Shared by Reni
Photo of our garden by Sondra
気
Ki in Daily Life by Koichi Tohei
Reflecting on Koichi Tohei’s lifelong training & philosophical viewpoint regarding Ki energy
“Man today has his eyes trained only on the society of man. This is particularly true of city dwellers who almost every day, see nothing but man-made things. They have forgotten the universal world of nature. Turning one’s eyes to the universal and enjoying it is not the exclusive privilege of poets and artists. The universal will unfold itself before anyone who desires it. Those lost in the waves, must turn their gaze to the universal and rediscover themselves as one with it.”
It’s almost like forgotten memories live within us. In the modern world, the main emphasis is mainly on our mind. I would like to elevate the importance of our heart, and our abdomen power to the same level as our mind. In the last few decades through scientific discoveries, we have started to understand the human body more intellectually. Nevertheless, we felt it was there the whole time without any scientific confirmation. Our human heart, our lower abdomen & our mind share similar neuron like structures and they function the same when it comes to sharing, storing and transmitting cellular information.
When we meditate during our zazen kai we open the possibility for a centered unification within us and open a natural ki flow throughout the relaxed body. During the process we start to feel more centered, more grounded within ourselves, almost like we respond to pure energy recharge from the nature of the universe. Although it is rather indescribable because it’s a personal experience. From my perspective, I feel a soulful ease. In a relaxed state of zazen, maintaining the one point inner ki energy along with the universal ki energy airflow in our body close to our abdomen, can help us to feel our innate human power with every mindful breath. To a casual observer, meditation may appear actionless. Underneath the calm surface, we actually experience the nature of never ending action. It’s important to focus on our zazen kai breathing as it helps us preserve our calm state of being.
“The universal is always growing and developing. We must realize that the mission entrusted to us from the universe is to apply our efforts to this development and creation. If only one person becomes a better man, the universal is at least better by that one person. One little light can light ten thousand, which can become the power that illuminates the world. To create a better world, we must start with ourselves.”
Hakone Zendo 