A covenant society rather than a legal society

I suppose that I have various covenants with others in my life, but the most important covenant now is the one with my host father.  He and I live together in Pleasant Hill and I owe a lot to him.  He takes care of me, so I really appreciate him every day. 

Before starting this home stay program, I contracted with him.  This contract had a literally legal binding force, for example, the cost per month, the minimum term of this program, and various hosing rules.

However, other than the above contracts written in a paper, I made an important covenant with him implicitly.  I promised myself “I will behave in a respectful manner with him.”  Based on this covenant, I have lived with him in a polite way and respected him from my heart.  Surprisingly, he also gradually came to behave in a respectful manner with me.  Due to my implicit covenant, he and I could build a good relationship each other.  If I had made an only legal contract with him, such a great relationship between us would never have occurred.  

Likewise in regard to our society, I suppose that not only legal contracts but also implicit covenants within us are important.  I think that a covenant came from our inner voice has stronger power than various laws established by someone.  That is because our covenants from inner voice are spontaneous not compulsory.  Our covenants are comprised of compassions and devotions to others.  If a lot of people make a covenant with others having empathetic hearts, the world will become better, I believe.

Our society is a covenant society rather than a legal society.

Good thoughts, good words, and good deeds: From Zoroastrianism

Now, I take “World Religions” class at JFKU, and this class is wonderful and exciting for me.  To tell you the truth, I didn’t know the reason why I should study world religion before taking this class.  This was because “religion” was somewhat taboo for me.  As with many Japanese, I have no religion although I’m not a complete atheist.  However, this class gives me wonderful insights about world religions.  I’ve never thought about world religion deeply before, but this class is a great opportunity to think about various religions.  In addition, as I always say, the book “The World's Wisdom: Sacred Texts of the World's Religions” is highly recommended.  It includes world religions’ great wisdom.

This week, I learned Zoroastrianism , so I’d like to post my simple impression about this religion.

Regarding Zoroastrianism, I think that morality is a key concept.  The following citation from Zoroastrianism was really helpful for me to recognize the importance of morality.  This was the first time the concepts of heaven and hell, “best existence” and “worst existence” were connected with morality.  I’m not sure that there are heaven and hell after our death, but if they exist, I am really careful to my thoughts, words, and deeds…  It depends on my righteousness.

Listen to my angels

This week, I learned about Zoroastrianism in the World Religion class.  To tell you the truth, I didn’t know about it at all before the class.  So, this week’s class was really helpful to understand it deeply.  The following post is about my essay which I wrote in the class.

Does Zoroastrianism contribute to my heath and wholeness?  Yes, it does, I think.  I received a beneficial hint from the Zoroastrianism’s idea about discernment of wrong or right.  To tell you the truth, I can’t sometimes discern good from evil about my act and will. And also now, I’m wrestling with the dilemma between good and evil, especially about my future.  After I graduate from JFKU (Integral Psychology Program), I’d like to be an organizational consultant and coach by applying Integral Theory and psychological knowledge.  In other words, I’d like to contribute to the business world based on my unique insights or experiences which I cultivate here. 

However, I sometimes feel guilty about the following question.  “Who could benefit from my work?”  I’d like to answer this question “Of course, not only my clients but also those around them could benefit from my work.” ,but I sometimes suppose that not my clients but I could benefit from my work and I may have a strong desire for my success not for others’ success.  I really would like to support my clients from my heart and I hope that my clients will succeed.  However, perhaps I may wish my wealth and fame deep in my heart…

Although I disliked the duality hidden in me, I decided to accept my duality after reading the Zoroastrianism’s idea that “the dualism of good and evil spirits is a moral dualism, existing not in nature or in the Godhead but in the human heart and mind.”  It is not unusual for us to face with moral dilemma in various scenes.  Therefore, it is important for us not to look away from the dualism but to face it sincerely.

Here again, I’d like to answer the previous my question “Who could benefit from my work?” like this “Yes, both others and I. I’d like to work for others and me devoting my heart and soul.”  This is my honest answer.

If I face with ethical dilemma in my future, I’d like to relax and listen carefully to the voice of my angels which are messengers of my God.  I believe that the voice will give wholeness to my life.

Addiction recovery process: More detail 

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

My zazen practice

The following post is about zazen practice in World Religion class at JFKU.

Sitting zazen for 15 minutes is very easy for me.  That is because I have practiced zazen in the morning and night for 15-20 minutes every day since two years ago.  Therefore, zazen practice becomes an essential part of my daily life.

During today’s zazen session, I visualized a path in a beautiful city in my mind.  It was so comfortable and energetic with a lot of greenery and beautiful sunshine.  It looked like Pleasant Hill.  I didn’t think of anything, but I only enjoyed the beautiful scene and relaxed in it.  During the session, I lost my time sensation and I found myself that 15 minutes already passed…

The reason why zazen practice is helpful in my daily life is that zazen makes me aware of being now and lets me relax.  Now, we tend to be surrounded by too much information, for example, internet, TV, mobile phone, and magazines...  There is a lot of information in our life, which we can’t handle, and is flooded into our mind.  As a result, we are apt to lose the sense of being now and feel busy and uncomfortable.  I suppose that zazen practice gives us the wonderful opportunity to restore the sense of being now.  Even if we live in a rush, we will obtain the feeling of freedom, calmness, comfortableness and relaxation if we have only to sit zazen for 15 minutes in a day.

For my experience, in the beginning of starting zazen practice, I couldn’t sit zazen for less than 15 minutes.  Practicing it every day, I became able to sit zazen for long minutes little by little, and I sometimes continued practicing for 40-60 minutes.  The hardest part of anything is taking the first step.  However, once you build up the habit of zazen in your daily life like brushing of teeth, you can achieve a true inner peace.

My life is training to satori: Comparing the Theravada with Mahayana

Although both of the Theravada and Mahayana have strict monastic traditions, there are differences between them in the following points.  The Theravada is called “Teachings of the Elders”, and the aim is to help only a few people who went through rigorous trainings.  On the other hand, the Mahayana is called “Great Vehicle”, and the purpose is to help all animate beings.

For me, the Mahayana is more attractive than the Theravada.  That is because I suppose that the Theravada focuses on the rescue of individual, but the Mahayana pays attention to others with altruistic love.  Please look at a lot of serious problems in the world now, for example, global warming, disastrous war, and economic crisis...  Why these problems were happened?  I know that there are various complicated reasons in these problems, but I think that one of the reasons is lack of thoughtful consideration to others.  It is true that the quality of our life is improving day by day.  However, how about is the wealth of our heart?  Do we become egocentric too much?  Do we need to be more worldcentric?  Please remember the teaching of the Mahayana, altruistic love.  Therefore, I believe that the Mahayana has greater wisdom to offer the world right now.

Regarding to the personal and social transformation, please ask yourself this question: “Who is Buddha?”  Buddha is me?  Buddha is you?  Buddha is he or she?  I suppose that all the answers are right, because Buddha is the universe and we are the universe.  Therefore, all of us are Buddha.  

Of course, we need severe trainings to become Buddha.  However, our life is full of ups and downs.  Can anyone deny the idea that our life is not full of strict ascetic and spiritual trainings?  In my view, our life is the journey of training in itself, and we walk along a path to satori every day.  I’d like to live my life mindfully being aware of the idea that my life is a kind of training to satori.

Yoga and Immortality: Real meaning of Yoga

I was struck by the following sentences from a Novak’s book.

“When the five senses and the mind are still, and reason rests in silence, then begins the Path supreme.  This calm steadiness of the senses is called Yoga.  Then one should become watchful, because Yoga comes and goes….” (Novak, 1995, p. 14-15)

In my daily life, I practice various spiritual practices.  One of my main practices is Kundalini Yoga, whose origin is Hinduism.  Before reading these sentences, I thought that Yoga was some kind of body and mental exercise.  However, my perspective about Yoga dramatically changed after reading these sentences.  That was because I noticed that the real meaning of Yoga was the path to our real self, Atman.  Of course, Yoga includes the meaning of physical exercise, but its true meaning is to reach a higher self, beyond self.

When I practiced Kundalini Yoga, I sometimes felt serene, tranquil and peaceful…  I’m slow to realize that, but this is real Yoga.  The above sentences will make my Yoga practice more fruitful.

Reference:

The World's Wisdom: Sacred Texts of the World's Religions

My true friend in the Confucian ethic

There were many passages which struck me in Novak’s book, but I would like to share the following passage.

“That friends should come to one from afar, is this not after all delightful?”  (P116)

When I read the passage, I remembered that one of my friends traveled great distances to Kansai National Airport, where was located in western Japan, from Tokyo before my leaving Japan.   He was the last friend who I met in Japan before coming to America.  I was really happy for him to come to see me.  We enjoyed eating sushi together and talking about various things in the airport.  I really appreciate and respect him.  That is because my friend confronted a painful situation when he came to saw me.  As you may know, his company, Japan Airlines announced that they must cut the candidates of pilots drastically because of its financial trouble.  Therefore, he gave up his dream to be a pilot.  Despite his depressing time in his life, he saw me off with a big smile…  If I had been in the same situation as in his, I could not have seen him off like that.  I strongly believe that he is my true friend and he is my best friend!!

We, Japanese generally study this passage in a Japanese classics class when we are a junior high school student.  Honestly speaking, I couldn’t fully understand the real meaning of this passage when I was a junior high school student.  However, now, I finally gain a real meaning of this passage.  “That friends should come to one from afar, is this not after all delightful?” is a wonderful passage for me.

This passage told me the following theological implication.  If one person is in a difficult time and nonetheless, gives other people unconditional love, the person will be a saint like my friend.

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

"I Am Well" Visualization

Today, I read the chapter of "Taoism" in The Joy of Sects: A Spirited Guide to the World's Religious Traditions.  This is a required text book in World Religion class at JFKU, and I think that this book includes a lot of wisdom in various traditional religions.  When I read the chapter of "Taoism", I remembered that we had our beautiful inner microcosm in our own body.  It's like a true universe.

This movie shows our beautiful inner world.  Our microcosm is so mysterious and wonderful.

Every day is comprised of yang and yin

I suppose that our world is comprised of yang and yin.  One win and the other lose.  We sometimes feel happy, on the other hand, we sometimes feel sad.  Yes, our life is two sides of the same coin like light and shadow, men and women, good and evil, joy and sorrow, and life and death.  When I observe one thing, I can find two inseparable things hidden there.  They are yang and yin.  Therefore, it may be said that I feel yang and yin energy every day connecting to this real world.

As a matter of fact, I practice Tai Chi (Qi gong) and Zen meditation every morning and night although each practice is only 15 to 20 minutes or so. I started these practices one year ago in Japan when I struggled with my stress and felt losing my mind and body balance.  These practices have given me inner peace, and mental-body balance.  I can receive a harmony with the world practicing these exercises.  While practicing Tai Chi, I try to remember the concept of “無為自然.” This means “abandoning artifice and just being oneself.”  This is the philosophical idea of Lao zi.  Now, in our modern society, there are a lot of artificial things in daily life.  For example, a mobile phone, a car, a TV, a computer… The list goes on and on.  It is true that those items have made our life very convenient and efficient, but I suspect that we rely on them too much.  I think that we sometimes only have to go au naturel doing Taoism’s practices.  That is because each of us have own inner microcosm in our body.  Yes, we are a universe.

I would like to live my life being always conscious of Taoism’s precept.  

Behold Our Mother Earth

The following short poem in a Novak’s book "The World's Wisdom: Sacred Texts of the World's Religions " struck me so much.

 

Behold!  Our Mother Earth is lying here.

Behold!  She gives of her fruitfulness.

Truly, her power she gives us.

Give thanks to Mother Earth who lies here.

 

Behold on Mother Earth the growing fields!

Behold the promise of her fruitfulness!

Truly, her power she gives us.

Give thanks to Mother Earth who lies here.

 

Behold on Mother Earth the spreading trees!

Behold the promise of her fruitfulness!

Truly, her power she gives us.

Give thanks to Mother Earth who lies here.

 

Behold on Mother Earth the running streams!

We see the promise of her fruitfulness.

Truly, her power she gives us.

Our thanks to Mother Earth who lies here.

 

When I finished reading this short poem, I became warm feeling.  Three weeks has passed since I came to America from Japan.  At the beginning of my new life, everything was new for me, so I was somewhat bewildered.  Now I’m being used to my new life little by little.  Who or what did help me a lot?  That was many tender-hearted friends around me and the nature in Pleasant Hill.  Sharing same time with my kind friends or looking at the beautiful nature in Pleasant Hill make me so relived.  As if my friends and the nature told me “Don’t worry, Yohei!  We are always nearby.”  I really appreciate my friends and the beautiful nature.  They are like my Mother Earth which embraces me lovingly and gives a power to live.  Truly, Our Mother Earth is lying here!

 

Regarding its theological and transformational implications, this poem teaches us that Our Mother Earth is always very close to us.  Our Mother Earth may be sometimes human being or sometimes animals or sometimes nature.  Beholding Our Mother Earth helps us to open our heart.

 

Reference: The World's Wisdom: Sacred Texts of the World's Religions  Chapter eight "Primal Religions"