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Are you so busy that life just seems to be out of balance? Are you losing touch with your physical, mental, spiritual and emotional health? Since Life today is so complex and demanding, it’s more important than ever to get back to basics. Daibo Zen invites you to slow down, examine the fundamental aspects of your own life and identify the gaps that separate them. Devoting only a few minutes a day to the simple mental and physical exercises we talk about will help you regain unity and the peace of mind that comes from living a happy, healthy and successful life.
This is an outstanding movie regarding Zen and Zen Practice. The majority of the movie takes place during the Rohatsu Sesshin at the Rinzai Shogen-ji temple in central Japan. Video quality is so…so, but the content is well worth the time.
A sesshin, literally “touching the heart-mind”, is a period of intensive meditation (zazen) in a Zen monastery. While the daily routine in the monastery requires the monks to meditate several hours a day, during a sesshin they devote themselves almost exclusively to zazen practice. The numerous 30- to 50-minute-long meditation periods are interleaved with short rest breaks, meals, and sometimes short periods of work (samu) all performed with the same mindfulness; nightly sleep is kept to a minimum, at six hours or fewer. During the sesshin period, the meditation practice is occasionally interrupted by the master giving public talks (teisho) and individual direction in private meetings (which may be called dokusan, daisan, or sanzen) with a Zen Master.
In modern Buddhist practice in Japan and the West, sesshins are often attended by lay students, and are typically one, three, five, or seven days in length. Seven-day sesshins are held several times a year at many Zen centers, especially in commemoration of the Buddha’s awakening to full enlightenment (anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi). At this Rohatsu sesshin, practitioners seek to relax and quiet the mind to the point of cessation of mental chatter and emotional impulse, samadhi, kensho, or satori.
As we previously discussed in Parts 1 – 5 of The Free to Be Blog (energy series), we explored various ways to align our Body, Mind, Spirit & PassionEnergy with our lives. We primarily centered our practice around meditation and visualization. In Parts 6 – 10 of The Free to Be Blog (energy series), we will begin to explore integrating these different types of energy into each other and ultimately together into a whole, harmonized energy pattern.
Embodiment is the first dimension of Energy Mastery. The concept of Embodiment refers to the unification of Body and Mind Energy. Typical embodiment practices center around movement disciplines such as Tae Kwon Do, Yoga, Qi Gong and Tai Chi. These disciplines help us achieve a state of Flow with the physical movements and create synaptic pathways that connect these physical movements to the corresponding cognitive processes required for movement. In other words, these movement disciplines, over time and with practice, form new neural pathways that negate the necessity for technical thinking. Only the movement and the breath exist. The mind is fully absorbed in the action of movement.
Embodiment is the gateway to mindfulness, the physical expression of who and what we are right here, right now. When we are mindful, we are focused on the reality that arises before us. Using the simple example of walking. In embodied walking, we strive to dwell in each very step for the duration that it exists, then we move on to the next step. Dwelling only in the present step, not in the previous step, not the next step. Dwelling everywhere and nowhere simultaneously. Not thinking, only doing.
These “walking” neural pathways were established when we were very young so now we no longer think about walking, we just walk. The movement disciplines I referenced above help us to train our Body and Mind Energy to flow with each other into a mindful now. I believe we can bring embodiment to every aspect of our lives by practicing a few simple activities:
Embodiment: Movement Disciplines – These practice disciplines include various Martial Arts such as Tae Kwon Do and Aikido, Yoga Flow Practice, Qi Gong Practice and Tai Chi Practice. Engaging in personal movement practice will begin to help us train our minds to flow with our bodily movements.
Embodiment: Mundane Life Activities – Think of any mundane, repetitive physical activity you engage in during the week. Examples include washing dishes, raking leaves, shoveling snow, vacuuming the carpet, walking to work…Next time you engage in one of these activities, do not let your mind wander and focus on the task and only the task. What happens? Did you lose yourself in the activity? Did you feel your Body and Mind connecting?
Practicing embodied activities will incrementally begin to free us from distracted living. If we take the time to slow down and authentically flow in the activities of our lives, we can begin the process of unifying our Body and Mind Energy and begin to integrate and unify all the energies we experience into a whole, happy, healthy and successful life.
Thoughts? Comments?
Please visit my Blog at Daibozen.com for more information.
As we previously discussed in Part 1 – “Where do you put your Energy?” of The Free to Be Blog (energy series), our existence is potentially made up of energy constituting four distinct and inseparable aspects of our lives: Body, Mind, Spirit, Passion and posited how do we know where to put our attention and focus to fully manifest buddha nature as it arises? In Part 5 – Emotion (water) Energy, we will discuss this most vexing manifestation of energy in our lives. As we previously discussed,
The Water element represents Emotional (Passion) energy – exhibits fluidity. The sentimental, romantic, social and sacred. Emotional (Passion) energy symbolizes all the mysteries of the Genesis, life, death and resurrection. It represents the universal matrix containing the essence of all life, the source of abundance and plenitude. It has the unique ability to lead all the other energies in our lives for good or ill.
Being that Emotion is the gateway to acceptance and appreciation, the energy associated with our emotional lives has a profound impact on our physical, mental and spiritual well-being. That being the case, I believe we can train our emotional energy to flow freely with the lives we are experiencing by engaging in two simple activities:
Emotional Following Visualization – As an adjunct to the Meditation exercise in Part 3 – Mental (mind) Energy, visualize a situation in your life where your emotional response to an event manifested viscerally and you took action that was not optimal. Take 5 minutes to reflect on the situation from the perspective of following your Emotional Energy. Did you assess the situation based on fear or desire? What was driving your emotional response and how was your Body, Mind and Spirit Energy affected. How did you feel physically, mentally and spiritually after the event? How would you have changed your actions based on reflection?
Emotional Leading Visualization – As an adjunct to the Meditation exercise in Part 3 – Mental (mind) Energy, visualize the same situation in the previous example. Take 5 minutes to reflect on the situation from the perspective of Emotional Energy. How does the situation make your Body Feel, felt sense? How are you thinking about the situation? Do you see the situation as a fixed entity in your mind or as a fluid, changing matrix of relationships? What are those relationships? Now, calm your passions, clear your mind and focus on your breath. Select an emotional state that would have best fit the situation based on reflection. When you contemplate the emotion, where does it come from? Search your body and mind. How does this new emotional perspective change your understanding of the situation? Do you feel more balanced and less defensive? If so, why? If not so, why not?
These questions will lead to many others and potentially begin to free us from habitual ways of thinking about things and our automatic responses to situations. If we take the time to slow down and authentically reflect on the different aspects of our Emotional Energy, we can begin the process of balancing this energy in relation to our physical, mental and emotional well-being as well as beginning to integrate and unify all the energies of our lives.
Thoughts? Comments?
Please visit my Blog at Daibozen.com for more information.
As we previously discussed in Part 1 – “Where do you put your Energy?” of The Free to Be Blog (energy series), our existence is potentially made up of energy constituting four distinct and inseparable aspects of our lives: Body, Mind, Spirit, Passion and posited how do we know where to put our attention and focus to fully manifest buddha nature as it arises? In Part 4 – Spirit (fire) Energy, we will discuss this most active manifestation of energy in our lives. As we previously discussed,
The Fire element represent Spiritual (Spirit) energy – exhibits kindling. The desire, passion, outgoing and energetic creative principle of action. Spiritual (Spirit) energy symbolizes the original impulse, the authority, the power allowing the constructive development in any endeavor. The spirit mirrors consciousness and provides insight into the core of who and what is – both internal and external.
Being that the Spirit is the gateway to creativity and action, the energy associated with our spiritual lives has a profound impact on our ability to act appropriately and authentically within our daily experiences. That being the case, I believe we can train our spirit energy to align more accurately with the lives we are experiencing by engaging in two simple activities:
Authentic and Appropriate Action Visualization (past) – As an adjunct to the Meditation exercise in Part 3 – Mental (mind) Energy, visualize a situation in your life where you have taken action and the outcome of that action was not aligned with your intention. Take 5 minutes to reflect on the situation from the perspective of Body, Mind and Spirit Energy. Did you assess the situation as it presented itself, or did you assess the situation through the lens of a pre-conceived idea of the situation? How would you have changed your actions based on reflection?
Authentic and Appropriate Action Visualization (future) – As an adjunct to the Meditation exercise in Part 3 – Mental (mind) Energy, visualize a situation in your life where you are going to take action. Take 5 minutes to reflect on the situation from the perspective of Body, Mind and Spirit Energy. How does the situation make your Body Feel, felt sense? How are you thinking about the situation? Do you see the situation as a fixed entity in your mind or as a fluid, changing matrix of relationships? What are those relationships? When you contemplate action, does that action come from your head or your heart? Are you creatively trying to find the right action based on balancing Body, Mind and Spirit Energy? How can balancing these energies influence your action to be authentic and appropriate?
These questions will lead to many others and potentially begin to free us from habitual ways of thinking about things and our automatic responses to situations. If we take the time to slow down and authentically reflect on the different aspects of our Spirit Energy, we can begin the process of balancing this energy in relation to creative action as well as beginning to integrate and unify all the energies of our lives.
Thoughts? Comments?
Please visit my Blog at Daibozen.com for more information.
When you start meditating, find a space that is quite with muted light where you will not be disturbed during your session. Place a cushion or rug on the floor and then a sitting cushion on top of that. Create a sacred space for yourself if possible. There are many ways to sit during meditation. The most advanced way is sitting in the full-lotus posture. You put the foot of the right leg upon the left thigh and the foot of the left leg on right thigh. The biggest advantage of this way of sitting is that it guarantees the utmost stability with the both knees directly touching the ground, so that a broad, solid foundation is created. If the upper body is fixed this way, bodily movements are controlled, and thoughts are more effectively made quiet.
If this way of sitting is too difficult on account of the pain in the legs, you should try the half-lotus posture. Put the foot of the left leg over the right thigh. But if you are not used to crossing your legs when you sit, even the half-lotus can be difficult. Your knees may not equally touch the cushion, and you may experience pain. If this is the case, you can put a small cushion under each knee to alleviate the stress. In either the full-lotus or the half-lotus position, you may reverse the upper foot if the legs become too tired.
If you find the lotus-sitting too painful, a different suggestion would be to put one leg underneath the thigh of the other leg, which now simply lies in front of you on the mat. This is called the Burmese posture (this is the position I use). A still different way would be to use the traditional Japanese sitting posture with the buttocks on the heels and calves or you could use a small bench to sit on while you fold your legs under the bench. If any of these methods do not work, you could always use a chair. The most important point is that you keep your back erect and upright and your posture is comfortable so as not to become a distraction.
Other Considerations
A simple hand position to use during meditation is called the Cosmic Mudra. Put your right hand in your lap, palm upward, and place the left hand, again palm upward, on top of the right palm. The hands should not be far from your body but remain close to your abdomen. You can always switch had positions if that is more comfortable. Try to touch the tips of the thumbs to each other so that the palms and thumbs form an oval or a “chestnut” placed upside down. The thumbs and their nails should always be pointed upward.
Once the formal posture is correct, take a deep breath, hold it so for a moment, then let it quietly out. Do this a couple of times, always using your nose and not your mouth. After that, start breathing naturally and begin the meditation session. Start with a 5 minute session and then increase incrementally as you become more comfortable.
“Counting Breaths” Meditation
You now start with the concentration of your mind. You count both inhalations and exhalations. When you inhale, you count in your mind “one”; when you exhale, you count “two”; when you inhale again, you count “three”, and so forth, until you come up to “ten.” When you reach “ten,” you go back to “one,” counting up once again to “ten.” …. It is so simple – almost disappointingly simple.
How to Deal with Random Thoughts
Floating ideas, coming and going in your mind, are not bad things at all. They do not constitute any real impediment in your practice. Your mind lets various thoughts and images pass through since you are not sleeping. Please notice, however, that all these perceptions or thoughts do not form an obstacle to or lessen the value of your meditation at all – unless you label them “good” or “bad” and try consciously to chase them or to drive them out. This is an important point. If you want to pursue any of the sensations or ideas, then you stick to them. And that is indeed a distraction and your concentration is broken. If you try to expel the perceived objects or ideas, this also constitutes adherence to them, thus impeding your due concentration. Therefore, let all random perceptions and thoughts come up and go as they will. They are like clouds in the sky. Never keep company with them nor try to chase them out. Just keep concentrating upon counting your inhalations and exhalations.
When we begin to be mindful of the state of our lives through meditation, we may become aware of a “feeling” that manifests itself within our bodies. This “feeling” is an expression of the energies that influence us within our lives. Philosopher Eugene Gendlin called this “feeling” The Felt Sense. The Felt Sense functions as a connection between our Body, Mind, Spirit and Passion Energies reflected as an inward attention to what is at first sensed un-clearly. Zen Roshi Paul Genki Khan describes the Felt Sense as our whole sense of something – a person, relationship, situation, or feeling that may include thoughts, but is primarily sensory and unknown. It is an un-thought known, in that we can feel it, but it is not yet accessible to cognitive definition. It is unformulated experience, something we have been through or are in, but have not yet grasped.
People experiencing a felt sense feel more in tune with their body and bodily processes, and often even feel as if they can feel themselves within their stomach or chest. While a felt sense is partially emotional, Gendlin characterized the concept as a combination of emotion, awareness, intuitiveness, and embodiment. The felt sense is often unclear; people cannot specifically verbalize what they are feeling, but often describe it as a vague awareness of things ranging from old psychological traumas to burgeoning ideas.
For a more detailed discussion of our Body, Mind, Spirit and Passion Energies, see the Daibo Zen – Free To Be Blog – Energy Series at Daibozen.com.
As we previously discussed in Part 1 – “Where do you put your Energy?” of The Free to Be Blog (energy series), our existence is potentially made up of energy constituting four distinct and inseparable aspects of our lives: Body, Mind, Spirit, Passion and posited how do we know where to put our attention and focus to fully manifest Buddha nature as it arises? In Part 3 – Mind (air) Energy, we will discuss this most complex manifestation of energy in our lives. As we previously discussed,
The Air element represents Mental (Mind) energy – exhibits mobility. The intellectual, rational and verbal communication, decisive and aggressive. Mental (Mind) energy symbolizes the lightning action of communication and the righteousness of the spirit. It gives evidence and asserts authority sets the laws and defines the rules. It cuts through, in a decisive way, to open and clarify action.
Being that the Mind is the gateway to communication and understanding, the energy associated with our mental lives has a profound impact on our ability to reason and express the reality we perceive. That being the case, I believe we can train our thought to align more accurately with the lives we are experiencing by engaging in two simple mental activities:
Poetic Visualization – Select an object, preferably in nature such as a tree, rock or stream. Any object will do. Spend 5 minutes intently studying the objects in all its facets. How does the object make you feel, in your body? This is called The Felt Sense (more on this later). Does the object spur any thoughts (do not let your mind wander, come back to the object)? This is called conceptual blending (more on this later). Does the object prompt any actions on your part? How does the object make you feel emotionally? Once you have completed the 5-minute exercise, write a poem expressing your experience. Preferably a Haiku (easy poem of three lines, 5 – 7 – 5 syllables per line). As the great Haiku master Basho was once quoted,
“The Master said, ‘Learn about a pine tree from a pine tree. Learn about a bamboo stalk from a bamboo stalk. What he meant was that the poet should detach his mind from self and enter into the object, sharing its delicate life and feelings. Whereupon a poem forms itself.”
“Description of the object is not enough: unless the poem contains feelings, which have come from the object, the object and the poet’s self will be separate things”. – Bashō, On Love and Barley
Meditation – Find a quiet place to sit in any sitting posture which is comfortable. Spend 5 minutes focusing on your breath. Start with the concentration of your mind focused on your breathing. Count both inhalations and exhalations. When you inhale count in your mind “one” and when you exhale count in your mind “two” until you reach “ten”. If random thoughts come into your mind, go back to “one” again. Once you have completed your 5-minute meditation, journal your experiences. How did the meditation make you feel, in your body? Were you able to control random thoughts or did your mind wander? Did the meditation prompt you to revisit any pre-conceived patterns in your life? How did the meditation make you feel emotionally?
These questions will lead to many others and potentially begin to free us from habitual ways of thinking about things and our automatic responses to situations. If we take the time to slow down and authentically reflect on the different aspects of our Mind Energy, we can begin the process of balancing this energy as well as beginning to integrate and unify all the energies of our lives.
Thoughts? Comments?
Please visit my Blog at Daibozen.com for more information.
As we previously discussed in Part 1 – “Where do you put your Energy?” of The Free to Be Blog (energy series), our existence is potentially made up of energy constituting four distinct and inseparable aspects of our lives: Body, Mind, Spirit, Passion and posited how do we know where to put our attention and focus to fully manifest Buddha nature as it arises? In Part 2 – Body (earth) Energy, we will discuss this most practical and urgent manifestation of energy in our lives. As we previously discussed,
The Earth element represents Physical (Body) Energy – exhibits solidity. The material, practical and conservative. Physical (Body) energy symbolizes the plan of objective, quantifiable reality. It symbolizes any organized system that can be discerned in the physical plane. It is the passive receiver of the formative spirit symbolized by the Fire (Spirit) and Air (Mind). As the material manifestation of order, it establishes the support of any realization. The Body is a mirror for what appears in the physical world.
Being as the Body is the mirror for what appears in the physical world, the energy associated with our physical lives has a profound impact on our Mind, Spirit and Passion Energy (which will be discussed in subsequent parts). That being the case, I believe we can gain critical insight into our Body Energy by reflecting on three components of our physical lives:
Career – Meditate briefly on your work life. How does it make you physically feel, in your body? What do you think about your relationship with your work life based on where you are and where you would like to be? How are you creatively designing your work life and what steps do you need to take to manifest your aspirations? And finally, are you passionate about your work life?
Movement – Meditate briefly on the state of your physical body. How does your body physically feel and are you able to do all the things you would like to do? What do you think about yourself in relation to the state of your body? Are you actively caring for your body and embracing what you would consider a balanced lifestyle? And finally, do you appreciative your body?
Health and Well-being – Meditate briefly on the state of your health and well-being. Are you taking the steps necessary to maintain your body with a healthy diet and exercise? Are you managing the stresses of life to achieve harmony? Are you embodying your daily activities in a state of mindfulness? And finally, do you have gratitude for the state of your health and well-being?
These questions will lead to many others and potentially begin to open any obstructions and identify opportunities for change. If we take the time to slow down and authentically reflect on the different aspects of our Body Energy, we can begin the process of balancing this energy as well as beginning to integrate and unify all the energies of our lives (body, mind, spirit & passion energy).
Thoughts? Comments?
Please visit my Blog at Daibozen.com for more information.
We all learned in school that energy is a conserved quantity that can be converted in form, but not created or destroyed. Living organisms require energy to stay alive and the Earth’s climate and ecosystem are driven by the radiant energy of the sun and the geothermal energy contained within the earth. At our most fundamental level, we are all energy manifesting different realities in space time. In the Heart Sutra we chant, “all things are expressions of emptiness, not born, not destroyed.” Is energy just another word for emptiness?
All matter and psychological processes — physical, mental, spiritual and emotional actions — are composed of energy. Nothing rests alone, everything vibrates together. In early Buddhism, the four elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water were considered the sensory and perceptual qualities associated with the fundamental energies that make up our existence.
The Earth element represents Physical (Body) Energy – exhibits solidity. The material, practical and conservative. Physical (Body) energy symbolizes the plan of objective, quantifiable reality. It symbolizes any organized system that can be discerned in the physical plane. It is the passive receiver of the formative spirit symbolized by Fire (Spirit) energy and Air (Mind) energy. As the material manifestation of order, it establishes the support of any realization. The Body is a mirror for what appears in the physical world.
The Air element represents Mental (Mind) Energy – exhibits mobility. The intellectual, rational and verbal communication, decisive and aggressive. Mental (Mind) energy symbolizes the lightning action of communication and the righteousness of the spirit. It gives evidence and asserts authority sets the laws and defines the rules. It cuts through, in a decisive way, to open and clarify action.
The Fire element represents Spiritual (Spirit) Energy – exhibits kindling. The desire, passion, outgoing and energetic creative principle of action. Spiritual (Spirit) energy symbolizes the original impulse, the authority, the power allowing the constructive development in any endeavor. The spirit mirrors consciousness and provides insight into the core of who and what is – both internal and external.
The Water element represents Emotional (Passion) Energy – exhibits fluidity. The sentimental, romantic, social and sacred. Emotional (Passion) energy symbolizes all the mysteries of the Genesis, life, death and resurrection. It represents the universal matrix containing the essence of all life, the source of abundance and plenitude.
So now that we see our existence is potentially made up of energy constituting four distinct and inseparable aspects of our lives: Body, Mind, Spirit, Passion, how do we know where to put our attention and focus to fully manifest Buddha nature as it arises? As we chant in the Merging of Sameness and Differences, “Every sensation and realm of consciousness, intermingle even as they shine alone, interacting even as they merge, yet keeping their places in expressions of their own.”
I believe this is where meditation, specifically Zazen, can assist us.
Thoughts? Comments?
Please visit my Blog at daibozen.com for more information.
