Dharma-Zen Blog

Inner Peace: Zen Music CD

Dharmazen online store will start to sell a wide range of goods of good quality and good taste at a reasonable price. You can depend on these three properties, something not all online stores can provide. The store is currently based in Taiwan ROC and has ready access to markets most North American and European stores do not.
The store will offer martial arts clothes like pants, shirts and jackets. It will also have related goods like meditation pillows, tea, tea sets, incense, and music. Any reasonable request for goods not listed can also be filled.

Inner Peace: Zen Music CD: Can help you meditate and practice T’ai Chi and Yoga.

About Zen, a lot could be said, but that would not be Zen, so the ancients keep silent. Zen is everywhere. It’s origin determined only by the listener. A summer breeze, the full moon of Autumn, a stream trickling from a cave, a boat on the river, as well as everything around us. All is like mountain dew, implying Zen.
Zen or non-Zen mind depends on what you take from this moment. A pot of tea, a cool breeze and a bright moon keeping you company in the night while you sit in your room with an idle mind are all part of a world of good intentions; universally enjoyed. But this is not Zen. As this environment changes, so too can a heart, quickly falling into a life of toil. Daily trivial details may overcome this sense, causing it to disappear. The meaning of Zen in life is to halt yourself in the room of quiet pleasure, and keep it through the daily traverse of space and time, covering the breadth of life. The situation doesn’t transfer its trivial details to you. On the contrary, you transfer your zen to your situation. It is when you have this heart to turn things that you are Buddha. People living in harmony with Zen hear its music twenty-four hours a day, not consuming their life chasing fleeting happiness that changes with the environment. All this is Zen. But all this is not Zen because, by speaking about it, the true meaning is limited and the mystery broken.
Let’s encourage each other in this spirit. Let’s transcend the endless hustle and bustle of human existence. We hope you like this album, in that order.

Tibetan Mantras for Turbulent Times:3. Purification: Om Benza Satto Hung 10. Dedication
Tibetan Mantras for Turbulent Times features Deva Premal & the Gyuto Monks of Tibet in a powerful, deeply moving mantra meditation album, offering eight Tibetan mantras chanted 108 times each. Notes from Deva and from the Gyuto Monks on how to best use these mantras for a personal meditation practice, as well as their meanings, are posted in the Lyrics & Chords section of Deva & Miten’s website.
All proceeds from the CD are directed to the Gyuto Monastery in Dharamsala, India, the Phowa Project, and Veggiyana.
credits
released 01 March 2011
Produced by Deva Premal & Miten in collaboration with Gyuto House Australia
All royalties donated to the Tibetan people in exile.

Zen Music1-Lotus Please click on the link to listen the music Track02-cutmp3.net

OM MANI PADME HUM is a mantra particularly associated with the four-armed Shadakshari form of Avalokiteshvara. Mani means “the jewel” and Padma means “the lotus”. It is the six syllabled mantra of the bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokiteshvara (Tibetan Chenrezig, Chinese Guanyin). The mantra is especially revered by the devotees of the Dalai Lama, as he is said to be an incarnation of Chenrezig or Avalokiteshvara. It is commonly carved onto rocks and written on paper which is inserted into prayer wheels, said to increase the mantra’s effects.

Zen Music2-8 Winds Please click on the link to listen the music Track02_0114
Track05
Eight winds arrive from all directions: speaking of suffering, emptness, impermanence, the sound of Dharma.

If you like the music you can buy the CD from Dharmazen online store:http://www.damazen.com/cargo/index.html

Some Useful Acupuncture Points For Headache Relief

Overall our quality of life is better than thirty years ago, but our rhythm of life is also faster than ever before. Being busy and hurried has become a part of our modern lifestyle. As a result, many people have headaches, especially migraines. The most common headaches treatment is to take pills and then wait to see if the medication will work. But did you know that pressing the right acupuncture points will also mitigate your headache?
There are several acupuncture points linked to easing headaches:

1. GB 7 Acupuncture Point – QuBin – Gall Bladder Meridian
Chinese Name QuBin http://tcmdiscovery.com/2007/8-23/2007823164331.html
English Name Temporal Hairline Curve

Location: On the head at the crossing point of the vertical posterior border of the temple at a horizontal line through the ear apex (1 fingerbreadth anterior to TH 20).

Point Associations:
Intersection Point of the GB & UB Meridians

Actions & Effects:
Local Point, usually for headache.
Use both of your thumbs to press your Qu Bin point. Then, using medium force and speed, rub in tiny circles twenty to thirty times.

2. ST 8 Acupuncture Point – TouWei – Stomach Meridian
Chinese Name Touwei http://tcmdiscovery.com/2007/8-16/200781612520.html
English Name Head Corner

Location: Directly above ST 7, 0.5 cm within the anterior hairline at the corner of the forehead, 4.5 cm lateral to the midline of the head (GV 24).

Precautions: No Moxabustion.

Point Associations:
Intersection Point of the ST & GB Meridians.

Actions & Effects:
Classically mentioned for “splitting headache; headache w/nausea/vomiting; headache w/eye pain (migraine)” – particularly for frontal headaches.
Poor vision, twitching eyelids, eye pain, excessive tearing. Dizziness. Hair loss.
Use both of your thumbs to press your Tou Wei point. Then, using medium force and speed, rub in tiny circles twenty to thirty times.

3. GV 24 Acupuncture Point – ShenTing – Governing Vessel Meridian
Chinese Name ShenTing http://tcmdiscovery.com/2007/8-23/200782311246.html
English Name Spirit Court

Location: Midway between the AHL and GV 23.
Tong Ren/Tam Healing System: Effects the cranial nerve system, useful for all issues related to the cranial nerves, TMJ, vertigo.

Point Associations:
Intersection Point of the Governing Vessel, Urinary Bladder & Stomach Channels

Actions & Effects:
Local point for frontal headache, chronic sinusitis, nosebleeds, excessive tearing.
Differentiation: GV 23 is more for nose problems whereas GV 24 is more for headaches.
Use your middle fingers to press your Shen Ting point. Then, using medium force and speed, rub in tiny circles twenty to thirty times.

Besides the three acupuncture points for headache. If you also have sleeplessness problem you also can try press Shenmen point to improve the sleeplessness problem.

HT 7 Acupuncture Point – ShenMen – Heart Meridian
http://tcmdiscovery.com/2007/8-16/2007816101818.html
Chinese Name ShenMen
English Name Spirit Gate

Location: At the wrist crease, on the radial side of the flexor carpi ulnaris tendon, between the ulna and the pisiform bones.

Point Associations:
Yuan Source Point
Shu Stream Point
Earth Point

Actions & Effects:
Tonify deficiencies of the HT Qi, Blood, Yin and Yang.
Emotional issues, especially those with related sleep or thinking manifestations – insomnia, muddled thinking.
Heart and Phlegm fire leading to insomnia, anxiety, mania.
Physical responses to emotional stimuli – anxiety w/palpitations, nausea w/panic a/or fear.
Heart palpitations from any etiology as well as irregular heart beat, pounding heart, angina.
Tong Ren/Tam Healing System: Emotional/Psychological issues, w/PC 7 for sweat problems (too much or too little).
Use your thumbs to press your Shen Ting point. Then, using medium force and speed, rub in tiny circles for two minutes. Then change your hands.

Once you know all these acupuncture points you could do the exercises every day. It doesn’t take much time and could really help you reduce your headaches and sleeplessness. Prevention, rather than just treating the problem once it shows up.

The high quality Chinese Herbal Patchs/ Chinese Herbal Sprays/ Ointments are available at the Dharmazen online store:http://www.damazen.com/cargo/index.html

Flower Zen

Today when I walked out my parents’ house one thing immediately attracted my attention: a bonsai tree in full bloom in front of my neighbor’s house. I had to stop and look at it. Then I took a picture to share with everyone. (It’s an Adenium Obesum or Sabi Star)
It makes me recall a Zen Saying that goes like this: “Spring has its profusion of flowers, Autumn has its resplendent moon. Summer has its cooling breeze; Winter has its soft carpet of snow. If you don’t have a heart full of vexations then every season is a good seaon.”
We are so often pressed for time by vulgar everyday things. How long has it been since you slowed down and looking at the things changing around you?

So you want to live a long time?

Make good choices.  Make good decisions.  Walk a moderate path.

Danny and I have posted a few times on Chinese Medicine.  We’ve posted about and linked to articles that discuss the health benefits of Tai Chi, meditation, stretching and chi kung, four of the pillars of our practice.

The classic Chinese perspective is live a healthy life to avoid as much illness as possible.  In the West, we’re more of a get in there and cut out the bad stuff and keep on trucking sort of mentality.  I aim for a balance between the two.  And you find people on both sides of this spectrum in the East and in the West.  Both cultures have permeated each other.

I recently read a very interesting article on longevity.  In this article, like so many other times I’ve noticed over the years, Western research again affirms Chinese Medicine.  The article is “The Key to a Long Life: Conscientious Habits“, by Phillip Moeller, and he was basically reviewing a book about Longevity, called The Longevity Project:  Surprising Discoveries for Health and Long Life from the Landmark Eight-Decade Study, by Howard S. Friedman and Leslie R. Martin.

They took about 1,500 above average kids, born in 1910, and studied them throughout there lives.  The ones who lived longest, were not necessarily the most cheerful, but the most conscientious ones.  The ones that made the best choices as they went along.  The ones that coped with adversity, best.  These sorts of choices and skills led to longer lives.

If one chooses to practice Tai Chi, or Wing Chun, or swimming, every day.  If one chooses to meditate every day.  If one chooses to be good and humble, every day.  Kind, thoughtful, conscientious, everyday.  Then, one would likely have the propensity to live a longer life.

Conscientious Defined, from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/conscientious:

con·sci·en·tious

[kon-shee-en-shuhs, kon-see-]

–adjective 

1. 

controlled by or done according to conscience;  scrupulous:a conscientious judge.

2. 

meticulous; careful; painstaking; particular: conscientiousapplication to the work at hand.

Use conscientious in a Sentence

Origin:
1605–15;  < Medieval Latin conscienti?sus,  equivalent to Latinconscienti ( a ) conscience + -?sus -ous

—Synonyms

1.  just, upright, honest, faithful, devoted, dedicated. 2. See painstaking.

 

Sounds a little like Zen, doesn’t it?

Moeller finishes his article, with this quote from the book:

“Medical treatment is conspicuously absent from the book’s longevity findings. ‘So-called modern medical cures have played a relatively minor role in increasing adult life span,’ the authors wrote. ‘Social relations should be the first place to look for improving health and longevity.’”

Think if everyone drove politely every day.  Think if everyone smiled at each other and said hello while walking by.  How cool and how healthy would that be?

It starts with you.  As Ghandi says, ‘Be the Change you Want to See’.

Practice Every Day, Conscientiously.

Zaijian,

David

Massaging Your Dantien Can Increases Vitality

Dantian, dan tien or tan t’ien can be is loosely translated as “elixir field.” Chinese: ?? d?ntián ; Japanese: ?? tanden; Korean: ?? danjeon; Thai: ???????? dantian literally “cinnabar or red field”. Your dantien is an important focal point for internal meditative techniques.
There are various points on your body called Dantian. There is one at the top of the skull (top dantian), one at the forehead (upper dantian), one below the heart (middle dantian), one down and beneath the navel (low dantian) and one on the soles of the feet (bottom dantian). However, dantian usually refers to the physical center of gravity located in the abdomen (about three finger widths below and two finger widths behind the navel).
The dantian is important in neidan, qigong, neigong, tao yin and other breathing techniques, as well as in traditional Chinese medicine and meditation. In Eastern martial arts, the navel dantian is particularly important as it becomes the focal point of breathing technique as well as the centre of balance and gravity.
Taoist and Buddhist teachers often instruct their students to center their mind in the dantian. This is believed to aid control of thoughts and emotions. Acting from the dantian is considered to be related to the state of samadhi.
The dantian also roughly corresponds to the Indian concept of the manipura, or navel chakra. In yoga philosophy, it is thought to be the seat of prana that radiates outwards to the entire body. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dantian

You can find your low Dantien this way: with your hand flat against your belly, fingers together, thumb above and fingers below, put your thumb directly over your umbilicus. Your hand is over your Dantien. It’s is a larger area that includes both your “Sea of Qi” and the “Hinge at the Source.”

Your “QiHai” or “Sea of Chi” is the point underneath your 2nd finger. It is midway between the navel and Guan Yuan point. It’s the soul of practicing “abdominal breathing.”
The “Hinge at the Source” or “Guan Yuan,” is directly beneath your ring finger (4th finger). It is a reservoir of “qi” and a vital area for practicing and cultivating.

Now that you know something about the importance of your low Dantien, and where it is, let’s massage it. Choose a time when your stomach is empty, like before a meal. This exercise is most effective when you do it every day. Do not do this when you are pregnant.

First briskly rub both hands together until warm.
Then place your right hand on your Dantien, then your left hand on top of your right. Rub your Dantien in small clockwise circles 200-300 times. Don’t rub your belly button.
Now stop and briskly rub your hands together to warm them up again. Place your left hand over your Dantien and your right hand over top. Rub your dantien counterclockwise 200-300 times.

Actions & Effects (As per http://www.yinyanghouse.com/acupuncturepoints/cv4)

? Generally, useful for deficiencies of Yin, Yang, Qi & Blood.
? Main point for tonifying Qi – exhaustion, weakness, chronic fatigue/diseases.
? Main point for Kidney deficiencies of Qi, Jing a/or Yang – low back pain, bone disorders, early morning (5 a.m., “cock-crow”) diarrhea.
? Genito-urinary issues with Deficient a/or Cold Patterns – incontinence, clear copious urine, nocturia.
? Main point for all menstrual disorders with Deficient, Cold a/or Stagnation Patterns – scanty menstruation, pale blood.
? Yang collapse – chills, profuse sweating, SOB, unconsciousness.
? Tong Ren/Tam Healing System: An important point for the storage and development of Qi (energy), useful for deficiency conditions – weakness, shortness of breath, sexual issues.

The high quality Chinese Herbal Patchs/ Chinese Herbal Sprays/ Ointments are available at the Dharmazen online store: http://www.damazen.com/cargo/index.html