Enlightenment broadly
means wisdom or understanding enabling clarity of perception. However,
the English word covers two concepts which can be quite distinct:
religious or spiritual enlightenment and secular or intellectual
enlightenment. This can cause confusion, since those who claim
intellectual enlightenment often reject spiritual concepts altogether.
In religious use, enlightenment is most closely associated with South
and East Asian religious experience, being used to translate words
such as (in Buddhism) bodhi or satori, or (in Hinduism) moksha. The
concept also has parallels in the Abrahamic religions (in the Kabbalah
tradition in Judaism, in Christian mysticism or Gnosticism, and in the
Sufi tradition of Islam).
In secular use, the concept refers mainly to the European intellectual
movement known as the Age of Enlightenment, also called the Age of
Reason referring to philosophical developments related to scientific
rationality in the 17th and 18th centuries.
What is Enlightenment?
Enlightenment is man's release from his self-incurred tutelage.
Tutelage is the incapacity to use one's own understanding without the
guidance of another. Such tutelage is self-imposed if its cause is not
lack of intelligence, but rather a lack of determination and courage
to use one's intelligence without being guided by another.
Qi-Chi-Ki
(氣)"Energy Flow" -The etymological explanation for the form of the qi
logogram in the traditional form 氣 is “steam (气) rising from rice (米)
as it cooks”.Chi energy or life force circulates freely through a
healthy human body, but becomes blocked in an unhealthy body by
stress, causing illness and blockages in the meridians and Chakras
(body energy centers). According to Chinese practitioners, the
fundamental energy of Chi is said to flow through 12 meridians or
pathways in the body, each associated with an internal organ and a
functional body system. This means the internal condition of the body
can influence the outer areas and actions and the outer areas can
affect the regulation of the inside organs. These effects can be both
beneficial and detrimental.
Chi has a similar energy form as water and has to follow the same
universal laws, as does any other form of energy. For the flow of Chi
from one living thing to another, a set of conditions applies between
the giver and receiver of the energy. General health of both giver and
receiver determines the exchange of energy. The sick cannot heal the
sick. As an example of the reciprocal nature of energy we can look at
batteries. If two batteries were connected together so that the energy
could flow between them; the universal law and principles say that the
energy will flow from the battery with the most energy, to the battery
with the least energy, until both batteries have the same balanced
energy. However, if one of the batteries is damaged, the flow to that
battery will be limited. This is similar to the bodies healing
process. If your body was damaged, it may not accept energy easily.
Everyone's potential healing energy or life force Chi level is
different.
There is no longer any doubt that when the Chi or energy of the body
becomes low, the body becomes unhealthy. This applies throughout the
whole body, right down to a cellular level. Medical researchers have
found that when the energy level of a cell falls too low it becomes
unhealthy and can even become cancerous or diseased. In essence, the
Chi level in the "dis-eased" part of the body becomes unbalanced and
would need energy restoration. The logical conclusion is that we
ourselves need to use water and energy, as a "detoxifying recharge" to
survive the rigors of everyday toxemia.
The Nine
Cuts-Kuji Kiri( 九字切り)
Rin - Power
Kyo - Energy
Toh - Harmony
Sha - Healing
Kai - Intuition
Jin - Awareness
Retsu - Dimension
Zai - Creation
Zen - Absolute
The meanings have also been interpreted
differently.
RIN - STRENGTH of mind and body
KYO - DIRECTION OF ENERGY
TOH - HARMONY with the universe
SHA - HEALING of self and others
KAI - PREMONITION of danger
JIN - KNOWING THE THOUGHTS OF OTHERS
RETSU - MASTERY OF TIME AND SPACE
ZAI - CONTROL of the elements of nature
ZEN - ENLIGHTENMENT
Elements-The Chinese five elements are called gogyō (五行), and the Japanese five
elements are called godai (五大). The following article explains the
latter.
The godai, lit. "five great", of Japanese tradition is perhaps best
known in the West for their use in Miyamoto Musashi's famous text
Gorin-no-sho (The Book of Five Rings), in which he explains different
aspects of swordsmanship by assigning each aspect to an element.
Earth Air Fire Water Void(Space) or * Fire * Water * Wood * Earth and
* Metal
Chinese philosophy identifies 5 different ways that Qi manifests
itself in the universe as the five elements.As with all things in the
universe, the human body is influenced by the energies of these five
elements. Any imbalances in the energies of one element will show in
the organs and meridians dominated by that element. Each element is
also associated with an emotion, a body part, a body outlet, a sense,
a flavour, a sensation and a Season. The arrows pointing in a
clockwise direction show how the elements interact with each other.
Fire produces ashes to become Earth. Earth produces metal as ore. When
metal is heated it becomes fluid (like water). Water allows wood to
grow. Wood produces fire when burned. The arrows in the very center of
the diagram show a control cycle of the elements. Too much of one
element may lead to a weakening of the corresponding one.
Mantras -can be interpreted to be effective as vibration, or more
simply as sound, which may include verbal repetition, in the form of
chanting, or internal mental repetition. For this reason great
emphasis is put on correct pronunciation (resulting in an early
development of a science of phonetics in India). Mantras can be used
in Eastern spiritual traditions to divert the mind from basic
instinctual desires or material inclinations, by focusing the mind on
a spiritual idea, such as "I am a manifestation of divine
consciousness".
In English language usage, the term "mantra" has a colloquial meaning
quite distinct from prayer —a meaning that carries interpretive (or
misinteretive) and derogatory connotations found within Western
religion's (ie. monotheism) negative view of Eastern religion (ie.
polytheism) and many of its concepts. In short, "mantra" in English
carries a negative connotation of 'mindless or thoughtless repetition
of a concept,' similar to the negative connotations associated with
the term "dogma."
Karma means "deed" or "act" and more broadly names the universal principle
of cause and effect, action and reaction that governs all life
It is also considered to be a spiritually originated law.It is not
punishment or retribution but simply an extended expression or
consequence of natural acts. The effects experienced are also able to
be mitigated by actions and are not necessarily fated. That is to say,
a particular action now is not binding to some particular,
pre-determined future experience or reaction; it is not a simple,
one-to-one correspondence of reward or punishment.The effects of all
deeds are viewed as actively shaping past, present, and future
experiences.
Meditation is a mental
discipline by which one attempts to get beyond the reflexive,
"thinking" mind into a deeper state of relaxation or awareness.
Meditation often involves turning attention to a single point of
reference. It is recognized as a component of many religions, and has
been practiced since antiquity. It is also practiced outside religious
traditions. Different meditative disciplines encompass a wide range of
spiritual and/or psychophysical practices which may emphasize
different goals -- from achievement of a higher state of
consciousness, to greater focus, creativity or self-awareness, or
simply a more relaxed and peaceful frame of mind.
Meditation as been defined as: "self regulation of attention, in the
service of self-inquiry, in the here and now." The various techniques
of meditation can be classified according to their focus. Some focus
on the field or background perception and experience, referred to by
some as "mindfulness"; others focus on a preselected specific object,
and are called "concentrative" meditation. There are also techniques
that shift between the field and the object.
In mindfulness meditation, the meditator sits comfortably and
silently, centering attention by focusing awareness on an object or
process (such as the breath; a sound like a mantra, koan or
riddle-like question; a visualization; or an exercise). The meditator
is usually encouraged to maintain an open focus:
To meditate, we need to understand two factors: evaluate the
intricacies of the mind (how the mind works) and become familiar with
awareness. Once we know how a thought is formulated, what triggers
thoughts, what are the conditions in which mind is prone to generate
thoughts, only then can we take a leap beyond the cobweb of thoughts
and experience the ever-flowing bliss. To understand all this, we need
to cultivate and nurture attentiveness, alertness, vigilance and have
a sharp microscopic vision.
... shifting freely from one perception to the next clear your mind of
all that bothers you no thoughts that can distract you from reality or
your personal being... No thought, image or sensation is considered an
intrusion. The meditator, with a 'no effort' attitude, is asked to
remain in the here and now. Using the focus as an 'anchor'... brings
the subject constantly back to the present, avoiding cognitive
analysis or fantasy regarding the contents of awareness, and
increasing tolerance and relaxation of secondary thought processes.
Concentration meditation is used in many religions and spiritual
practices. Whereas in mindfulness meditation there is an open focus,
in concentration meditation the meditator holds attention on a
particular object (e.g., a repetitive prayer) while minimizing
distractions; bringing the mind back to concentrate on the chosen
object.
Meditation can be practiced while walking or doing simple repetitive
tasks. Walking meditation involves taking step after step, being aware
of the movement, the gentleness, and the grace of the human body.
Walking meditation helps break down habitual automatic mental
categories, "thus regaining the primary nature of perceptions and
events, focusing attention on the process while disregarding its
purpose or final outcome."
Meridian ( 經絡), also known as channel, in traditional
Chinese medicine, is the common name of vessel, (also known as
channel) and collaterals. It is the path of running qi and blood,
connection zang-fu viscera, communication inside and outside, and run
through top and bottom.The translation "meridian" is claimed to be
improper for inaccuracy.
It is from the techniques and doctrines of Traditional Chinese
Medicine (TCM), including acupuncture, acupressure, and qigong.
According to these practices, the body's vital energy, "qi",
circulates through the body along specific interconnected channels
called meridians. There is no physically verifiable anatomical or
histological basis for the existence of acupuncture points or
meridians.
There are about 400 acupuncture points and 20 meridians connecting
most of the points, however by the 2nd Century CE, 649 were recognised
in China.Such 20 meridians are usually called the "twelve
regular channels" or "twelve regular meridians" , with each meridian
corresponding to each organ; nourishing it and extending to an
extremity. There are also "Eight Extraordinary Channels" or "Eight
Extraordinary Meridians" , two of which have their own sets of points,
and the remaining ones connecting points on other channels.
The twelve standard meridians go along the arms and the legs. They
are: Lung, Large Intestine, Stomach, Spleen, Heart, Small Intestine,
Urinary Bladder, Kidney, Pericardium, Triple Warmer (aka Triple
Heater), Gall Bladder, and Liver. These terms refer to biological
functions and not the structural organ, which is why there are some on
the list with no corresponding anatomical structure.
Meridians are divided into Yin and Yang groups. The Yin meridians of
the arm are: Lung, Heart, and Pericardium. The Yang meridians of the
arm are: Large Intestine, Small Intestine, and Triple Warmer. The Yin
Meridians of the leg are Spleen, Kidney, and Liver. The Yang meridians
of the leg are Stomach, Bladder, and Gall Bladder.
The table below gives a more systematic list of the meridians:
