Working with the Breath
The two forms of Reverse Meditative Breathing play a dual role in healing meditation. First, it is extremely useful as a preliminary to other types of meditation. If those who do Mantra meditation, for example, will perform the two Reverse Meditative Breaths before [...]
Identification With The Real
Most people use the word spiritual (as opposed to physical) without having any idea of the meaning of the word; they just think of something ephemeral. Even if you explain that it means identification with the Real, they still don’t understand because they [...]
Introduction to Heightened Awareness
There are sincere, seeking people who go away every weekend to a different retreat or seminar, hoping to acquire in a few days, wisdom they do not have. They expect to receive it from outside, not from within. Unfortunately, they are confusing wisdom with [...]
Notes On Movements Just Learned
Now you have learned the movements of T’ai Chi Chih. It is necessary to practice them regularly, not hard to do when you begin to realize how joyous such practice can be. Here are a few tips on what to remember as you [...]
The Mysterious 108
The number 108 holds within it a great mystery, but I have never found anyone who could explain this mystery. There are 108 beads in both the Hindu and Buddhist rosaries. There are 108 movements in T’ai Chi Ch’uan. In Kyoto and other ancient [...]
Why the Need for Heightened Awareness
“Bare attention,” or Mindfulness, is the first step in gaining a “heightened awareness.” But by itself, it is not enough. This bare attention to progress leads to a deeper awareness. Bare attention, by itself, means that every action is performed mindfully, in full conscious [...]
Zen Meditation
There seems to be a renaissance of interest in Zen in this country. I am happy that [we've published my book,] Zen Meditation: A Broad View, which had been out of print for many years. More and more people are beginning to realize [...]
Wabi-Sabi
To understand Japanese culture, one must know something of the wabi-sabi concept. The Japanese sense of beauty, unlike some of the elaborately embellished Chinese manifestations, usually relies on delicate understatement. What is left out is just as important as what is put in. Cultivated [...]
Circulating the Chi
The secret Nei Kung (pronounced nei gung in Chinese and nai kan in Japanese) is a comparatively simple meditation that has great healing properties. It is little known because it is generally considered part of an oral tradition; that is, it is usually [...]