Zen Anybody

[Phaelyn]

Originally Posted by sentient

'Hara' is Japanese for 'vital culture'-the vital centre of the self, the focus of existence. Its basic teaching is simple; to distinguish between body and soul is false; see the whole self as a single entity and you can attain a higher state of harmony and fulfilment.

My understanding of the above is probably a bit weird, but this is how I see it. Consciousness, or me, is unexpressed understanding and knowledge. To express it is to use language, which is of course symbolic or conceptual. It is "representative" of something and not the thing itself. Obviously, a word for something is not the thing itself and the thing itself exists whether or not the word does. So prior to conceptual expression, or some use of language, the knowledge and understanding is already there, if it wasn't, one could not express it. The use of language is a "reduction" of understanding, a mere slice of what one knows. Thus the need for sentences, and paragraphs, pages and on and on...... one slice after the next....to try to convey a representation of something else, something actual, something real. But the description is never the described but is instead a stand in for it. An impostor really. But the impostor is no powerless phantom as it can carry and impose experience.

distinguish between body and soul is false

That, to me, means all distinguishing. Body and soul, tree and flower, cloud and sky, me and you. That does not mean I don't know the difference! That I am not aware of the difference! The difference is clear and obvious. So what is distinguishing? It is the verbal or conceptual "reality" that creates a particular experience. What is this? What is now? If no "distinguishing" or verbal and mental interpretation is taking place? There is no way to write here what it is as all I have to communicate with here is words. It is not verbal. Not word based. Not conceptual. Mind is not involved in it, but consciousness, awareness, me, fully is.

see the whole self as a single entity and you can attain a higher state of harmony and fulfillment.

That's a simplistic way to say it, but it has been said. The self is seen as "whole"....the self is whole..... it is not fragmented into conceptual duality. The known, the experienced, pushed through and manipulated by conceptual interpretative mind. Then as this, without that, one is in a state without any conflict within or without, a higher state of harmony and fulfillment.

[sky]

Originally Posted by sentient

I would NOT trust this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vE032axqpII
What do you think of it?

That's really interesting to watch as a lot of the movements are very similar to Qigong, they are also using massage which is also intergrated into Qigong. The main differences are the speed which they are using, Qigong movements are slow and smoothly flowing, there's are more ' Stop and start '... Thanks for that, I'll look at it more deeply later...

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by sky123

When the time is right all will be revealed, a happening rather than a doing

A "happening" .... like a flash ! YES !

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by Phaelyn

The body is a temporary thing. Seems like an odd thing to conceptualize as the source of our awakening.

In Tibetan Buddhism, the word for the body is "LU", which means "that which is left behind". From a very young age, Tibetans are aware that "the body is a temporary thing", as you duly pointed out.

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by sentient

The canon of Chozen-ji, the lineage of Zen I practice, begins by stating “Zen is to transcend life and death (all dualism), to truly realize that the entire universe is the ‘True Human Body’, through the discipline of mind and body in oneness.”

Short and to the point !

[sentient]

Originally Posted by sky123

That's really interesting to watch as a lot of the movements are very similar to Qigong, they are also using massage which is also intergrated into Qigong. The main differences are the speed which they are using, Qigong movements are slow and smoothly flowing, there's are more ' Stop and start '... Thanks for that, I'll look at it more deeply later...

It is just, that I do not think Castaneda’s “Magical Passes” have anything to do with the ancient shamen of Mexico as the video claims.

Those ‘energetic cords’ from the navel area yes – that is well known practice of the ancient shamen - but not this.

"Magical Passes" were taught to Castaneda by Howard Lee ….

*

[Phaelyn]

It's popular for "spiritual" groups to come up with physical movements they claim make you more spiritual somehow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pd5w-AzsOZc

Do they? Not really. Be great if some spiritual group came up with "exercises" that were basically go do something for somebody else, help someone else without any thought of a reward for yourself or concern for yourself.

Seems like such movements make one think one is better or more spiritual than somebody else. So ego wrapped up in it. My movements verses yours. I'm special because I do these movements.

[Phaelyn]

I like Castaneda's warrior concept:

All have the possibility to live as warriors. Any person can undertake the task of warrior. The only requirement is to want to do it with an unshakeable desire; that is to say, one has to be unshakeable in the desire to be free. Castaneda

[sentient]

Originally Posted by Phaelyn

I like Castaneda's warrior concept:

All have the possibility to live as warriors. Any person can undertake the task of warrior. The only requirement is to want to do it with an unshakeable desire; that is to say, one has to be unshakeable in the desire to be free. Castaneda

This came to my mind:

The Conditions of a Solitary Bird

The conditions of a solitary bird are five:
The first, that it flies to the highest point;
The second, that it does not suffer for company,
not even of its own kind;
The third, that it aims its beak to the skies;
The fourth, that it does not have a definite colour;
The fifth, that it sings very softly.

San Juan de la Cruz
& quoted in "Tales of Power" by Carlos Castaneda
(not too sure about the singing very softly part tho)

*

[sky]

Originally Posted by sentient

It is just, that I do not think Castaneda’s “Magical Passes” have anything to do with the ancient shamen of Mexico as the video claims.
Those ‘energetic cords’ from the navel area yes – that is well known practice of the ancient shamen - but not this.
"Magical Passes" were taught to Castaneda by Howard Lee ….

Magical Passes have nothing to do with Qigong but as I don't know anything about Mexican Shamans I can't comment...