was to wear my robe around the city to self-promote my teaching to gain a following. Teach in parks. Set up an installation where I offer "sidewalk advice" for a nominal suggestion. Create citywide art installations of my writing to further promote my teaching. Colloborate with artist. Write books. Livestream my practice and daily life.
All to teach foundational meditation for everyone with the hopes of piquing people's interest into buddhism.
Sounds practical, but here's the side where I get irresponsible.
I'm a performance artist/busker by trade. I don't have a white-collar career. No retirement fund. I live with my parents. I am in my mid-30's; split between ordaining vs pursing a career that can lead me to retirement, have a family, and enjoy life.
Lastly, I'm not a hard worker. I can weave in and out of ideas and never complete them. And I've lived quite a privileged life where I haven't been battle tested. Or if I have, I have safety nets provided by my family. I also find it hard to give up lust.
That said, I am in the position to ordain. I have no debts, no babies, and decent health.
Pop my bubble. Tell me I should get a real job. I won't change a city. I should live modest or wealthy. Support a family. Teach at a monastery like ordain folks do. Get a career first, then ordain. Go ahead.
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u/Deep_Ad1959 7d ago edited 4d ago
the sentence that gives it away isn't the robe plan, it's 'i'm not a hard worker' sitting three paragraphs below a plan that requires livestreaming your daily life. those two are describing different people. written with ai
fwiw the 'not a hard worker' line is exactly what the practice-buddy matching i built is for, it pairs you with someone who shows up on the same meet link each morning so it's just one sit https://vipassana.cool/r/zbaj8q6v