=====
web site:
"Tango Zen is Walking Dance Meditation, which combines Zen meditation principles with Tango dancing. That is, Tango Zen is meditation in motion, and, if practiced properly, may enable Tango dancers and non-dancers alike to meditate and experience Zen moment while dancing Tango."
"The goal of Tango Zen Workshop is to expose the participants to a number of exercises that may lead them to mindfulness, a state of full awareness of oneself, one's partner, and surroundings. The exercises, adapted from other martial arts, meditation techniques, and sports, involve one's physical discipline as well as attention. As a result, through the exercises repeated over time, Tango
dancers may acquire and/or increase sensitivity of balance, connection, centering, groundedness, weight shifting, all of which are known critical for Tango dancing."
=====
altarlight:
To begin with, although not a follower of Zen myself, I love what is being done by Chan & Eugenia...if for no other reason, because Eugene is my middle name. LOL
That said, I would like to point out something about Zen-style practices. The "meditation" spoken of would seem to have a definition that embraces dreamside exercises to lead to awakening. However, examination of the language often used about such awakening, reveals "awakening" as a heightened sensitivity within the dream, leading progressively into blissful ideation and experience (please feel free to correct that statement as seems appropriate). On the web site, references to martial arts, meditation techniques, sports, and discipline, support this view...and when referencing "attention," one would assume that the reference is with respect to these dreamside ideas and exercises. Also the references to balance, which can only be perceived dreamside, for no balancing is necessary or possible in heaven ("heaven" meaning yourself as spirit).
My comments above are not to trash the value of Zen's balancing exercises, and heightened awareness altogether, but are given to help illustrate that Zen meditation is a different sort of meditation in some ways, leading toward an awakening that is also different...than the awakening referred to in A Course In Miracles. True (or whole, or real) meditation is meditating upon reality only, and not upon or within unreal occurence of exercises, repetitious practice and discipline, etc., toward a goal (although ACIM does reference it that way at times).
There are both helpful and distractive elements to Zen meditation practices. The benefit in general is in the very balance and awareness achieved, and the often more gentle (in some ways) approach and philosopy of living in the (dream) world. Such achievement of attitudinal resolution provides an internal environment, precursory in nature (as relates to true awakening), which allows for less violent ideation in relating to one's perceived world and those in it...and the world could benefit by that alone. The distractive elements in general are: 1)That the belief is included and entertained that this balancing is part of a progression toward ultimate awakening believed to be the same type awakening as ACIM leads toward (whether used in conjunction with ACIM or not); 2)That it is ancient and anciently authoritative, proven (within Zen's definition of proven), very effective (etc), and that its participants find the emotional aspects, experiential changes of approach to the world, etc., desirable, and in the process of that ideation, the reality beyond such temporal pathways is often missed by being misunderstood and misperceived; and 3)That it is widely popular, due both to #1 & #2 above, and to the fact that, being very dreamside oriented, it is more easily understood, and more perceptually plausible than the utter simplicity of true meditation (only upon the real).
Nevertheless, Zen and similar practices can be wonderful adjuncts to the study of ACIM, and acceptance of the atonement. My comments here are primarily to point out the differences, and suggest that, while doing Zen, it is important to remember to look beyond Zen. I think even Zen would tend to agree with that...for I do know of anything in Zen that precludes reality existing beyond any bounds its participants may perceive. Although I always got a kick out of the title, "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Repair," this title, "Tango Zen" strikes me as such a natural way in the (dream) world...and we could use much more natural approaches to this perceived world, with the caveat that the (peaceful) feelings basis of portions of it can be misleading as to the reality of their peaceful nature.
It is also helpful to realize the wood and water aspect of Zen. Too often people expect Zen-style meditation to bring an awakening in which the trials of this (dream) world melt away, bringing blissful enjoyment. Fortunately, Zen attempts to set people straight about that. When it comes to true meditation (only upon the real), people often encounter blocks to awareness of love's presence which revolve around a very similar issue. We see this when people set aside a certain time, in a quiet setting, when everything is as "just so" as they are able to make it, and then "meditate." Although less distraction is helpful early on because of lack of confidence, a non-distractive environment is not necessary for true meditation, and people not having time or available environment (according to their idea of what is needed), encounter this as a frustration...but it is actually a denial-based ploy of self-deception. The progressive (dreamside) flip side of this, is that...after they meditate, they will look outward again to this same environment that kept depriving them of the "right moment" to meditate, for evidence that their meditation was effective (whereas true meditation is always effective). Both of these ideas or beliefs hold people back from becoming willing to become more aware (actually in less denial of their awareness) of their real self (which is different from becoming aware of oneself in the dream such as Zen offers).
When one realizes there is true meditation and Zen-style meditation (which employs a dreamside wisdom that is metaphysical in nature)...with one being real and the other unreal, it makes a nice combination since we all are involved heavily in dreamside experience and its frustrations and blocks to both types of awareness. This latter sentence of mind misuses the world "awareness"...for awareness is one, and is only awareness of reality...what is called awareness but is actually heightened perception, is not true awareness.
altarlight
=========
Hello,
My name is Chan Park, and I am new member to this
group. I am not sure whether it is appropriate.
However, Iâd like to cordially invite you to visit my
web site, www.TangoZen.com.
Tango Zen is an innovative yet natural form of
meditation you can practice while dancing Tango.
Building on the striking similarities between Tango
and Zen, Tango Zen describes a literal step-by-step
method that is both rhythmic and simple to pursue in
order to accomplish a peaceful way of being.
I look forward to hearing your comments and opinions
on Tango Zen.
Thank you.
Chan
The inner light can answer any of this world's queries and resolve any of its problems. Beyond all of these concerns, the inner light will show you who you are and your relationship to all...and bring you an understanding of love and peace that transcends ordinary human thought processes. Discover what it truly means to "love one another" and to "see peace."
| Yahoo! Groups Sponsor | |
|
|
Yahoo! Groups Links
- To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/simplisticmeditation/
- To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
- Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
