Short Essay: The Importance of My Body

I think that my body is indispensable to live in this world, and it’s like a wonderful container. If this container doesn’t work well, my mind, spirit, and soul also don’t function appropriately. Therefore, training my body is really important. To tell you the truth, I sometimes use my “mind” too much, neglecting my body. In other words, I sometimes try to know the world by using only my mind. However, I have faced several difficulties when I tried to understand this real world by means of only my mind. That is to say, I couldn’t perceive the world fully through my mind alone. Then, I noticed that I needed to use my body in order to understand me, others, and the world more comprehensively. I believe that our body knows a lot and often may understand ourselves more deeply than our mind does. In that sense, it is important for me to use and energize my body.

Furthermore, I feel that my body is being embodied in this world when I concentrate on a deep realm in my body. In other words, when I deepen a dialogue with my body, I become connected with my body strongly and feel that I’m embodied in the world. So as to feel this, I need to listen to a lot of voices in my body (sometimes I need to listen carefully to a voice because it could be very silent.) and activate my body enough.  

Integral Life Practice: Dream Journaling

Just after I wake up every morning, I keep a dream journaling. So, I’d like to introduce the effect of the dreamwork. Firstly, our dream has a not only biological effect but also psychological one. In other words, a dream functions as an indispensable role to maintain our biological conditions at a healthy level and an alternative pathway to meet the needs of our id (Frager & Fadiman, 2002). Furthermore, if we keep a dream journaling, we may notice a certain dream pattern to represent our unsatisfied desires repressed under unconsciousness. In that sense, keeping a dream journaling is helpful for both biological and psychological health.

                 Though just writing a dream on a notebook is effective, dialogue and interpretations based on the dream would be more effective. In fact, I sometimes practice “3-2-1 shadow process” based on my dream. (For details, see in Wilber, Patten, Leonard, & Morelli, 2008.)  

Reference:

1 Personality and Personal Growth (6th Edition)
2Integral Life Practice: A 21st-Century Blueprint for Physical Health, Emotional Balance, Mental Clarity, and Spiritual Awakening

My Weekly ILP Short Memo

My ILP log

Day	Body	Mind	Sprit	Shadow	Diet	Relationships + Work
Mon	Yoga (15) + Resistance Training	Reading	Zen (30)	Dream Journal	Mindful Eating
Tue	Yoga (15) + Resistance Training	Reading + Self Reflective Journaling	Zen (30)		Mindful Eating
Wed	Running + Stretch (40) + Resistance Training	Reading + Self Reflective Journaling	Zen (30)	Dream Journal	Mindful Eating
Thu	Yoga (15)	Reading	Zen (30)	Dream Journal	Mindful Eating	Preparing Materials for English Teaching
Fri	Running + Stretch (40) + Resistance Training	Reading + Self Reflective Journaling	Zen (30)	Dream Journal	Mindful Eating
Sat		Reading	Sesshin (Half day sitting)	Dream Journal	Mindful Eating	Teaching English to Japanese Children (60)
Sun	Yoga (15)	Reading	Zen (30)	Dream Journal

The above chart is my weekly ILP. My core practices are running (body), reading a book (mind), Zen meditation (spirit), and dream journal (shadow). I’ve practiced them for two years. Last week, I participated in a Sesshin (half-day sitting) in a Zen group. To tell you the truth, I’ve never joined a Sesshin before, but this Sesshin was wonderful to me. My mind became really tranquil… Also, I’m a member of one NPO in Japan, which supports childhood cancer patients and their parents, and I recently started to teach children English. Last Saturday was the day when I taught English, so this activity is related to “Relationship” and “Work” module. Through this activity, I reconfirmed the joyfulness of teaching.

Half Day Sitting: Zen Meditation

Since last month, I’ve belonged to a Zen meditation group in Pleasant Hill. Today, I participated in a half day sitting. I’ve practiced Zen meditation for more than two years, but I’ve never joined a “Sesshin (half-day or one day sitting)” Honestly speaking, today’s Sesshin was wonderful to me. Obviously, my perception to the world changed (Of course, this is a temporary change of states of consciousness). The world was veiled in tranquility and sacredness.

Value of Sangha: Joined Zen Community at Pleasant Hill

I found a zen community at Pleasant Hill a few months ago, but I didn’t join this community because I had a class.  Happily, I don’t have any classes on Wednesday next quarter, so I thought I would be able to join this community. 

“Now is the time to act.”  This idea showed up in my mind, so I joined this zen community today.  Actually, I have practiced zen meditation for two years, but I have had no teachers and haven’t participated in a community.  I have practiced just by myself.  Some books were my teachers, so to speak.

I suppose if we practice by ourselves for a long time, we may be able to be a zen expert, but it’s significant that we join a community (Sangha).  That is because we can confirm each other’s degree of proficiency and share knowledge and experiences in a Sangha.

This is true in not only a zen community but also in various communities (sports community, learning communities: I think JFKU is the most wonderful “Integral Sangha” in the world).  Without doubt, a “healthy” community accelerates our learning. 

This community matches my feeling, so I’d like to continue participating in this Sangha.  By the way, am I a true Japanese?  I learn the Japanese wisdom and practice"zen" from foreigners.

Enneagram Big Mind

I’d like to show a new spiritual and shadow work which I created by using the Enneagram and “Big Mind (Genpo Roushi proposed).”  Firstly, Big Mind practice is composed of the western psychologies (Jungian, Freudian, and Gestalt therapeutic dialogue) and eastern philosophies (especially, Zen philosophy).    As you know, we have a lot of different roles in us, for example, I as a controller, I as a judge, I as a helper, I as self.  The list goes on.  So, the purpose of the Big Mind is to clarify these roles in us, integrate them, and find true self.  I created a new type of Big Mind process (called “Enneagram Big Mind”).    I think this Enneagram Big Mind enhances the understanding of our unique type.  The process is the following.

Facilitator (F): “Who am I speaking to?”

Enthusiast (E): “Yes, you’re speaking to an enthusiast.”

F: “Thank you.  Please tell me about you.”

E: “Yeah, I’m an energetic person.  I really like doing something new.”
F: “OK. So, do you like yourself?”

E: “Of course, I love myself.  But, I suppose I sometimes bother Self.”

F: “Would you tell me more?”

E: “Well, as you may know, I’m an epicure, so my mind often is occupied with a lot of plans or ideas for the future.  Because of my busy mind, Self sometimes feel exhausted.”

F: “Thank you for sharing.  How does Self evaluate you?”

E: “I believe Self thinks highly of me.  Because, I am one of the important vitalities of Self.  Without me, Self may be bored in his life.  However, recently Self asks me to have a calm mind.”

F: “The advice may be good.  So, if you have a calm mind, how will Self change?  Do you think Self will be happy?”

E: “Yes, of course, Self will be happy if I have a tranquil mind.  Also, Self will be able to fully enjoy the present moment!”

F: “That sounds wonderful!  May I ask one more question?  How do you get a tranquil mind?”

E: “That’s a very good question.  Thank you for asking, but please tell me how to get it…that is my joke.  I believe that Zen meditation is one of the most beneficial ways to obtain a peaceful mind.  Thus, I practice it every day.”

F: “Thank you so much.  Next, I’d like to talk to your Self, bye enthusiast!”

Self (S): “Nice to meet you.  I am Self.”

F: “Nice to meet you, too.  Please tell me about you.  Also, what do you think of the enthusiast in you?”

S: “Well, it is difficult for me to describe me, but I am I-Amness.  I am not objectified…In a word, I am a seer.  Yeah, I really respect the enthusiast in me because he gives me powerful energy every day.  Please tell him so.”

F: “Sure, I’ll tell him so.  He will be happy to hear that.  Thanks.”

The above is a simple example of Enneagram Big Mind, but I think this practice will be very effective when I talk with every type in the Enneagram.  

Music Yoga: Sibelius “Finlandia” Practice Memo

Yesterday, my friend (my study partner in Japan) and I studied and practiced Integral Life Practice (we practice various types of works every other week through Skype).

Last time, I facilitated “Movie Yoga”, so my friend facilitated “Music Yoga” in return yesterday.  The concept is same as Movie Yoga.  In other words, we listen to the music applying the most important concept of Movie Yoga (Safe Zone, Trapped Zone, War Zone, and Free Zone). 

I felt a tingle up my spine maybe four times in the song.  The song truly resonated with me…This practice is like “mindful listening.” 

Integral Life Practice: Movie Yoga-Shawshank Redemption, Beautiful We-space

My study partner who lives in Japan and I study Integral Theory and practice various psychological transformational methods or various kinds of meditations once every two weeks through Skype.

Yesterday, firstly we shared recent events each other and then, we discussed my paper about assessment of human developmental levels.  Next, I shared about Integral Coaching.  Third, we practiced Movie Yoga using the movie of “Shawshank Redemption (Youtube 9 minutes digest version.”  This was first time to practice Movie Yoga in this study meeting, but happily I received high evaluation from my study partner.   I appreciate my friend who told me Movie Yoga, JonaXXXX.

Lastly, my study partner facilitated “Meditative Dialogue” for me (us).  This was really wonderful…I can’t express this experience in words… I was grateful for that moment, “beautiful we space (inter-subjectivity space)”, my study partner, and the universe.  

Shawshank Redemption: 9 minutes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spEAd6yYvqo

Wonderful Shadow Work Opportunity

Living with others is a wonderful opportunity to practice my shadow works.  If I were alone in my house, I would neglect my shadow practices.  Living with others is not always happy but this is a significant opportunity to transform myself.  I train myself in inter-subjectivity space (Internal Collective: Lower Left quadrant).

Today’s Integral Life Practice

The following is my integral life practice in the morning today.

1 I woke up at 7 am.  I stretched my body for 5 minutes using balance ball.

2 I practiced zen meditation for 45 minutes.

3 I practiced yoga and physical training for 15 minutes.

4 I went running for 40 minutes (interval training 3~4 times).

5 Mindful eating (one apple, one banana, a piece of cookie, and one yoghurt)

6 Mindful writing (typing) “The Essential Ken Wilber” Chapter Levels of Consciousness

From now, I’ll work on two final papers.  Then, I’ll read books relaxing.  That’s a nice weekend.

The Integral Operating System IOS User’s Guide Ken Wilber

I watched this DVD and read the guidebook (70p).  I’d like to show the table of contents of DVD and guidebook.

DVD

1 A Map of Your Own Awareness

2 States at Every Stage

3 Stages of Developmental Lines

4 Just Because You’re Good at Some Things

5 States are Free, Stages are Earned

6 The Play of Masculine and Feminine

7 Every Mind Has a Body

8 Honoring the I, We, and It Dimensions

9 Integral Art and Consciousness

10 Integrating the World’s Transformative Techniques

11 The Essential Modules of Integral Practice

12 Signs of Transformation-More Tears, More Laughter

13 Ken’s Integral Practice

Book

Section1 Introduction to Integral Theory and Practice

1 Overview

2 States of Consciousness

3 Stages of Levels of Development

4 Lines of Development

5 What Type?

6 There’s Even Room for Many Bodies

7 And Now: How Do They All Fit Together?

8 IOS Apps

9 Summary and Conclusion

Section 2 Integral Practice

1 Running IOS in Your Everyday Life

2 The Four Essential Modules

3 Creating an Integral Practice

4 Glossary

The importance of weightlifting

The one of Wilber’s core modules in Integral Life Practice is weightlifting.  Today, I watched his DVD and I understood the importance of weightlifting again.  As Wilber says, the biggest impact of weightlifting on us is developing our cognitive ability.  We need good patience to write and think abstract things.  Also, we require strong body so that we can sit on a chair and think for a long time.  So, weightlifting (resistance training) is useful to not only our body but also our mind.

Please look at the attached picture.  He doesn't look over 60 years.  His body is amazing... He is like Thor.

Discover Your Ancestral Heritage by Creating Your Family Tree

Today, I joined a workshop at JFKU.  The purpose of today’s workshop was exploring our ancestors.  Actually, I’ve never thought of my ancestors, so I supposed that this workshop was a good opportunity to explore my relationship with my ancestors.  That was why I participated in this workshop.

Through making a family tree, ancestral meditation and dialogue, I became more and more interested in my ancestors.  My ancestors effect on who I am now.  So, I’ll continue exploring my ancestral ties.

Have you ever had a strong curiosity how your family heritage influences who you are?  Are you ready for an amazing adventure of discovering your family history?  This is a basic workshop of developing your family tree while exploring new horizons with hidden stories and dreams buried deep within the secrets of the family treasures.  Ancestors are calling us to consciously nurture and deepen relationships with them, and repair the energy broken through time.  Possibly you will learn how your ancestors influence who you are today.  A family tree is a start to preserve memories and stories for your children, grandchildren, and future generations.

Recommendation of keeping a dream diary

Every morning just after I wake up, I keep a dream diary.  My friend (he is a facilitator in the dream group at JFKU) recommended me to keep a dream diary to remember my dream and also to understand my dream patterns or symbols.

At first, when I joined this group, I was really surprised that every my friend shared their dream in detail.  On the other hand, I couldn’t share my dream so much because I didn’t remember my dream at all.

Happily, I become to remember my dream more than before due to a dream diary practice. Keeping a dream diary every day enhances my ability to recall my dream.  This exercise is so helpful for me.  Dream work is one of my important shadow works.

Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming

Do you know “Lucid Dreaming?”  In a word, a lucid dream is a dream in which one is aware that one is dreaming.  In a lucid dream, we understand we are in a dream world.  Moreover, we can perceive feeling or emotions vividly and can create our dream freely.

This book includes a lot of techniques and exercise for dreaming a lucid dream.  This is so useful that we can use lucid dreaming to improve the quality of not only our dreaming life but also our waking life.  Why does it enhance our waking life?  The answer is in this book!

The dream symbol of labyrinth: Process of Growth

Every Thursday, I look forward to participate in “Dream Work” group at JFKU.  In this group, we share each dream and exercise various dream works.  This group and members (my friends) are so fascinating for me. 

I have to protect the confidentiality of information shared in this group, so I can’t write about other members’ things, but I can share my dream.

Last week, I had an interesting dream.  In my dream, I lost my way in a labyrinth…  In the beginning, I was walking uneasily in a labyrinth.  While walking, suddenly, I heard a song from somewhere… The song was “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini Op. 43” by Sergei Rachmaninoff.  This is a most favorite song for me.  I felt relieved and continued to walking in a labyrinth listening to this song.

After walking some more, I came to a fork in a labyrinth.  I chose one way but I was not sure about this decision…  Here again, I heard another song from somewhere…  The song was “Requiem K.626 Dies irae” by Mozart!!!  Of course, I highly respect the world view of this song, but I don’t like this song too much.  I feel fearful to listen to this song…  This dream ended here.

Later, by coincidence, I found the description about the symbol of labyrinth in “A Guide to Integral Psychotherapy: Complexity, Integration, and Spirituality in Practice (Suny Series in Integral Theory).”  This book says that labyrinth expresses the process of human growth (p.64).  Umm, now, I’m in a process of growth?  Maybe not human growth but my English growth, hahaha.

Reference:A Guide to Integral Psychotherapy: Complexity, Integration, and Spirituality in Practice (Suny Series in Integral Theory)

Zen practice is enlightenment in itself: My life is emptiness?

I read the chapter of Buddhism in “The World's Wisdom: Sacred Texts of the World's Religions.”  This is the text book in World Religion class at JFKU, but this is so amazing.  This book includes a lot of wisdom in the world great religion.  Just as the title says, this is the sacred texts of the world’s religion.  Today, I was struck by the following sentences.  The author said “In Buddhism, practice and enlightenment are one and the same.  Since enlightenment is already contained in the exercise, there is no end to enlightenment, and since it is the exercise of enlightenment, it has no beginning.”  As I posted my zazen practice in my blog before, I have practiced zazen for almost two years.  To tell you the truth, the reason why I stared to practice zazen was that I wanted to reduce my stress and become relaxed.  When I began to practice zazen, I was struggling with the stressful business world (Before coming to America, I was an international tax consultant for two years in Japan).  It may be true that we can reduce our stress and become relaxed though zazen, but that is a by-product of zazen.  In my view, the aim of zazen is to embody the four noble truths and the eightfold path not through our mind but through our experience, sitting zazen. 

Perhaps, there may be no aim or purpose in zazen…  Zazen is emptiness!  Emptiness is Zazen!

I suppose that Zen practice is enlightenment in itself, and therefore, Zen has no start and end to enlightenment.  For me, Zen practice will last forever, and then, enlightenment will last forever, too.  My life is emptiness.

Reference:The World's Wisdom: Sacred Texts of the World's Religions p100-101

3-2-1-0 shadow work: What is 0 step??

Today, I went to an event of Bay Area Integral in Berkeley.  Today’s lecture was about turning poison into nectar tantra and the transformation of the heart.  Both of two lecturers, Ms. Sally Kempton and Mr. Marc Gafni were wonderful.  This article especially shows the 3-2-1-0 shadow work, which Mr. Gafni told us.  Have you ever read “Integral Life Practice: A 21st-Century Blueprint for Physical Health, Emotional Balance, Mental Clarity, and Spiritual Awakening?" (This book is so wonderful.  I was inspired a lot by this book.  Fortunately, I could meet one of the authors of this book, Mr. Terry Patten who was my facebook friend.  I was happy to talk with him!!)  If you have never read this book, I would like to explain 3-2-1 shadow work very briefly.  The purpose of this exercise is to undo our repression and reintegrate our shadow in order to improve our psychological health and clarity (p.41).  3-2-1 shadow process has the following three steps.

3-Face it (our shadow): In this process, we describe our shadow in as much detail as possible.

2-Talk to it: Next, we talk to our shadow (person, situation, image or sensation).

1-Be it: Lastly, we re-own our shadow.

I know this exercise very well and I try to do this when I notice that my shadow emerges in me.  However, I didn’t know the zero step…  His lecture gave me a breakthrough about shadow work.  O step is the following.

0-Take back to unique self: What do you think about shadow?  What’s the shadow?  There may be various answers in each individual, but he told us that shadow was unique self.  Each of us has a different shadow!! Shadow is unique self and unique energy.  It’s like our DNA.  Therefore, the aim of this step is to find our unique self.  For example, if my shadow is anger, my unique self may be strong power.  Let’s find our unique self hidden under our unique shadow.

Reference:Integral Life Practice: A 21st-Century Blueprint for Physical Health, Emotional Balance, Mental Clarity, and Spiritual Awakening