Saturday, 27 February 2016
Sougen Roshi's Blog: After Life
Sougen Roshi's Blog: After Life: Recently I have been researching both reincarnation and life after death. Most of the ‘evidence’ for life after death is from those who have...
After Life
Recently I have been researching both reincarnation and life after death. Most of the ‘evidence’ for life after death is from those who have had near death experiences, NDE’s. In regards to reincarnation, the ‘evidence’ seems to be mainly anecdotal, which means that it’s largely subjective.There is a great need for scientific/empirical evidence to substantiate the existence of life beyond death. Curiously, NDE’s are providing some proof whereas reincarnation is not, yet the latter frequently has people claiming scientific proof, when there appears to be none.
There are various offerings thrown in to the mix from the world of quantum physics, more notably, Robert Lanza’s biocentrism and the idea of a quantum soul via the Orch-OR phenomena suggested by Sir Roger Penrose and Dr Stuart Hameroff. However, these are just theories, ideas and prove nothing as yet but suggest the potential for eventually finding the elusive evidence.
Don’t get me wrong, I believe that there is an afterlife. Moreover, I believe that every soul is unique and that we do not inhabit various fleshy vehicles, merely the one during this lifetime, so I don’t believe in reincarnation but in an afterlife, albeit an unknown one. How we scientifically prove the afterlife will probably require us to redefine life itself and the laws of physics. How the spiritual realm interacts with our own, will require examination and I do perceive that the quantum physicists will probably be involved in our understanding of the supranatural. I say supranatural as apposed to supernatural, because I am differentiating them as two separate things; there will always be the traditional supernatural and its associated beliefs, as well as the supranatural which I hope will scientifically prove the spiritual realm. To understand the supranatural we also need to understand the soul or spirit, for I firmly believe that the two are linked. Philosophers and scientists have both searched for proof of the soul, even in ancient times, which is much akin to discovering the mind. Just as there is a physical brain and invisible mind, there is also the physical body and invisible soul, things that define our sentience, neigh consciousness. We can view the brain and body, yet cannot see the mind or soul, but we surmise and accept that they exist. As for sentience, that is not yet fully defined because of our human blinkeredness. We perceive sentience as sign of life, yet what is life? I can hear the answers being shouted at me now, but do we really understand what life is? It is open to opinion and I believe that there are things that are alive which as yet are undiscovered.
A few years back a film was released called, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, in which the heroine seeks to understand the physiology of phantom beings that arrive as a result of a crashed meteorite and I often wonder if we will be able to study the physiology of the soul and mind in a similar way. Maybe at some level, the quantum level most likely, there is the makeup of our soul awaiting discovery and study will aid us in understanding the nature of the soul and universe.
In Hinduism, there is the notion of reincarnation and, according to which idea within one subscribes to, Atman/God is in everything, each life being an incarnation of Atman, so to speak. Eventually everything goes back to be with Atman. In the tri-abramic faiths, God offers us immortality in Heaven. Whatever you believe, the aforementioned faiths have the idea of existence beyond and before this corporeal life. Atheists would argue against such ideas and then there are those who want to believe, if only there was proof.
So what would the affect be if science proves the mind, afterlife, the soul, or a universal consciousness even? I think the news would be profound and believe that eventually there will be proof of something relating to the spirit at a quantum level. Advances in quantum computing and quantum physics will soon open a new can of worms which will need labelling and to be compartmentalized. As the nuts and bolts of quantum mechanics, which bring visible technology to us (e.g. a quantum computer) are being developed, we will stumble across something that links the visible realm with an unseen one.
One such thing that exists in simultaneous states, is our friend, the photon which exists as both particle and wave. Julian Heeck, of the Max Planck Institute, calculates that the life of a photon could be a billion-billion years, if it has a slight mass. If other information comes to light, then it will be recalculated. Also, a photon never dies, it transforms into an electron or electron + positron, which can turn into a gamma ray. Furthermore, Frank Heile PhD, of Stanford University, suggests that the humble photon does not experience any time at all. So, it can live a good while then transforms into another form. Alternatively, it is timeless, eternal. Generally speaking, professionals presume that our little photon has no mass and is the opposite of matter. However, it takes both components for it to exist in our perceived reality. Does the spirit then, like a wave, roll on the shore of another realm or ebb to the ocean of the universe? If the spirit is similar to the photon then it has a healthy life span and essentially never ends but transforms into something else, or is eternal.
In my mind’s eye, I perceive that like a photon, ourselves and all things, exist in two states. The double slit test has already indicated that time works differently for the photon, for its future affects the past. Knowing it’s observed, it reveals itself as a particle, which begs the question, how does it know it is observed? Is it sentient/conscious? Likewise, I think that we exist simultaneously in two states, soul and body. When observed, I am body and when unobserved I am spirit. It’s a bit like this writing you are presently reading; the words did not exist until I have written them, so my past is your present. Even after my life in this realm is over, you can still read my words as if they are still alive. So do words ever die? Did I ever die? Whether or not I am alive in the corporeal sense now, is of no matter, for in this moment I am alive to you.
So, I think that the afterlife and existence of the soul exist. I reiterate, that I believe that all ‘life,’ is like the photon and exists in two states at the same time, meaning that the supranatural realm and this one exist simultaneously, in two different states. If I am correct, I’ll wave at you, the moment I travel past you
There are various offerings thrown in to the mix from the world of quantum physics, more notably, Robert Lanza’s biocentrism and the idea of a quantum soul via the Orch-OR phenomena suggested by Sir Roger Penrose and Dr Stuart Hameroff. However, these are just theories, ideas and prove nothing as yet but suggest the potential for eventually finding the elusive evidence.
Don’t get me wrong, I believe that there is an afterlife. Moreover, I believe that every soul is unique and that we do not inhabit various fleshy vehicles, merely the one during this lifetime, so I don’t believe in reincarnation but in an afterlife, albeit an unknown one. How we scientifically prove the afterlife will probably require us to redefine life itself and the laws of physics. How the spiritual realm interacts with our own, will require examination and I do perceive that the quantum physicists will probably be involved in our understanding of the supranatural. I say supranatural as apposed to supernatural, because I am differentiating them as two separate things; there will always be the traditional supernatural and its associated beliefs, as well as the supranatural which I hope will scientifically prove the spiritual realm. To understand the supranatural we also need to understand the soul or spirit, for I firmly believe that the two are linked. Philosophers and scientists have both searched for proof of the soul, even in ancient times, which is much akin to discovering the mind. Just as there is a physical brain and invisible mind, there is also the physical body and invisible soul, things that define our sentience, neigh consciousness. We can view the brain and body, yet cannot see the mind or soul, but we surmise and accept that they exist. As for sentience, that is not yet fully defined because of our human blinkeredness. We perceive sentience as sign of life, yet what is life? I can hear the answers being shouted at me now, but do we really understand what life is? It is open to opinion and I believe that there are things that are alive which as yet are undiscovered.
A few years back a film was released called, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, in which the heroine seeks to understand the physiology of phantom beings that arrive as a result of a crashed meteorite and I often wonder if we will be able to study the physiology of the soul and mind in a similar way. Maybe at some level, the quantum level most likely, there is the makeup of our soul awaiting discovery and study will aid us in understanding the nature of the soul and universe.
In Hinduism, there is the notion of reincarnation and, according to which idea within one subscribes to, Atman/God is in everything, each life being an incarnation of Atman, so to speak. Eventually everything goes back to be with Atman. In the tri-abramic faiths, God offers us immortality in Heaven. Whatever you believe, the aforementioned faiths have the idea of existence beyond and before this corporeal life. Atheists would argue against such ideas and then there are those who want to believe, if only there was proof.
So what would the affect be if science proves the mind, afterlife, the soul, or a universal consciousness even? I think the news would be profound and believe that eventually there will be proof of something relating to the spirit at a quantum level. Advances in quantum computing and quantum physics will soon open a new can of worms which will need labelling and to be compartmentalized. As the nuts and bolts of quantum mechanics, which bring visible technology to us (e.g. a quantum computer) are being developed, we will stumble across something that links the visible realm with an unseen one.
One such thing that exists in simultaneous states, is our friend, the photon which exists as both particle and wave. Julian Heeck, of the Max Planck Institute, calculates that the life of a photon could be a billion-billion years, if it has a slight mass. If other information comes to light, then it will be recalculated. Also, a photon never dies, it transforms into an electron or electron + positron, which can turn into a gamma ray. Furthermore, Frank Heile PhD, of Stanford University, suggests that the humble photon does not experience any time at all. So, it can live a good while then transforms into another form. Alternatively, it is timeless, eternal. Generally speaking, professionals presume that our little photon has no mass and is the opposite of matter. However, it takes both components for it to exist in our perceived reality. Does the spirit then, like a wave, roll on the shore of another realm or ebb to the ocean of the universe? If the spirit is similar to the photon then it has a healthy life span and essentially never ends but transforms into something else, or is eternal.
In my mind’s eye, I perceive that like a photon, ourselves and all things, exist in two states. The double slit test has already indicated that time works differently for the photon, for its future affects the past. Knowing it’s observed, it reveals itself as a particle, which begs the question, how does it know it is observed? Is it sentient/conscious? Likewise, I think that we exist simultaneously in two states, soul and body. When observed, I am body and when unobserved I am spirit. It’s a bit like this writing you are presently reading; the words did not exist until I have written them, so my past is your present. Even after my life in this realm is over, you can still read my words as if they are still alive. So do words ever die? Did I ever die? Whether or not I am alive in the corporeal sense now, is of no matter, for in this moment I am alive to you.
So, I think that the afterlife and existence of the soul exist. I reiterate, that I believe that all ‘life,’ is like the photon and exists in two states at the same time, meaning that the supranatural realm and this one exist simultaneously, in two different states. If I am correct, I’ll wave at you, the moment I travel past you
Monday, 18 January 2016
The science of meditation
The body-mind link is often associated with the vagus nerve. Stimulation of the vagus can be done by immersing the face in cold water, exhaling against a closed airway (which can be done by keeping the mouth closed and pinching the nose whilst trying to breathe out), and by using breathing techniques. Singing also stimulates the vagus, explaining why reciting mantras can also be soothing.
Meditation helps ‘thicken’ the area of the brain called the Insula which helps us process emotions, feel & anticipate pain, moral intuition, empathy, guilt, atonement, pride, lust, disgust, feel hunger, cravings, listen, feeling shunned in social settings, decision making, listening & giving an emotional response to music, and judging peoples’ facial expressions. Along with the vagus nerve, professionals believe this is where body and mind integrate. Meditation also relaxes another part of the brain called the Amygdala, which appears to monitor fear and anxiety. Also, meditation encourages White Matter, that is the wiring of the brain, to grow. It also lowers our sensory inputs and the monitoring of the conscious self. This enables a feeling of ‘temporary sleep’ in our Pre-Frontal Cortex, even though we are awake.
The benefits of meditation include better wellbeing, better sleep patterns, lowering high blood pressure, reduces anxiety attacks, decreases tension-related pain - tension headaches, ulcers, insomnia - it increases serotonin production that improves mood and behavior, improves the immune system and energy levels.
Neuroscientists have found that those people who meditate shift their brain activity to different areas of the brain, so brain waves in the stress-prone right frontal cortex move to the calmer left frontal cortex. This mental shift can help alleviate the negative effects of stress, anxiety and mild depression.
In fact, research is indicating that managing your stress is as important as a balanced diet and exercise, so meditation is integral to your wellbeing.
Meditation uses breathing techniques and often one will begin practicing meditation by focus on breathing. As you progress, other techniques can be used and incorporated into the practice. One of the fundamental aspects of meditation is the making time for it, which means that you are getting some serious 'me-time.' It is like taking a break, just to sit and merely be. This in itself can be so important with the way our lives can become so busy.
Meditation also aids problem solving and creative thinking, not just because you are taking the time away from doing a task, but because it helps develop the dendrites of the brain, its wiring; as mentioned earlier this referred to as White Matter. The networking of the brain improves by being in an almost wakeful sleep. Parenthetically, this networking has been compared, by some professionals, to the way in which the universe networks. So by taking the time to meditate in can improve the way you think and encourages divergent thinking, that is different ways of thinking and looking at problems.
Problem solving and what spiritual people would call enlightenment are in fact very similar indeed. I have written an article on this which explains the remarkable similarities. In short, meditation is used by many spiritual people to look at the causes of various aspects and conditions of humanity. The moment of enlightenment is almost like solving the problem, or finding the cause, or both. However, it isn't limited to just spiritual people. Many thinkers, writers, poets, painters, actors and singers practice meditation and have had eureka moments as a result. The most famous recollection you may have will be of Siddhartha Gautama, Buddha, who famously meditated and solved the problems of living and prescribed certain recommendations. Another equally vivid image you may think of is Zen monks, slowly walking or sitting in meditation. And this is why the majority of people consider meditation as a spiritual practice. Ostensibly, it is and its practice may well stimulate bigger questions like, "Why am I here?" which require a philosophical answer, but it is not just for the spiritually inclined. And just because you meditate does not mean that you will shave your head, sit in the lotus position and chant, "Om." The benefits of meditation are more than just spiritual. When practiced in daily routine, it brings balance to your life, makes you less stressful and inspires you to be creative.
It's associated attributes, such as mindfulness, can also help you in awareness of what actually passes through your mind, what is actually happening around you; increases observation, understanding, empathy and discerning right from wrong.
So meditating is just as important as having a healthy, balanced diet and exercise.
Meditation helps ‘thicken’ the area of the brain called the Insula which helps us process emotions, feel & anticipate pain, moral intuition, empathy, guilt, atonement, pride, lust, disgust, feel hunger, cravings, listen, feeling shunned in social settings, decision making, listening & giving an emotional response to music, and judging peoples’ facial expressions. Along with the vagus nerve, professionals believe this is where body and mind integrate. Meditation also relaxes another part of the brain called the Amygdala, which appears to monitor fear and anxiety. Also, meditation encourages White Matter, that is the wiring of the brain, to grow. It also lowers our sensory inputs and the monitoring of the conscious self. This enables a feeling of ‘temporary sleep’ in our Pre-Frontal Cortex, even though we are awake.
The benefits of meditation include better wellbeing, better sleep patterns, lowering high blood pressure, reduces anxiety attacks, decreases tension-related pain - tension headaches, ulcers, insomnia - it increases serotonin production that improves mood and behavior, improves the immune system and energy levels.
Neuroscientists have found that those people who meditate shift their brain activity to different areas of the brain, so brain waves in the stress-prone right frontal cortex move to the calmer left frontal cortex. This mental shift can help alleviate the negative effects of stress, anxiety and mild depression.
In fact, research is indicating that managing your stress is as important as a balanced diet and exercise, so meditation is integral to your wellbeing.
Meditation uses breathing techniques and often one will begin practicing meditation by focus on breathing. As you progress, other techniques can be used and incorporated into the practice. One of the fundamental aspects of meditation is the making time for it, which means that you are getting some serious 'me-time.' It is like taking a break, just to sit and merely be. This in itself can be so important with the way our lives can become so busy.
Meditation also aids problem solving and creative thinking, not just because you are taking the time away from doing a task, but because it helps develop the dendrites of the brain, its wiring; as mentioned earlier this referred to as White Matter. The networking of the brain improves by being in an almost wakeful sleep. Parenthetically, this networking has been compared, by some professionals, to the way in which the universe networks. So by taking the time to meditate in can improve the way you think and encourages divergent thinking, that is different ways of thinking and looking at problems.
Problem solving and what spiritual people would call enlightenment are in fact very similar indeed. I have written an article on this which explains the remarkable similarities. In short, meditation is used by many spiritual people to look at the causes of various aspects and conditions of humanity. The moment of enlightenment is almost like solving the problem, or finding the cause, or both. However, it isn't limited to just spiritual people. Many thinkers, writers, poets, painters, actors and singers practice meditation and have had eureka moments as a result. The most famous recollection you may have will be of Siddhartha Gautama, Buddha, who famously meditated and solved the problems of living and prescribed certain recommendations. Another equally vivid image you may think of is Zen monks, slowly walking or sitting in meditation. And this is why the majority of people consider meditation as a spiritual practice. Ostensibly, it is and its practice may well stimulate bigger questions like, "Why am I here?" which require a philosophical answer, but it is not just for the spiritually inclined. And just because you meditate does not mean that you will shave your head, sit in the lotus position and chant, "Om." The benefits of meditation are more than just spiritual. When practiced in daily routine, it brings balance to your life, makes you less stressful and inspires you to be creative.
It's associated attributes, such as mindfulness, can also help you in awareness of what actually passes through your mind, what is actually happening around you; increases observation, understanding, empathy and discerning right from wrong.
So meditating is just as important as having a healthy, balanced diet and exercise.
Sunday, 20 December 2015
There is no death
Do we ever really die?
We have inherited the stars in our cells
Knowledge is inherited from cell to cell
When our bodies renew themselves
Every couple of years, knowledge is passed on to our new self, yet we retain our remembrance of self, who we are.
At death of the body, to the earth our body goes
Yet the soul is the one that continues to flow
Passing on whatever we know
To the earth, the planet, the skies,
The stars, the universe.
So what do we know?
The message, in silence, is forever imparted;
Live and know, and to have known,
and Be
In the countless forms of eternity
We have inherited the stars in our cells
Knowledge is inherited from cell to cell
When our bodies renew themselves
Every couple of years, knowledge is passed on to our new self, yet we retain our remembrance of self, who we are.
At death of the body, to the earth our body goes
Yet the soul is the one that continues to flow
Passing on whatever we know
To the earth, the planet, the skies,
The stars, the universe.
So what do we know?
The message, in silence, is forever imparted;
Live and know, and to have known,
and Be
In the countless forms of eternity
Thursday, 15 October 2015
A bit about me
I was brought up as a Christian, was confirmed, went to different denominational churches. For a while I didn't go to Church. At one point, a 'prophet' said I was without church. But at that point God was closer to me than I ever realised. I studied the Bible, talked to Buddhists and Jehovah's Witnesses, studied 7th Day Adventist literature. Then a literary journey began, to India, China, Tibet, Nepal, back through China to Japan and then back home. At one point I wondered why, for it seemed that I was moving away from what I knew, yet at this point, God 'met with me' and explained, "This is why..." Alot of people don't understand and wouldn't understand why, but I do now. It was learning about how faith has evolved. How, essentially, we have the same moral dimensions in different religions. I've practiced Zen for a long time now and still have my beliefs. I knew what I wanted to do all along, but it took courage and confidence. And now I am beginning to become who I am, who I wanted to be, simply me. Yet to do this I had to not be me. There's something beautifully Zen about that. If you are wondering what I'm talking about, take a walk in my shoes: don't lose faith, look at your religion from outside your beliefs, look at all the spiritual ideas. It's about loving our neighbours, ourselves and doing what's right, peacefully. It's about being in harmony. You can't love your neighbour or enemy if you don't understand them. Learn. Love. Live in peace. Just because someone believes something different from you doesn't make them a bad person; they are who they are. I am who I am. I'm not God, but I know God is.
Wednesday, 30 September 2015
More about the Silence
When you are able to find the silence, that quiet place in you that is also all outside you, carry it with you wherever you go. It's everywhere and when you discover this, you will realise that you are part of the silence. Focus on your breathing, be aware of your surroundings, what you feel, what you hear, what you see. Recognise your heart is beating in time with the universe. Moreover, your heartbeat is only one of the many drums beating to the rhythm of the universe. You are matching your heartbeat to the universal rhythm. Feel it pulsing through you, with you. That same rhythm is in everything and everyone, but some have not heard it yet. So bring the silence to all things, all beings. And when you find another whose rhythm matches yours and the universe, you have found a likeminded soul. You will be able to be silent together and this silence will speak louder than words, any sound, any noise. The silence is comfortable and needs no words. It is the immutable bond.
The silence of trees, grass, flowers, birds lifting in the sky, ants crawling along the way, the trickling of water in a stream, all whisper the same, gentle message, that your heart speaks. In the silence, you can hear it clearly. The rhythm of the universe, its heartbeat, moves everything; day and night, the seasons, the patterns in the night sky, the planets in their dance around the sun. It never skips a beat. It keeps going.
Like a wave on the ocean, that ripples across the water, so the eternal rhythm continues. Our own heartbeats are like drops of water in the ocean of the universe: collectively we are the universe. Hear the water trickle and wash against the shore of your soul. Listen to this and you are hearing the silence. It is in you and around you, it is everywhere.
The silence of trees, grass, flowers, birds lifting in the sky, ants crawling along the way, the trickling of water in a stream, all whisper the same, gentle message, that your heart speaks. In the silence, you can hear it clearly. The rhythm of the universe, its heartbeat, moves everything; day and night, the seasons, the patterns in the night sky, the planets in their dance around the sun. It never skips a beat. It keeps going.
Like a wave on the ocean, that ripples across the water, so the eternal rhythm continues. Our own heartbeats are like drops of water in the ocean of the universe: collectively we are the universe. Hear the water trickle and wash against the shore of your soul. Listen to this and you are hearing the silence. It is in you and around you, it is everywhere.
Finding the Silence
As you begin to meditate, breathe and focus on your breath, the in, the out. If you hear something just acknowledge it; rain, traffic, wind, your breathing, people chattering. Then focus on your breath, the in and out. If you feel something, just acknowledge it; shoes, shirt, trousers, the breeze, rain, warm sun on your skin. Focus on your breathing, the in, the out.
Become an observer of your thoughts.
Become an observer of your emotions.
Become an observer of just being.
In each step, do not judge and assess the thoughts, feelings and being. Eventually, you will find the silence. Here the bubble around you, the 'I,' will dissolve. You will find peace and discover how all things are connected, the at-one-ness, the bridge between here and there. You will have reached out and touched the silence.
Become an observer of your thoughts.
Become an observer of your emotions.
Become an observer of just being.
In each step, do not judge and assess the thoughts, feelings and being. Eventually, you will find the silence. Here the bubble around you, the 'I,' will dissolve. You will find peace and discover how all things are connected, the at-one-ness, the bridge between here and there. You will have reached out and touched the silence.
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