Spiritual Odyssey

Most students come to T’ai Chi Chih feeling, “I am going to do a beneficial exercise.” Eventually they find it is beneficial – and joyous – but they still think of it as [...]

A good T’ai Chi Chih teacher must be able to detect the faults of the student – and then be able to correct them. This means that, through his or her own practice, [...]

At a recent T’ai Chi Chih meeting in the Albuquerque Center, I mentioned several sentences to give an insight into the truth of TCC and to motivate those who practice it. I was [...]

There are some lazy people who do not want to take the trouble to do something properly and therefore invent rationalizations for not making the effort, usually using generalities such as “love,” and [...]

To differentiate wisdom (Prajna) and consciousness (vijnana or chit) is difficult. When the mind is obscured by habitual thoughts, it may be referred to as consciousness. When the obscuring habitual notions are dispersed, [...]

When a student is having difficulty learning the simple T’ai Chi Chih movements, it is often because he or she is not moving correctly and has no clear concept of how to move. [...]

So-called “Enlightenment” (different in different traditions) implies realizing Unity. Dualistic thinking or practice cannot hope to realize Unity. Strangely enough, Mary Baker Eddy seems to have understood that. I do not believe that [...]

In my view, there are three things to be done (realized): To recognize, deeply feel, and accord with Impermanence. Then, and only then, is it possible to find out Who and What we [...]

In the Prajnaparamita Sutra, the Buddha speaks of the “Perfection of Wisdom” and the admirable traits of the Bodhisattva. This wisdom is, of course, the Prajna, the inherent wisdom that is within all [...]

Empty space seems to be a vast continuum of energy, and that energy is Wisdom. Energy appears in many forms, including matter, and it’s always there for us to use in recharging ourselves [...]

The Buddha was asked: “Are you a God?” “No,” was his answer. “Are you a super man?” “No.” “Then what are you?” “I am awake!” was the surprising answer. Buddha meant this literally. [...]

The best advice I can give to anyone who wants to be happy is, “Just remember that this life is temporary, transient. So don’t take it too seriously, and certainly don’t become attached [...]