Hi Joe, Nice to meet you too! Thanks for describing you practice.
I attended a one day Zen session once, with a short session of yoga. I think it is of the same tradition since the teacher (Guo Jun Fa Shi) is said to be master Sheng Yen's disciple. But I found it quite different from the yoga I practise, either Iyengar-Hatha or Ashtanga. It feels more like tai chi to me. But that was the only experience I had with yoga related to zen. Perhaps there is actually more to it. I really like Yin yoga, not in the practice itself, but more on the calmness and openness it brings afterwards. It can be deeper than sittings sometimes and all I have to do is let go. I imagine prostrations are like sun (or moon) salutations in yoga, in terms of physical effects. If you bring the same awareness into the movement, it is always helpful for sittings that follow. Mushin is a zen term that I learned from this forum. I think it is a mental attitude that is very applicable in yoga asanas too, apart from almost everything else :p Nice talking to you... Siska -----Original Message----- From: "Joe" <[email protected]> Sender: [email protected] Date: Thu, 17 May 2012 03:32:04 To: <[email protected]> Reply-To: [email protected] Subject: [Zen] Re: News: Stanford scholar tracks meditation's migration from ancient monasteries to modern yoga Siska, pleased to meet you. I've been away from this forum for a long time, and it's very nice to have your reply, thank you! I began with Iyengar-influenced Hatha yoga about 1972, and had stayed with that for years before meeting my Shih-fu in Ch'an practice, Sheng Yen. He taught us physical yoga as well as a self-massage technique. I have continued with Sheng Yen's practices, as well as all the other Yoga I have ever learned, as well as T'ai Chi Chuan. Sheng Yen's way of using physical exercise and massage, as well as Yoga with each and every sitting period is unique in my experience of teachers in the USA. Of course, we lost Sheng Yen a couple of years ago. He has a number of full successors throughout the world, as well as a cadre of dharma-teachers, who, although they have not received transmission, are nonetheless important teachers of his teachings, general Buddhism, and the Master's exercises, yoga, and sitting practices. For Sheng Yen, and all his students who adopt his ways, prostrations are an important practice. They are carried out very slowly, maybe a hundred at a time. Great for the spine, muscles, breathing- diaphragm, and legs. Of course, the blood going to the head and then draining as we stand again gives an influence, too. Over days and weeks and years, it is a wonderful practice with daily sitting. Fast walking and slow walking are other practices. Personally, I also enjoy running and find it is a great benefit to the body and spirit. It especially keeps the breathing in good shape, and helps to allow the belly to relax completely in sitting meditation. This keeps the breathing very, very, smooth, or even imperceptible, so that the body can seem to disappear entirely when practicing. This in itself is not an end to be sought, but it is a condition that enables meditation to become deep, steady, and long. And it is good for health, which in turn is good for meditation. Wishing you strong practice! --Joe > I came across yin yoga not very long ago and I also found it very close and > quite complementary to my meditation practice. > > Do you practise other yoga styles? [snip]
