As someone who has (also) dedicated lots of time to both of these camps (from sitting retreats at IMS to building meditation tech products to jhana practice), I found myself nodding along to a lot of this. The shift to suffering as an irreplaceable feedback loop feels especially important — so so so powerful.
The thing I find myself coming back to after reading this is — how is the comparison of these schools of western Buddhism different than what you might see from someone critiquing, say, two different schools of eastern Buddhism? (Enlightenment buttons aside 🤦♂️)
Each school represents some heavy cultural influence mixed with a pedagogy that emphasizes certain aspects of the dharma differently. Joseph might say (as he did in one dharma) that they all represent different skillful means.
Would be curious how you see modern New Age communities and teachings as also part of the problem and solution landscape. New Age seems to have a deep but often performative and intellectually false connection with sacred authority. I see those false beliefs often become totalitarian in order to defend themselves because they need to reify themselves through means other than natural truth.
As someone who has (also) dedicated lots of time to both of these camps (from sitting retreats at IMS to building meditation tech products to jhana practice), I found myself nodding along to a lot of this. The shift to suffering as an irreplaceable feedback loop feels especially important — so so so powerful.
The thing I find myself coming back to after reading this is — how is the comparison of these schools of western Buddhism different than what you might see from someone critiquing, say, two different schools of eastern Buddhism? (Enlightenment buttons aside 🤦♂️)
Each school represents some heavy cultural influence mixed with a pedagogy that emphasizes certain aspects of the dharma differently. Joseph might say (as he did in one dharma) that they all represent different skillful means.
Very curious your take on jhourney & where you see them and similar projects fitting into this model?
They seem solidly in the pragmatic dharma camp.
Would be curious how you see modern New Age communities and teachings as also part of the problem and solution landscape. New Age seems to have a deep but often performative and intellectually false connection with sacred authority. I see those false beliefs often become totalitarian in order to defend themselves because they need to reify themselves through means other than natural truth.