Chapter 10, Not Too Loose, Not Too Tight

The big ideas that I gathered from Chadron's excerpt "Not Too Loose, Not Too Tight" were all based on finding balance in one's life through a nine step Buddhist system. Chadron introduces the topic by describing how some people have a tendency towards being too loose, and others have a tendency towards being too tight. It is in the spirit of Buddhism that we are not told what is right, but instead "find out for ourselves". The nine part system originating from Buddhism that was previously mentioned is not linear; it is simply nine strategies for clearing one's mind and finding one's balance. They include things like "resting" "taming" "pacifying" and "one pointedness", some of which have several dimensions and all of which have a unique meaning.

My emotional reaction to this reading was a positive one. I felt strongly about the topic that Chadron covered, and the way he approached things. It stirred good feelings based on my knowledge of another individual who believed in a similar concept: Aristotle. He believed that true happiness in life stemmed from living virtuously, and that this virtuous living was achieved through the "Doctrine of the Mean". Aristotle believed that one must find the two extremes of an ideal are chosen and then the virtue is identified as the mean between the two (an idea that is very similar to the one in "Not Too Loose, Not Too Tight")

My intellectual reaction to the reading was positive as well. The excerpt exposed me to Buddhist traditions that I was not previously aware of that may very well help me construct a good life. My favorite aspect of the article was when Chadron talked about ultimately having to admit defeat every so often: "one pointedness". He emphasizes that at times we can be so overwhelmed that we really just need "a fresh start".

It seems that the author, Chadron, is expressing his opinion on the best way to "find balance in one's life." He achieves this by drawing from a Buddhist tradition that has universal appeal. It is my opinion that he expresses emotion very well. The excerpt is organized and detailed, but at the same time infused with way that Chadron feels about certain situations. For example: "but if aggression has its claws in you and you can't let go of those resentful, bitter, angry thoughts and plans, then you should emphasize the windy, airy, fresh quality of breath as it goes out, which helps you connect with freshness and spaciousness."

The framework is as follows: opening anecdotes followed by detailed list of a process. Each of the nine parts of the Buddhist tradition are stated and then described.

Just as in prior readings, the right brain is emphasized. This is once again in line with our class goals to explore the right brain. The article specifically focuses on right brain aspects such as subjectivity and synthesizing.

The author wants us to believe that this nine part Buddhist tradition is an excellent way to achieve balance in one's life. He attempts to accomplish this goal by combining explicit Buddhist directions with his personal emotions and feelings. The evidence provided is not very substantial in terms of empirical results, but the mindset that ensues from each of the nine parts seems truly liberating. This means that the evidence lacks some credibility but is strong in its emotional appeal.

One separate viewpoint on this topic might be that there is a more definite way of achieving balance than simply self meditation. Perhaps there is an adequate set of fact based guidelines for finding this balance, and thus individuals could follow such a list strictly. Evidence to support such a viewpoint would have to come from individuals who have achieved balance, and have a tangible recipe for it. Perhaps it would be a schedule of daily activities (exercise, prayer, communication, etc.) that would develop all areas of the soul. Such evidence would be credible, but very hard to come by. The topics covered in Chardon's excerpt seem subjective and thus tough to achieve objectively.

Ramifications of Chardon's viewpoint are as follows: without mental discipline, balance can never be achieved. Accordingly, the individual with a wandering mind and a short attention span would have difficulty achieving balance. Ramifications of the opposing viewpoint would be that developing an explicit list for achieving balance would be next to impossible. Such balance is a matter of the mind and soul, and thus transcends any tasks that could be written down on paper and then carried out. Based on these two sets of ramifications, Chadron's account seems more credible.

Questions: Why were the titles of the nine parts picked with overlapping names?

How often should these nine parts be practiced? Is it something we should take time for each day?

If the progression is not linear, where is a good place to start?