Nurture Your Soul

Ramana Maharshi & Alan Watts enter Satsang

Ramana Maharshi & Alan Watts enter a Satsang … & this is what unfolded (in the story of Kelly)…

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…life is like music—you “don’t dance to get to the end of the song. You dance because the point is the dancing…” -Alan Watts

Fun Fact about Alan Watts:
Even though he became famous as a philosopher and interpreter of Zen for the West, he once admitted that he wrote his very first book at age 21 just to pay off his wife’s hospital bill! The book, The Spirit of Zen (1936), wasn’t his most profound work, but it kick-started his career as a writer and lecturer.

Today’s sharing is a storyline brought to you by the story of Kelly and of course the images are created in AI. A little humor goes a long way on this exploration! We hope you enjoyed this sharing today!

If you are on a journey of self exploration, our collection of Zen Koans may prove helpful. (Scroll down for credits & additional reference materials to further support your unique experiential journey

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Zen Koans:

Be Mindful

🧘 Purpose: zen Koan are not meant to be solved with logic or reason

Instead, they are intended to provoke a state of deep contemplation, doubt, and ultimately, a breakthrough in understanding

👘 Origin:Koans originated in China during the Tang and Song dynasties as stories and dialogues of Chan (Zen) masters, later becoming a central part of Zen practice in Japan. Scroll down for more detailedhistorical references & suggested reading materials*

📿 Examples:
Common examples include “What is the sound of one hand clapping?” or “What is the meaning of Mu (無)?”.

🕯️ How they work:
By grappling with the nonsensical nature of a koan, the practitioner’s mind is forced to go beyond its usual linear thinking, leading to a potentially transformative experience.

🤯 Beyond logic: Koans are designed to move practitioners beyond the limitations of the thinking mind and into a more intuitive and direct experience of reality

❓Not just questions:
While some koans are phrased as questions, they can also be statements or short stories. They are tools for awakening, not simply riddles to be solved.

*👨‍🏫 Not for literal interpretation:
Explanations or answers provided literally often miss the point. The true value of a koan lies in the experience it provokes within the practitionerThis journey appears to be one of self exploration thusly one must be earnestly willing to notice…the mind-minding

“You are not the body, not the mind. You are the ever-free Self.” — Advaita

Credits & Reference Materials: