When I'm throwing you, you don't feel a
lot of force, you don't feel a lot of anything; we're kind of moving around
and suddenly you fall. That's internal.
(Tim Cartmell)
The texture of reality
Taoism
and zen encourage us to experience reality in its most direct form.
They aim to transcend
education,
philosophy and
thought.
How?
The
senses are given
precedence. We feel rather than think.
Tai chi
works in much the same way.
Thought impedes our ability to experience.
Instead of
seeing what is actually there, we
look for the things that
please us or interest us and avoid
unpleasant stimuli.
This is a form of
blindness, and it must be
left behind if we want to interact with
existence without barriers.
Perception
Truth
varies according to the individual.
Tao and zen may advocate a more sensory experience of the world, but is
this actually possible?
We do not experience the world through our senses, but via our
mind.
Can you understand the difference?
And the implications?
It is important for us to experience things first-hand, not through somebody
else.
Yet, if everything is
biased by mind, what can we trust?
Our
minds have been
shaped, educated and moulded
since birth.
Do we see things for ourselves?
Can we see without bias?
Are we always prey to the
past?
Does first-hand exist?
Self-directed
We see the world as
we are, not as it is.
This may seem odd, but is very much the case.
Everyone has their own
standpoint to some extent and they channel
reality through their minds.
Nothing is experienced without
interpretation.
Cord:
Who are you?
Blind man:
Whoever you think I am or want me to be, I am.
(The Silent Flute)
Meaning,
values
and judgements impede our ability to really see.
We are hampered by the accretion of education, opinion, preconceptions and
desires.
Only by losing the ever-present
self and
silencing the mind can we hope to open our eyes.
Empirical
Zen
is grounded in empirical truth. It is not theoretical. It does not embrace
symbolism.
It is fact-based, as real as a slap.
Our
syllabus works on the same
basis.
The
tai chi is a practical
experience that can be proved through experiment.
Students are encouraged to learn about tai chi
principles for
themselves.
The exercises, drills and scenarios in our syllabus call upon the individual to
explore the
validity of the principles and put them into
practice.
Your understanding and
skill are pressure-tested so that you can see the
truth for yourself.
Truth is not a
matter of argumentation and conviction; it is not the outcome of opinion.
(Krishnamurti)
Truth
Reality
is often referred to as 'truth' because it is not subject to
any form of interpretation.
Existence or reality just is.
Interpretation, opinion, perspective have no bearing on reality because
reality is too immense and complex to be
contained by thought.
Realising that we cannot apprehend reality is the beginning of
understanding.
Reality
This 'truth' is not something
to be sought, nor is it the opposite of lies and illusions.
It is just a word applied to the raw immediacy of the moment you are
experiencing.
Every nuance that is happening right now around you and within you is 'the
truth'; the humming of the computer, the flickering of the monitor, the feel
of the clothing you wear, your thoughts, the bird in your garden, the dirt
on your shoes...
Every miniscule detail that is happening simultaneously every minute of
every day represents the truth.
It has no beginning and no ending.
Telling the truth
In court, when somebody asks a
person to tell the truth, they are not really asking for the truth.
The truth is everything, all at once, and cannot be verbalised.
What is being asked for is a limited segment of events, a degree of truth,
relevant to their specific interests.
In court, a 'version' is required. Subjective. Biased. Incomplete.
There is no such thing as objectivity. We process our experience of reality
in our minds.
Everything is filtered and interpreted by our memories, experiences and
personalities.
We are entirely incapable of being objective.
Page created 12 June 1999