Good morning!
Today we have our one day sesshin. I recently received interesting information about
Dr. Toru Abo, an immunologist, who recommended life like our practice. He said
stress is the source of sickness. We must live a wholly wholesome life in time and
space. Life, using glycolysis for energy production, started about 4 billion years ago,
bacteria with chlorophyll started producing oxygen about 2 billion years ago,
changing the atmosphere for life from anaerobic to aerobic, producing eukaryotes
containing mitochondria using oxygen for more and longer energy development.
Our life reflects these properties and processes in nature.
Glycolysis type cells and tissues (white muscle, skin, bone marrow, sperm, cancer)
multiply rapidly and energize instantaneously with much feeding in earlier life, while
mitochondria type ones (red muscle, the heart muscle, neurons, ovum, general)
change little and energize lastingly with less feeding in later life. The former activate
in hardship, fight and flight mode, even becoming cancerous, while the latter remain
in a normal state, peace and prognosis mode. Adulthood is a balance of these two,
but stresses cause regression to the former type (cancer, hair regress into skin, etc.).
Decrease in stresses or even an increase in favorable conditions for mitochondria
(warmth, more oxygen, gratitude and following natural ways) cure cancer, etc. This is
more fundamental care, not a shortsighted cure of symptoms (which cause more
hardship). Stresses on the heart, brain, etc. cause sickness with excessive strains in
the circulatory and nervous systems (high blood pressure, excessive sympathetic
nerve use, etc.) causing a malfunction or illness of organs. Changing one’s life style,
keeping warm, breathing deeply, staying calm (balancing autonomous nerves, with
more parasympathetic nerve use) contribute to a healthy life.
Zazen is good for a healthy life, but is far beyond it. Zazen is for anyone to still karma
(action, action results: habits, heredity) and see the dharma (phenomena, truth/law
of them), leading to nirvana and bodhi (awakening), thus allowing anyone to lead an
awakened (buddha) life. It is to transcend karmas and take care of them from this
vantage point, freeing and fully functioning in holy (wholly wholesome) harmony,
health, and happiness. The Doomsday Clock was advanced closer to midnight due to
recent situations. The Awakened Way is more urgently needed. Let us all practice
well for all.
1/29/17
Kobai, red plum
Kawazu-zakura, Kawazu Cherry blossoms
Above photos were taken by Mr. Noriyuki Otsuka on Jan. 30
and kindly sent from Japan as usual