~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Justin Adler-Swanberg
New York, NY
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[A continuation of our past dialogue above titled, "What is Cheng Hsin?":]
Justin: From my limited exploration there seems to be a lot of insight that can gained about the experience of being in a body that has nothing to do with an apparently functional application. I think the problem I am finding is that I love the exploration for its own sake but cannot seem to find a particular arena in which to do that exploration that really "draws" me except for purely meditative or contemplative disciplines.
PR: Nothing wrong with pure contemplation; just watch out for all the lies and traps that accompany such practices -- ALL such practices. And it is healthy and grounding, and helpful to include some physical form of practice and relationship. It does balance the tendency to become devoted to pure MIND, rather than the truth.
Justin: The experience of this principle (Cheng Hsin) seems to manifest in concrete aspects dependent upon the immediate personal commitments and involvements of the experiencer. What I mean by this is that outward demonstrations of the insights are determined by the arenas for interaction to which the person is committed. For example, you had a commitment to the martial arts, so your insights showed up very intensely in that domain. You are not known for being a cook, so I assume that that was not something to which you were particularly committed.
PR: I was also very committed to contemplation and discovering the truth -- completely independent of martial arts. My insights were applied to the martial arts, and much was studied and discovered within that pursuit having nothing to do with martial arts in particular. The martial arts as we practice them (I don't really like what most others do as "martial arts"), is a great place for feedback -- it is immediate, recurring, and covers a whole range of the human experience, from the physical to emotion, thought, perception, etc. But, as you know, much was done outside of the martial arts in other domains, and a great deal was discovered there. And yes, one's focus or commitments will determine the arenas in which insights will occur and show up. Cheng Hsin applies to all human activities and pursuits. Besides, I make a mighty good omelette.
Justin: I like the fact that Cheng Hsin is not in English and is hard to translate. It makes it harder to have a comfortable symbol for consciousness, which I believe you have said is part of why you chose it.
PR: In response to this comment directly above, for the Newsletter, I want to insert a section from an interview done in 1979:
Q: How original is your work?
PR: In some sense, very original, and in some sense not so original. I learned a lot from my teachers. If it wasn't for my teachers I may not have moved into some very important observations and considerations. They opened up a lot of areas for me, taught me, and assisted me in breaking through a lot of stuff. And what I do is still quite different.
Q: So, how unique is your school and your teaching?
PR: Very unique; there is none other like it.
Q: Is it a synthesis?
PR: It's not a synthesis, it's a discovery. Sometimes people talk about eclecticism, but I'm not eclectic. It is not like I've taken a little from here and there and built up a patchwork quilt of a practice. I didn't do that.
Cheng Hsin is at once discovered and created. I discovered it and in so discovering, I also created it. The first manual I wrote starts off saying: "Cheng Hsin is perfect already. It's perfect not because I made it perfect, or anybody else made it perfect, or because it was made; it is perfect because it is just what it is. "It's what is Being!" It's not a system of my beliefs, it's not something Imade up, it's not my fantasy, or anybody else's, you see? I looked and it was there. I havenothing to do with it. But that's very unique. You see, most people don't truly look. So when I did, an incredible communication I call Cheng Hsin came up. It was both created and found. It is at the same time the way that it is, most fundamentally, and what is merely occurring as a function of Being.
Q: So the name Cheng Hsin is entirely yours? Why would you, did you, choose the oriental, the Asian words? Because of its accuracy technically, or why? Why didn't you call it Ralstonizing or something?
PR: (laughter) One reason is because of the accuracy, because I couldn't find a word that I could say it with. I've started using "Integrity of Being" for a while, but when I say that do you see what happens? People hear what they think. Hsin translates as "Being", which means your True Nature, it means Consciousness itself, the Origin of mind and heart -- where mental activity, conscious awareness, heart, feelings and even the life force, all come from. But whatever I call it, people will relate to is what they think or associate with the words. When I say Cheng Hsin, nobody knows what it means, and that's true!
Justin: What would you say is the most important thing that you could get across, regardless of the domains or disciplines in which one is engaged? I know this is a lot to ask, but whatever you could say would be appreciated.
PR: What is most important to say is what is being said all the time, but never spoken. It is not possible to"tell" so will have to emerge as time goes by -- or fail to do so.
I used to think that people would get it much faster, but it seems it takes many years of constant exposure before what's important about Cheng Hsin begins to seep into their bones. When the first group of apprentice-instructors graduated in 1986, I sent them on their way with this advice: be honest, be honest, be honest. What else can I say?
Peter
More Info
No comments:
Post a Comment