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ChangingMinds Blog! > Blog Archive > 18-Jan-08

 


Friday 18-January-08

Looking for God, extremely

There's been a series on TV here recently called 'Extreme Pilgrim', where an Anglican vicar heads East to sample some more esoteric religious systems. It taps into the deep human need to find meaning in life and perhaps some promise of immortality.

In the first episode he travelled to the original Shaolin monastery, the fount of martial arts where the discipline of the body is used as a moving meditation. The reality was something of a disappointment as the place seemed little more than a huge commercial enterprise, with acres of students who came there just to learn kung fu so they could go and be 'Shaolin-trained' bodyguards or whatever. It was hard stuff, none the less, and our hero worked at it until he dropped, but enlightenment did not visit.

He did discover, however, that a monk had left in disgust and set up a small monastery, high in the mountains. So, trekking off, our intrepid vicar found this much simpler haven, where a truer soul of Shaolin seemed to exist. Throwing himself into the gentler but constant practice, he eventually found more than he expected in the moving meditation of the art.

The common theme seems to be repetition and concentration that eventually relaxes and dispenses with all perception of time, from which comes a sense of oneness.

I can understand this. I studied Tai Chi for many years until work overtook it all. Still, I use the movements in walking, sitting and other action and can find harmony in a stroll across town. My wife likewise goes for long walks in the forest with our dogs and finds a similar peace.

Enlightenment, God, or whatever you care to call it, need not live only on mountain tops. As the vicar found, it is really with you all the time. Extreme activities may exhaust external searching and provide a meditative frame but is not the only way. .


Your comments


 There are Two Doors. Two Mind Sets. If you are in One you can See them both, if you are in the other you can only See one. Yet some can go between them both. These Two Mindsets are Spirits. The difference is recognized by their Intent. Also this Intent comes from their Nature. One is True and the Other uses Appearances of Truth. Some never See these Two Doors. Some call these Spirits, the Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Falsity, Good and Evil, Light and Darkness. After a Near Death Experience people describe going thru a tunnel and seeing a White Light. The Tunnel is the Soul traveling past the speed of light and into the Timeless Presence. If these Souls have Chosen to follow the Light in their lives, It has transformed them into Lights likeness and there abide forever. If they have Chosen darkness, Fear will take them away, forever. As a plant Abides in the Suns Rays and draws energy, so we must draw from the True Lights Rays. Ask, Seek, and you will Find. I wish you well. Peace RGC

-- Robert C


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Site Menu

| Home | Top | Quick Links | Settings |

Main sections: | Disciplines | Techniques | Principles | Explanations | Theories |

Other sections: | Blog! | Quotes | Guest articles | Analysis | Books | Help |

More pages: | Contact | Caveat | About | Students | Webmasters | Awards | Guestbook | Feedback | Sitemap | Changes |

Settings: | Computer layout | Mobile layout | Small font | Medium font | Large font | Translate |

 

 

Please help and share:

 

Quick links

Disciplines

* Argument
* Brand management
* Change Management
* Coaching
* Communication
* Counseling
* Game Design
* Human Resources
* Job-finding
* Leadership
* Marketing
* Politics
* Propaganda
* Rhetoric
* Negotiation
* Psychoanalysis
* Sales
* Sociology
* Storytelling
* Teaching
* Warfare
* Workplace design

Techniques

* Assertiveness
* Body language
* Change techniques
* Closing techniques
* Conversation
* Confidence tricks
* Conversion
* Creative techniques
* General techniques
* Happiness
* Hypnotism
* Interrogation
* Language
* Listening
* Negotiation tactics
* Objection handling
* Propaganda
* Problem-solving
* Public speaking
* Questioning
* Using repetition
* Resisting persuasion
* Self-development
* Sequential requests
* Storytelling
* Stress Management
* Tipping
* Using humor
* Willpower

Principles

+ Principles

Explanations

* Behaviors
* Beliefs
* Brain stuff
* Conditioning
* Coping Mechanisms
* Critical Theory
* Culture
* Decisions
* Emotions
* Evolution
* Gender
* Games
* Groups
* Habit
* Identity
* Learning
* Meaning
* Memory
* Motivation
* Models
* Needs
* Personality
* Power
* Preferences
* Research
* Relationships
* SIFT Model
* Social Research
* Stress
* Trust
* Values

Theories

* Alphabetic list
* Theory types

And

About
Guest Articles
Blog!
Books
Changes
Contact
Guestbook
Quotes
Students
Webmasters

 

| Home | Top | Menu | Quick Links |

© Changing Works 2002-
Massive Content — Maximum Speed