Concentration and meditation are two, but they are often linked together under the heading meditation. Concentration is intense focus on an object, often until one becomes the object and the mind is one-pointed. Zazen in [...]
"You’ve been on the spiritual path for 40 years. What have you learned?” “I’ve learned that there is nothing to be done.” “Ah, but if you hadn’t been on the path for 40 years, you [...]
Karma is an important and frequently-used word, so it is important to understand what it means. In the Sanskrit language, karma means “action,” that and no more. So, when we glibly speak of “our karma,” [...]
The great Indian sage, Ramana Maharshi, told his followers to ask themselves the question, “Who am I?” A psychiatrist or psychoanalyst might also want to know the answer to that question, but the purpose of [...]
I have stayed with Yogis, in the Himalayan foothills, who are masters of Prana, the Sanskrit word for Chi. They seem to be impervious to the cold and hunger. Since we ate only once a [...]
One time some students from out-of-town came to visit me. After doing some T’ai Chi Chih together, the conversation became more general. As is usual, someone asked about reincarnation (a bad term). I pointed at [...]
Tantra says that every cell of the body can be brought to a point of Bliss. If one will do T’ai Chi Chih and then remain quiet for a period of time – not thinking, [...]
People often speak of “higher consciousness.” A man is coming from another state to videotape me in a research project to find those in “higher consciousness.” The truth is, there is no such thing. There [...]
With regularity of practice, the deeper meanings of T’ai Chi Chih become evident after some time. If one does not practice regularly, it is like a pianist who does finger exercises once every two [...]
Teachers and students are constantly asking me to write a book on “Ultimate Truth.” If I did so, they would resent the very “truth” they asked for, as it would threaten the ground of their [...]
Most people who come for T’ai Chi Chih lessons do it for physical reasons, either because of ailments or because they feel it will help them in the areas of energy, hypertension, and more. Thus, [...]
The relationship between teacher and pupil is a very noble one in the history of Spiritual Practice. Never, in the history of such relationships, had I ever heard of a chela (or monk, or student) [...]
