Hishiryo
6 FebHishiryo: Consciousness during zazen, which does not behave like the intellect. During zazen, thoughts appear and disappear naturally. If we let this process happen freely, without giving form to thought, without wanting to flee from them, the intellect becomes peaceful by itself and hishiryo consciousness appears, beyond thinking and non-thinking; it is absolute consciousness. It is body-mind thinking in unity with the whole universe. Hishiryo is inexpressible; it cannot be explained, but we can experience it in zazen, naturally and unconsciously.
Body Functions & Life Process
5 FebBody Functions & Life Process and all of these processes are interrelated and affect each other.
All living organisms have certain characteristics that distinguish them from non-living forms. The basic processes of life include organization, metabolism, responsiveness, movements, and reproduction. In humans, who represent the most complex form of life, there are additional requirements such as growth, differentiation, respiration, digestion, and excretion. All of these processes are interrelated. No part of the body, from the smallest cell to a complete body system, works in isolation. All function together, in fine-tuned balance, for the well-being of the individual and to maintain life. Health depends on the body’s maintaining or restoring homeostasis, a state of relative constancy, of its internal environment. However, the ten life processes described above are not enough to ensure the survival of the individual. In addition to these processes, life also depends on certain physical factors from the environment. These include water, oxygen, nutrients, heat, energy, and pressure. Disease represents a disruption of the balance in these processes.
U. S. National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute.
“Mitakuye Oyasin,” or “all my relations,”
5 Feb
“Mitakuye Oyasin refers not just to the interconnectedness of all that exists – plant, animal, mineral – but also includes elements such as rain, wind, and lightning. Honoring all phenomena in this way allows us to appreciate not just the sky, nature, and living beings, but the rhythms and cycles of the natural world. We can tap into the Lakota Sioux concept of “Mitakuye Oyasin,” or “all my relations,” and appreciate the fact that everything is connected to everything else, making all that is truly one family. From the origins of the universe to the evolution of life on earth, we can celebrate our shared origins.
We are all Interconnected even with the Universe 