5 Spirits May 18, 2009
Posted by Geoffrey Wilson in : Philosophy,Psychology,Wisdom Notes , 2 commentsSerious investigators of the human predicament have one thing in common. They want to know what the essence of a human being really is. Not the personality or the temperament, but the essence – the core as it were – of the whole person. Thousands of years ago, the sages of the East mapped this out and explained that the whole person is an aggregate of 5 Spirits. These must be properly assembled in order to restore balance and harmony. So what are these 5 spirits? What are they associated with? How do they operate in the context of behavior? Can they be nurtured?
According to the principles of Oriental Medicine, the 5 Spirits are housed not only in the human body, but in the organs of the body and are also identifiable in terms of the functions they actually perform. Conjoining each of them literally completes the human picture and yet often a failure to do so contributes to the drama, especially when these functions are disturbed. Without balance and harmony of the 5 Spirits, purpose remains elusive. Compassion lies dormant. Transformation is hindered. Body and Psyche separate. In a nutshell, purpose can never align with Will.
So what are these 5 Spirits?
The Spirit of Wood emerges as the messenger of Soul’s purpose.
Disturbances here can be found in people who suffer from an inability to organize their lives and who blame others for their lack of progress in life. Other common problems include timidity, an inability to take a stand, aimless wandering, suffering from a lack of direction, starting but not finishing projects, constantly running into obstacles, and obsessions with injustice.
The cure is to leave no stone unturned in an effort to connect with spirituality on some level and in so doing establish a relationship to the part one may play in bringing the message closer to home.
The Spirit of Fire awakens compassion.
Disturbances can be found in people who find living in the world too intense and numbing out is an effective if not dangerous coping mechanism. Other common problems include a lack of inspiration, ambivalence, lack of coherence, lack of insight, aimless activity, no discernment.
The cure is to open up and not shut down.
The Spirit of Earth supports manifestation and transformation.
Disturbances here can be found in the inability to transform ideas and thoughts into commitments and actions, continually generating new ideas without taking action, an inability to digest life experiences and assimilate them.
The cure is find a way to put an end to worry and obsession.
The Spirit of Metal conjoins the soma and the psyche.
Disturbances can be found in in unexpressed somatized emotional issues, extreme sensitivity to externals, having no clear sense of why things are not quite right.
The cure is develop an awareness of what is actually happening in the body. This can be achieved through exercises such as Tai Chi.
The Spirit of Water aligns purpose with Will.
Disturbances here can be found in people who are drained by life instead of empowered by it, an inability to face fears, those who suffer from complete disintegration of the nervous system, neurasthenia, burn-out, and the repression of instinctual impulses.
The cure is to stop and repair the foundation.
When the 5 Spirits are once again in balance and harmony, the liver, heart, spleen, lung, and kidney mutually support each other. This is the challenge for the present and future practitioner and patient who will need to understand the mechanics of wholeness on a more intimate level if progress is to be made on the path.
Other Side of the Coin April 13, 2009
Posted by Geoffrey Wilson in : Meditations,Philosophy,Psychology , add a comment“Now with training, we can eventually learn to see the other side of the coin,” my guide said.
“We can become aware of our breathing as well as what is happening on the inside. Whatever it is, the breath or sensation, we can learn to observe it without losing our mental balance. And when we stop reacting, we put an end to the vicious cycle that is the multiplication of our misery. In lieu of this, mental obstacles and corruptions merely come and go… and eventually they pass away.”
In effect, my guide was saying that if one watches without judgment, just watches, then sensations of every kind – previously perceived as positive or negative – but now without reference to either positive or negative – then these sensations completely lose their sting. In watching, without judgment, ‘what is’ remains as ‘what is’. Nothing can be done about it. It is as it is.
“The more one practices this sublime technique, the more quickly negativity of all kinds dissolves and vanishes. It takes concentrated effort, but gradually, the mind is liberated from all corruptions and it becomes pure. As such, a pure mind operates as a loving mind. This mind is always filled with love, it is full of selfless love for others, and it is also full of compassion – for the failings and sufferings of others. This mind is therefore full of joy – in the widest possible sense of the word, and ultimately it is benevolent in the face of any challenge or circumstance.”
Truth Serum April 6, 2009
Posted by Geoffrey Wilson in : Philosophy,Psychology , add a commentMy guide had boiled the kettle in the embers of the fire. When he thought it was ready, he scooped it up grabbing hold of the handle with his hand covered over with a rag and poured tea for two into large mugs. A tea ceremony this was not! We were in the bush and the night sky was as clear as crystal.
“If you think about it,” he said, following on from our conversation interrupted by duties of one kind or another, “the cause of suffering is the generation of negativity and when this happens we are bound to become unhappy. Put it this way, negativity cannot coexist with peace and harmony.”
“How do we generate negativity?” I asked him.
“We become unhappy when we find someone behaving in a way that we don’t like, or when we find something happening which we don’t like. Unwanted things happen and this creates tension within. And then while this is happening, desired things do not happen… some obstacle gets in the way to prevent it happening… and again, this creates tension within. The days, weeks, months and years fly past. Unwanted things keep on happening, and desired things don’t happen. We become so tense, so full of negativity, that life becomes miserable.”
He was right. In that moment, I made peace with the fact that our judgments of people and things are the primary catalyst for unhappiness.
“How do we put an end to it then?” I asked him genuinely.
“The wisdom keepers, that is to say, the saints and sages of the ancient world, studied this problem at great length… as I’m sure you can appreciate. They discovered that you have to face the problem. Whenever negativity arises in the mind, you must observe it, face it directly, and don’t ever run away from it. And as soon as the negativity is observed as it is, the mental impurities begin to lose their power and they slowly evaporate.”
“But how?” I asked, not without a trace of frustration.
“Mental purification is the removal of reactions that make people feel unhappy,” he explained to me. “Reactions are always external, aren’t they?
“I suppose so,” I said.
“Think about it,” he urged.
“Aren’t anger, passion, fear, depression, anxiety, and so on, just reactions to what is going on outside? So with training and practice, it is very easy to observe your respiration and your bodily sensations, both of which are directly related to mental defilements. As soon as negativity arises in the mind, the breath will lose its normality… it will start shouting… ‘Look here… something has gone wrong!’ And of course, we cannot reprimand the breath, can we? We can only accept the warning.”
He had a point. In other words, who is the entity outside of the breath making the judgment?
“Sensations also tell us something is wrong,” he commented.
“Having been warned then about the breath, about these sensations, we can observe both our respirations and our corresponding sensations. Sooner or later, we discover that the negativity vanishes.”
“But how?” the apprentice that was ‘me’ asked.
My guide could see that I was clearly unsettled and still somewhat confused. He took a deep breath and continued – seeing the need for much explanation.
“The soma-psyche phenomenon is like a coin with two sides,” he insisted.
“On one side of the coin are the thoughts and emotions arising in the mind. On the other side of the coin are our respirations and sensations in the body. Any thoughts and emotions… or any mental impurities that may arise… manifest in the breath and our sensations of that moment. By observing these respirations or these sensations, we are in fact observing mental impurities. Instead of running away from them… we are actually facing reality as it is. We then discover… that these impurities lose their strength… and they no longer overpower us as they once did. If we persist, these impurities disappear altogether and we may begin to live peacefully and happily… free from negativities.”
I tried it on for size. I revisited the incident. I could see it in my mind’s eye and immediately felt uncomfortable as the breath became unsettled. I watched the breath carefully though and as I did so, the sensations began to dissipate. In a minute or two, I felt nothing but calm. The breath was now steady.
“It works doesn’t it?” my guide asked, as he watched me practice.
“This technique of self-observation is called vipassana… to see things as they really are… it is one of India’s greatest exports,” he told him emphatically.
“It is a way of self-transformation through self-observation. Another word for it is insight meditation. It was discovered or rediscovered by Gautama Buddha more than 2,500 years ago and was taught by him as a universal remedy for universal ills.”
Video – Your Mind Your Medicine February 20, 2009
Posted by Geoffrey Wilson in : Live Face-to-Face Seminars 2008 with Geoffrey Wilson,Philosophy,Psychology , add a commentYour Mind Your Medicine
Oriental Psychology Seminars 2009 February 10, 2009
Posted by Geoffrey Wilson in : Announcements,Courses,Live Face-to-Face Seminars 2008 with Geoffrey Wilson,Psychology , add a commentWe’ve got 10 seminars coming up this year on the key topics related to Oriental Psychology.
These include workshops on the marvelous protocols associated with the ‘Firing Process’, the spiritual destinies associated with the ‘I-Ching’, Taoist Spiritual Practices including chants and special exercises, the Metaphysics of Zang Fu Diagnosis, deciphering the classics – Art of War, Chuang Tzu, and Huainanzi, and of course extensive investigations of the 5 Spirits – ethereal soul, heart mind, intellect, the stone soul, and the willpower – with extensive case histories and corresponding commentaries.
Click here to view a preview of the Oriental Psychology DVD Your Mind Your Medicine
For detailed seminar information click here
Addiction: The Bane of Sensitivity November 7, 2008
Posted by Geoffrey Wilson in : Meditations,Psychology,Wisdom Notes , 1 comment so farAfter an early morning Tai Chi session in Centennial Park the other day, my friend and I discussed the subject of addiction – to sex, drugs, fine food, wine, distraction and many other things. It has long been my view that if the nature of addiction can be understood completely, then it is unnecessary to establish and promote rehabilitation as a means to an end.
What do I mean by the complete understanding of addiction?
It’s relatively simple to grasp. Addiction is attachment – to someone or something. Strengthen the attachment and the more resistance there will be to giving it up. Attachment then becomes dependency. If I observe how I depend on you for my happiness, my safety, to give my life meaning, I absolve myself of taking any responsibility for what is actually going on in my life.
When I see this clearly, it becomes apparent that I am shackled. Restriction of this kind is in essence the seed of unhappiness because if I remain dependent, I will never develop the sensitivity to respond to life’s challenges with a fresh approach. Without vitality of this kind, it is impossible to let go of negative attitudes and behaviours.
So the way forward is to contemplate taking a fresh approach that is not burdened by limiting sensitivity. Addictions erode sensitivity. They are killers not so much in disguise as they are insidiously venomous creepers.
Happiness… when the children leave home May 9, 2008
Posted by Geoffrey Wilson in : Health Tips,Meditations,Personal Freedom,Psychology,Wisdom Notes , 6 commentsAccording to Daniel Gilbert, a professor of psychology at Harvard University and author of the book ‘Stumbling on Happiness’, the happiness of people goes into steep decline after they have children and is never recovered until they leave home. This is despite investing so much time and energy and money in their children! At a conference in Sydney recently devoted to the exploration of happiness, over 2000 delegates also discovered that the continued accumulation of money did nothing for happiness and interfered with people finding other sources of joy.
The moral of the story is that if you think having a baby will bring you happiness, think again! And this brings us to an interesting point. It begs the question, what is happiness? And, how do you tap into it?
According to the ancient sages, freedom from emotional entanglement is the measure of happiness. So what is emotional entanglement then? In a word, it is very simply ‘attachment’ to either ‘this’ or ‘that’. And most of us spend the bulk of our waking moments dedicated to the preservation of these attachments – whatever they may be – and with whomever. Unfortunately, attachments only serve to strengthen the fear of losing what one has become attached to and this sets in motion the vicious cycle of entanglement.
If happiness is caused, watch out! True happiness has no cause and comes into being quite naturally when the urge to be somewhere else or do something else comes to an end. This is called being in the moment. When awareness is from moment to moment, the observer and the observed merge and there is no separation between them.
Meditate on this!
On Spiritual Alchemy – Review of an Assignment March 31, 2008
Posted by Geoffrey Wilson in : Feng Shui,Psychology , add a commentI thought this might be useful for all students enrolled in the Oriental Psychology distance course.
To an Oriental Psychology student,
I’ve just read your assignment.
Perhaps in your enthusiasm you forgot to follow the basic rules.
There are 4 questions.
Identify and explain the basic steps of the Firing Process as spiritual tools to rectify the negative effects of temporal conditioning. This is Q1 of the assignment for Module 2 – Spiritual Alchemy.
You start off with your personal makeup. That is not answering the question! What are the 6 steps?
Q2 is about yin and yang. You don’t ever mention yin and yang. For example, what aspects of steps 1-6 of the Firing Process relate to true and false yin and yang?
Denial is false yin isn’t it?
You need to flesh out the qualities of false yin and yang – for example, pp 61 of Spirit of Change describes false yang as the use of ‘aggression, domination or force’ and pp 193 describes false yin as ‘taking things personally’ – etc.
Still on Q2, step 3 of the Firing Process is ‘hurry when applying effort’. Is this yin or yang? Why?
What about steps 4-6? Are they yin or yang? Why? Explain.
Q3 is about you. It is related to a specific life challenge that you face. You are asked to put this in perspective and relate it to each step of the Firing Process.
Perhaps you could use the personal description of your agitation mentioned on the first page of your assignment here.
It is now important to apply the 6 steps of the Firing Process to your management of agitation. For example, the 1st step is to acknowledge that you are the embodiment of agitation. Agitation is not something apart from you – you are it – the agitation!
The second step is to deflect external influences – in this case, people or things – that you allow to be projected onto you! If you are agitated because someone has said something you don’t like, then don’t buy into it!
The third step is to hurry – meaning, don’t indulge in whatever it is someone is projecting onto you. Apply effort to not indulge!
The fourth step is to relax when everything is settled. Obviously, unless you are settled, you can’t relax into it. There is no point in trying to relax when you are agitated! Therefore, go back to the beginning and follow the first three steps.
The fifth step applies when you run out of juice and need to recharge on the good stuff to get stronger. The good stuff may be something like reading an enlightening book, or visiting an enlightened friend. Whatever you find inspiring and uplifting spiritually.
The sixth step relates to the emergence of emotion. In other words, withdraw when you are disturbed about something or someone. Review your position and review the situation. Establish the facts and make sure you are not just buying in.
Q4 is the final question and it asks you to apply the correct step of the Firing Process to your situation. As evidenced by your attempt to render a personal account at the beginning of your assignment, you need to flesh out how your emotional reactions relate to the various steps. For example, when you mention that ‘a lacking in self-respect sets off the agitation’, this could be correlated to step one of the Firing Process – i.e. a lack of self-respect is based on a judgment you have made (a non-fact, a prejudice) and is a failure to apply inward discipline.
So what is the correct application? Whenever you feel inadequate, immediately establish inward discipline. Judging yourself is not an element of discipline!
Then go through each of your behaviours and relate them to the Firing Process. For example, your desire to please other people (this is a disturbance isn’t it?), to be seen to be doing an excellent job (this is a projection isn’t it?), your inability to say no, not liking to get things wrong, hating to be late, blasting others, getting interrupted, and so on and so forth.
So, back to the beginning. Answer each of the questions. Be thorough. Enjoy the experience. Pay attention to what you are saying.
Trust that this helps,
Geoff
Oriental Mind Secrets – Geoffrey Interview with James Brown #1 December 22, 2007
Posted by Geoffrey Wilson in : Health Tips,Interview Transcripts,Personal Freedom,Philosophy,Psychology,Wisdom Notes , 1 comment so farORIENTAL MIND SECRETS
‘From the Top’
1st Interview between Geoffrey Wilson and James Brown
Geoffrey Wilson (Copyright September 2007)
INT. OFFICE — CONTINUOUS
(JB to listeners)
JB
Hello everybody and welcome to oriental mind secrets, an audio series designed to provide you the listener with access to the amazing work of Geoffrey Wilson – author of a remarkable distance learning course on oriental
psychology.
(JB to Geoff)
JB (CONT’D)
And hello to you, Geoff. What’s happening down under?
(Geoff to JB)
GEOFF
The weather here in Sydney is gorgeous at the moment – but we’re not here for the weather, are we JB? We’re here to talk about oriental mind secrets.
(JB to Geoff)
JB
I miss the Sydney weather to be honest, Geoff. You can’t tell me morning meditations followed by a walk on the beach aren’t to die for?
(Geoff to JB)
GEOFF
You’ve got a point JB. That’s how my days start when the sun is out. I’m a lucky man.
(JB to Geoff)
JB
Some people say we make our luck, Geoff. What’s your take on luck?
(Geoff to JB)
GEOFF
Good question. I think there are two aspects to luck really. One aspect is staying true to your vision.
(MORE)
2.
GEOFF (CONT’D)
When you stay true to your vision and your spiritual plan, your heart energy aligns with your higher soul purpose. Amazing things happen as a result. The second aspect of luck is that good fortune seems to smile on those who are favoured by the grace of God – that little piece of serendipity that comes the way of people who consciously live in
such a way that the laws of cause and effect are respected and followed. Living in this way, the interval between cause and effect never gets too wide – which means there are fewer messes to clean up – unnecessary time is
therefore not spent on doing things that are not productive.
(JB to Geoff)
JB
So what you are saying is that everybody is capable of receiving their fair share of luck as long as they abide by the spiritual rules.
(Geoff to JB)
GEOFF
Precisely. Another way of saying much the same thing is to suggest the term ‘creative living’. When we live creatively, fear is removed as a response to the challenges we face – and in its place, we discover that the vision is everything. When you live in your vision, your heart automatically governs proceedings – in other words, your thoughts and feelings are elevated to perform a more spiritually aligned function in keeping with a higher purpose.
When this purpose is shared, we discover we aren’t alone.
(JB to Geoff)
JB
On that note then Geoff, how do you see your purpose?
(Geoff to JB)
3.
GEOFF
It has evolved over time I think, JB. Initially, I was immersed in the process of learning what oriental medicine actually is – how it operates, the principles, the art. Once, I became comfortable with my relationship to it, I began to explore outside of the box. I discovered that oriental medicine provides a template for the cultivation and refinement of the complete human being – and that within its structure, it is possible to bring the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects together holistically. I tested this out in the clinic, in the classroom, in every conceivable way. And I learned that in general, people are not aware of the mind,body,spirit connection on a
deep level – that is, as far as it determines their experience of health, balance, and harmony. So as far as purpose goes now, I see myself expanding on playing an educational role. One of the avenues for presenting material
is through seminars and classes. Another avenue that I’m becoming increasingly more interested in is television – presenting holistic medicine in a stimulating and visual way. And of course, distance education is the way of
the future.
(JB to Geoff)
JB
I think you are right, Geoff. The indications certainly are that ‘e learning’ is gaining in popularity. What was it like to design the oriental psychology course? What factors did you have to consider?
(Geoff to JB)
GEOFF
I’ve been involved in curriculum development since 1988. The technical aspects of writing curriculum are straight forward. What I really wanted to do with writing an e course though, was to design the program in such a
(MORE)
4.
GEOFF (CONT’D)
way that students would be able to get as close as possible to a classroom situation. To do that it was necessary to include stimulating and exciting learning activities that supported their reading. The most important element however, was the selection of the material to be used. The fields of oriental philosophy and medicine are huge – they are literally worlds within worlds. I wanted to make sure there was plenty of reference to the classics -
especially the I-Ching, the Chuang Tzu, the Wu Chen Pi’en, the Huinanzi, and the Art of War.
(JB to Geoff)
JB
What is it about those classics in particular that led to them being included in the course? Let’s start with the I-Ching.
(Geoff to JB)
GEOFF
The I-Ching is a book of ancient Chinese wisdom and contains the secrets of 64 spiritual principles – keys to successful living – as it were. And successful living depends on self-mastery.
(JB to Geoff)
JB
The Chuang Tzu is a mysterious book thought by some to contain nothing but riddles. Is this true?
(Geoff to JB)
GEOFF
The Chuang Tzu is one of my absolute favourites. In a sense, it is a book of riddles and quite difficult to comprehend without a background in oriental thinking or spiritual practices. It exposes the human condition, sets aside illusions, and does this through storytelling. The book is full of brilliant anecdotes, tales, and stories that are as relevant today as
(MORE)
5.
GEOFF (CONT’D)
they were when they were written, several thousand years ago. Some of the stories in fact are used in modern psychology as a reference – the famous butterfly dream being a good example.
(JB to Geoff)
JB
What is the significance of the butterfly dream?
(Geoff to JB)
GEOFF
Chuang Tzu has a dream. He wakes up in the morning startled to find he is Chou. He doesn’t know whether Chou has dreamt he is a butterfly or if a butterfly has been dreaming it is Chou. The point of the story is to contemplate the nature of psychological transformation – the butterfly does this instinctively. It simply emerges from they cocoon to discover the joy of flight. A human emerges from the darkness of obscurity at some stage to discover
enlightenment, it is not a simple task and it certainly is not easy. The process of transformation is a struggle because the human has a mind and a mind is something that goes astray! It, the mind, can never be whole – it cannot see the front and back simultaneously – hence, the problem of division. So the journey of transformation for the human is to discover the ending of separateness. This can only be done when distinctions between this and that cease.
(JB to Geoff)
JB
Wow! What about Wu Chen Pi’en?
(Geoff to JB)
GEOFF
The Wu Chen Pi’en is a classic text of spiritual alchemy.
(MORE)
6.
GEOFF (CONT’D)
It is basically a spiritual guide to penetrate the mysteries of the inner teachings of Taoism – and these are primarily concerned with eliminating the negative and destructive influences of temporal conditioning – so that the mind becomes empty.
(JB to Geoff)
JB
There is also the Huainanzi – the teachings of the masters of Huainan – sometimes called the book of leadership and strategy. It’s an incredible book.
(Geoff to JB)
GEOFF
Yes. Anyone genuinely interested in the arts of leadership should become familiar with this collection of sayings. The king of Huainan was a ruler of a small principality within the empire of Han dynasty China – second century
BC. He was already quite a distinguished patron of learning when a group of traveling Taoist masters appeared at court. The teachings follow the ancient tradition of Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu and reflect the distillation of the essence of Taoist wisdom and the arts of living using a variety of techniques. Written in a period of reconstruction
following centuries of civil wars, the teachings emphasise the deleterious effects of habitual desires, the negative impact of greed and aggression on human psychology, and the importance of self-knowledge.
(JB to Geoff)
JB
Finally Geoff, there is the Art of War, compiled by a mysterious warrior-philosopher, it remains one of the most influential books on strategy in the world today. In essence, what do you think the book is about?
(Geoff to JB)
7.
GEOFF
When viewed in the light of the spiritual tradition of Taoism, the art of war is a study in the psychology of conflict. By understanding conflict, one develops the skills to diffuse or avoid it entirely.
(JB to Geoff
JB
How does that work in a practical
sense?
(Geoff to JB)
GEOFF
The beauty of the art of war as a philosophical treatise on avoiding conflict is that it can be applied to business as readily as it can be applied to the running of a household or a medical practice. Let’s take an example. The famous
general Jia Lin said, ‘The strength or weakness of a country depends on its generals. If the generals help the leadership and are thoroughly capable, then the country will be strong. If the generals do not help the leadership, and harbour duplicity in their hearts, then the country will be weak. Therefore it is imperative to be careful in
choosing people for positions of responsibility.’
(JB to Geoff)
JB
Excellent! I’ve also noticed that you place a lot of emphasis on finding a way for students to reconnect with their purpose.
(Geoff to JB)
GEOFF
Without an awareness of purpose, life can seem like an endless struggle and sometimes this can lead to the experience of negative thoughts and feelings that inhibit and obstruct spiritual growth and development.
(JB to Geoff)
8.
JB
What do you think gets in the way of connecting with purpose? Are there warning signs that we might be able to recognise?
(Geoff to JB)
GEOFF
There are many. Usually the warning is one of these: You either hate your job or see it as going nowhere fast. Your relationship is either in a rut or you both are going your own separate ways and too afraid to address it. Unresolved issues with mother and father or brother and sister guarantee resentment and blame, and strengthen a case for separation – which is counterproductive. You have money problems that don’t seem to ever go away despite your best attempts to do the right thing. You suffer from chronic health problems that are getting worse and you want to get fixed – as opposed to participating in the process and doing the inner work. Your circle of friends is exclusive and rarely expands to invite now experiences and a welcoming of fresh attitudes. Creativity suffers a loss because you don’t allow for recreation of any kind – and perhaps you have forgotten how to play. You have no relationship to your own sacred space and cannot find a point of sanctuary within that serves as a spiritual refuge. You think with your mind instead of your heart – sentimentality triumphs over love – the connection is therefore cut.
(JB to Geoff)
JB
Your students insist that your contribution to the development of oriental medicine in the west has been to design a metaphysical approach that makes it possible to understand how the medicine works and involves the participant
directly. It is quite unique. How would you define this approach?
(Geoff to JB)
9.
GEOFF
There are three kinds of doctor. The first treats the symptoms. The second treats the cause. The third teaches the way of life – governed by the principles of balance and harmony. When something is wrong in the body and mind, it is because these principles have been neglected. Make the corrections and health can be restored.
(JB to Geoff)
JB
Can you give some examples of how this works?
(Geoff to JB)
GEOFF
Sure. Unfulfilled desires lead to depression. This upsets the energy of the liver. When the energy of the liver is unbalanced, the ethereal soul suffers from neglect and this disconnects the sufferer from living the vision and supporting the life purpose. The medicine therefore consists of reconnecting the sufferer with vision and purpose. Once this is done, the depression lifts. This can be achieved through acupuncture, herbal medicine, effective strategy, and spiritual practice. In other words, to connect with vision, there has to be a sense of higher purpose.
Without this, most people get frustrated, become angry, and look for ways to engage the emotional volcano. The bottom line is that all physical disorders are spiritual disorders. All disorders have a relationship to the internal organs, and each of the organs stores an aspect of the mental-spiritual dynamic.
(JB to Geoff)
JB
Wow. So what you’re saying is that psychology drives the body.
(Geoff to JB)
10.
GEOFF
Correct. And there are five aspects of psychology to consider in relation to the body-mind dynamic. Theses are: the ethereal soul stored in the liver, the spirit stored in the heart, the intellect stored in the spleen, the corporeal soul stored in the lung, and the willpower stored in the kidneys.
(JB to Geoff)
JB
What functions do each of them perform?
(Geoff to JB)
GEOFF
The ethereal soul stored in the liver is to the psyche what the corporeal soul is to the body. Psychologically, the corporeal soul stored in the lung is the realm of the body unconscious – with its storehouse of sensations, emotions, passions, and feelings that represent the neurological intelligence of human beings.
(JB to Geoff)
JB
Fine, that’s the ethereal soul and the corporeal soul. What about the heart spirit?
(Geoff to JB)
GEOFF
Psychologically, human beings are assaulted by a lack of intimacy in relationships that is exacerbated by the modern lifestyle and the ramifications of responding to it in a state of de-sensitisation. Many people in fact, use the technique of rationalising themselves into insensitivity, as Robert Aitken puts it, because the levels of shock experienced while living in the world are too intense – and numbing out is an effective, if not dangerous and ultimately destructive, coping mechanism. In simple terms, numbing out is a protective mechanism.
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11.
GEOFF (CONT’D)
Unfortunately, activation of the rationalising policy inhibits the capacity for the heart spirit to be satisfactorily nourished.
(JB to Geoff)
JB
It would seem so. And the intellect? How does that work?
(Geoff to JB)
GEOFF
Psychologically, disturbances of the intellect stored in the spleen are caused by self-absorption. Worry and obsession are close relatives. Consequently, life experience cannot be transformed into ideas and intentions that
otherwise would become profound expressions of the heart spirit.
(JB to Geoff)
JB
Willpower is a curious phenomenon. Where does it come into the equation in terms of oriental medicine?
(Geoff to JB)
GEOFF
Psychologically, the most recognisable disturbance of the willpower stored in the kidneys is the person who is either caught up in compulsive activity or locked into the inertia of a stagnant lethargy. Without acknowledging
the existence and relevance of the ethereal soul, the corporeal soul, the intellect, the heart spirit, one is distracted by the illusion of self-importance. Drained by life instead of empowered by it, the strong urge to control the world because of fear dissipates any possibility for a sense of trust in the process of life to develop. The willpower is usually disturbed because most people push themselves to the brink of adrenal exhaustion. Without connecting to the source of vitality, artificial measures are relied on to sustain lifestyle
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12.
GEOFF (CONT’D)
and along the way, people get lost in the traffic of competition and ambition.
(JB to Geoff)
JB
How amazing. What a model, Geoff. How many practitioners of oriental medicine do you think understand the mind in this way?
(Geoff to JB)
GEOFF
It depends on their training for the most part, I think. Those who have studied and trained in an environment dominated by the pursuit of academic objectives, tend to miss out on getting a taste for the spiritual tradition
that is the source of the real medicine. Certainly in terms of oriental medicine, Buddhism and Taoism play a big part in the successful and artful expression of diagnosis and treatment. At the end of the day, the quality of spiritual practice will determine the effectiveness of any interaction that takes place between the practitioner and the patient. This is why my favourite teacher told me, there are three kinds of doctor. The first treats the symptoms. He is an ordinary doctor. The second treats the cause. He is thinking bigger but still not getting it. The third teaches the way of life. He is solid as a rock on the inside and as flexible as mercury on the outside. Therefore he can develop endlessly.
(JB to Geoff)
JB
Perhaps this is something we could all aspire to. Thank you so much for the interview Geoff. We have covered much territory and there is certainly plenty of food for thought.
(JB to listeners)
13.
JB (CONT’D)
You heard it from the horse’s mouth folks. I think what we have discussed today provides a platform for deep contemplation. Till we meet again, this is James Brown signing off and fare ye well!
FADE OUT:
8 Lost Secrets To Live Your Life By December 21, 2007
Posted by Geoffrey Wilson in : Health Tips,Meditations,Personal Freedom,Philosophy,Psychology,Wisdom Notes , add a commentLost Secret #1
Each of us is a soul animated by spirit and comes to earth in order to cultivate enlightenment. Once upon a time as the story goes, the floor of heaven opened and all souls went tumbling down through the worlds. Many came to earth of course and formed the consciousness of homo sapiens… housed in the flesh and bones of the human body.
Without knowledge of this secret, the purpose of your life may become confused and as a result you may get distracted and lose your focus.
Lost Secret #2
Soul moves through the endless ages accompanied by the karma acquired from birth to birth. There are several different kinds of karma and each must be worked off (eliminated) before a human being can leave this life permanently.
Without knowledge of this secret, you may fail to reconcile cause and effect in which case you will continue to be the effect rather than the cause of your life.
Lost Secret #3
The opposite is implied in everything. Therefore, it is better to avoid developing preferences for either this or that. In order to see the truth then, one must hold no opinions for or against anything.
Without knowledge of this secret, you may develop bad habits such as the strengthening of prejudices in which case you will experience the conflict of the opposites.
Lost Secret #4
Problems are nothing more than our reactions to things. We become unhappy because we react instead of responding without judgment.
Without knowledge of this secret, you may never experience freedom from judgement in which case peace and harmony will elude you.
Lost Secret #5
We get attached to our feelings, especially when we’re flying high, and we hope it lasts forever. It doesn’t of course, and this is what makes us feel miserable. It is better to see through the things of the world and accept impermanence for what it is without wanting to argue about it.
Without knowledge of this secret, you may find it difficult to adapt to change and consequently get fixated about things. The world is impermanent. Soul is not.
Lost Secret #6
Anger, passion, anxiety, sorrow, and fear, are just reactions to what is going on externally – that is to say, on the outside. In ancient times, they were called the five thieves and the sages made it a point to restrict their influence by cultivating the five virtues of benevolence, compassion, sincerity, true sense, and wisdom.
Without knowledge of this secret, you may become a victim of emotional excess and lose your relationship to personal stability.
Lost Secret #7
The soma/psyche (body/mind) relationship can be understood easily by likening it to a coin. On one side of the coin, are thoughts and emotions arising in our minds. On the other side of the coin, are the respirations (breath) and sensations (pleasures, aches and pains) associated with our bodies.
By observing these carefully, as front and back, we can actually observe the nature of our mental impurities. This is called insight meditation and was discovered by Gautama Sakyamuni (a.k.a. the Buddha).
Without knowledge of this secret, you will not see that whatever has a front also has a back and that the bigger the front, the bigger the back.
Lost Secret #8
You must be able to sink your breath to the lower belly. That’s where the power is. Vital force comes from the waist… the waist is everything! That is why it is important to use the mind instead of force so that the vital energy will follow in the wake of the mind and circulate over the body. This is what is called being lithe in appearance and powerful in essence.
Without knowledge of this secret, you may find it difficult to maintain balance because if the vital force doesn’t follow the mind, chaos ensues and the body becomes confused.