Hi Chris, Whilst sitting on my vipassana retreat I experienced many instances of energy rushing up my spine (kundalini), mind expansion, loss of physical/mental boundaries reuslting in feelings of oceanic bliss and even one occassion where I became nothing but a body of minute, blue paricles. I also experienced tremendous amounts of physical pain, boredom and daydreaming. Both positive and negative experiences are important but only in as much as they lead to the realisation/insight that they are just phenonema/maya. Your teacher was correct - just sit thru them with equanimity and don't crave them or push them away. This insight can then be applied to your everyday life where you can accept things as they are and not try to control the uncontrollable. This does not mean that you live life in some kind of numb, zombie like existence (you listening Al?), but experience reality directly as it is without adding a subjective commentary created by a turbulent/fical mind. Mike.
----- Original Message ---- From: cid830 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Sent: Sunday, 7 September, 2008 10:19:01 Subject: [Zen] Chan? Bill, I experienced in deep practice of Zen a tremendous amount of ENERGY while meditating. Usually just when I would reach a completely relaxed state I would experience the most beautiful rush of energy, but through my training I would just ignore this and continue my concentration. Through my very limited knowledge of Chan, it seems to me that JM speaks of this experience of ENERGY the tangible experience of Chi. It seems to me the He can manipulate this energy, or karma, or chi for positive values. So that seems to me at least part of it; hopefully JM can help me out alittle. But that seems to also be a difference between Chan and Zen. Zen just experience Just This, and Chan, cultivate the energies of Just This for a positive existence. Later, And I always reserve the right to completely be Wrong! Chris
