Following this music link on 2004-06-26 Music, I did some **blog-hopping**... ¹ ² ³ ⁴, and the last one motivated me to write something...
Chad Badiyan writes:
As the oneness of Ki and Do comes together, we get closer to Sho (oneness). At their point of union (the apex of the triangle), centeredness is achieved. The discovery of centeredness brings great personal satisfaction (this is a milestone, similar to the achievement of physical centeredness in the martial arts). Many mistake the feeling of centeredness for Sho, but centeredness is separated from Sho by the plane of limitation. Sho exists in a higher dimension, unreachable, beyond the realm and limitation of man. ⁵
I am interested in Zen and I practice Aikido. I read Chad’s post, and I wondered. I think people talk too much about spirituality.
If you truly understand, you don’t need to talk so much, because you understand that scripture itself can never bring enlightenment. You would be teaching by example instead. Furthermore, if your readers understand, the text is trivial and they’ll just be nodding their heads. If your readers do not understand, however, then the text will be long and confusing.
In Aikido, we sometimes enjoy talking about the moves, the counters, and what happens if he does this and that... But the quality that makes it all worth it involves bodies moving and silent communication between Uke and Tori. It cannot be talked about, it can only be experienced. Thoughtless moves, striking, turning, twisting, rolling, sweating, smiling...
In the book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance there is this term “quality without a name”. Everybody knows it, but you can’t talk about it, because explaining the joy of Aikido will never impart the joy of Aikido on your listener.
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
Talking about the path to enlightenment will not lead anybody along.
So it boils down to this: What do you think? Does writing about spirituality help others or not?
Maybe writing about spirituality helps yourself, if you’re unsure, or if you need to put it all into perspective. But I have the nagging suspicion that if it seems so complicated that you need to write it down, then something is amiss.
Continued on 2004-06-29 Spirituality...
#Spirituality
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Hi Alex, yes you’re almost right... I found Aditya’s blog from Noufal’s blog that I found from John’s blog. What a wonderful world. I am not sure about music labels 🙃 but I think you could like Thievery Corporation - it’s a bit like a cross-over between Transglobal Underground and Massive Attack. It’s way more mellow than Transglobal, but has some very cool songs. Enjoy! 🙃
– Daniela 2004-06-29 00:16 UTC
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I don’t think it’s a black and white affair - A bifurcation between having to write something down and just expriencing it.
I think the idea is in the process. The whole purpose is to increase insight. Some of the things we do help us to enhance our ideas of what we think. Writing about something has a place here since it forces you to translate abstract ideas into concrete text. That would make the fact that some points are subtle clearer to you and would improve insight (atleast it does for me). I like to think of it as a spiritual exercise one does to gain a better perspective. Not because it’s *needed* but because it *helps*. Somewhat like a prayer.
– NoufalIbrahim 2004-06-29 03:09 UTC
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I guess my sceptic reaction is due to the fear of mistaking the finger pointing at wisdom for wisdom itself... I believe that writing is a good way of ordering your thoughts and rething these thoughts. 😄
– Alex Schroeder 2004-06-29 13:44 UTC