You can't separate the big picture from your meditation. https://www.xenofact.com/2024/10/15/the-ecosystem-and-greater-development/
@corlin I'm reminded of Taoists like Liu-I-Ming who argued withdrawal was NOT productive, that being engaged in society was helpful to practice.
I suspect because some people idolized Taoist mystic "recluses" while forgetting many of them were artists, teachers, doctors, etc. They just didn't like hustle and bustle or court politics.
@corlin I've also wanted to find a group of Taoist weirdoes to talk with. Though I think the Vault of Slack is close ;)
@Xenofact
This is the point of the Sangha, the group of like minded practitioners who gathered together to support and care for each other. The Sangha is so important in Buddhist practice that it is one of only three "jewels", The Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha.
Formal meditation seems like a solitary endeavor, you alone on the cushion. But sitting in a group, supported by the Sangha, can be both insightful, and more importantly a practice of the ethics and morals needed for living awake.