ED, To be honest, I label my post-kensho experience 'kundalini' because it seems to match what others have described in their 'kundalini-rising' accounts (an energy rising thru the spine; an acute blissful state; a feeling of oneness; breathing suspended etc.). I do feel, however, that this part of the kensho experience is not at all important and, in fact, can be an obstacle (wishing to relive it again). I also believe it is something that happens to us physiologically due to the sense of liberation kensho provides. In other words, if you looked at the brain of a person during or immediately after such an experience (satori/kundalini/mystical etc) you would expect to see raised levels of serotonin, endorphins, adrenaline etc.
I have heard of the term 'cosmic consciousness' before and may even have read a little about it (but now forgotten). Thanks, I'll look into it again. Have you ever heard or read anything by D.E Harding? His book 'On Having No Head' is the most amazing account of the satori/kensho 'experience' and is an accessible experience to anyone who reads his work. You can also read (and try) his experiments if you type in 'The headless way' in your search engine. Mike ________________________________ From: ED <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Sun, 27 March, 2011 21:49:18 Subject: Re: [Zen] Why bother with Zazen? Mike, Fascinating! I had never imagined a connection between kundalini and zen! If you have not already seen it, you and Steve and others may find the century year old work of a Canadian psychiatrist, Dr. Maurice Bucke, titled: 'Cosmic Consciousness' quite fascinating. In it, Bucke examines the 'cosmic consciousness' experiences of: The Buddha, Jesus, St. Paul, Plotinus, Mohammed, Dante, Las Casas, John Yepes, Francis Bacon, Jacob Behmen, William Blake,Honore de Balzac, Walt Whitman, Honore de Balzac, Walt Whitmen and Edward Carpenter, as well as 36 other 'lesser' cases. --ED --- In [email protected], mike brown <uerusuboyo@...> wrote: > > Steve, > > The below account is the story of how I became involved in Zen, but is by no > means the most 'important' (a hundred candles together illuminate the cave > more > > than one, but the first candle separates us from the dark). I welcome your > question because I also welcome your words on what I have to say. Please >forgive > > the clumsiness of my words, although my excuse is that the spoken/written > word > can never convey the ineffability of my story. > > > I came to Zen thru an event that happened to me about 10 years ago. At that >time > > I was not involved in Zen, or indeed, any 'spiritual' practice whatsoever. In > fact, I was an ardent socialist and materialist. One evening, while watching > tv > > by myself, something clicked (literally, as in the sound) and all before me > suddenly transformed. The objects in front of me were the same, but the > labels > and web of concepts we give things (cup, table, chair. 'me', time etc) just > vanished. What remained were 'things' (forms), but in there natural state or > 'suchness' before we label or conceptualise them. Although the sense of an > 'I' > to experience this had also 'dropped away', there was an > overwhelming acknowledgement (and gratitude) of "This is it!" and "no mind", >and > > that this 'state' was not only Real, but was also so completely > obvious. What > followed can only be described as a full blown kundalini experience, > but after > the fact I intuitively felt this was not as important as the initial > 'experience' of clarity/awakening. I'm missing *alot* out here, but the next >day > > I researched what had happened to me and the nearest thing to it (gleaned > from > other peoples' similar accounts) was the kensho/satori experience described > in Zen literature. Of course, it could also be described as a run of the mill > mystical experience and that's ok. I think what keeps such 'mystical' > experiences from becoming just another memory (although a profoundly pleasant > one) is if it transforms how we live in the world. And it did for me. > > Mike
