Let's Open the Box of ZEN

• Final Chapter: Happiness - true meaning of happiness

  The famous zen phrase Furyu Monji Kyoge Betsuden encapsulates the core principles of Zen Buddhism. It emphasizes the transmission of teachings through direct personal experience rather than relying solely on written scriptures. This concept, first introduced by Bodhidharma and further emphasized by Huineng, highlights the importance of transmitting teachings through the heart, from person to person, rather than relying on words or characters. This emphasis on personal experience encourages individuals to explore and uncover their own psychological understanding, ultimately leading them to the path of Buddhahood. Marsha Lyles, the executive producer of Voice America, is here to adorn the final chapter of this season. She is the godmother figure who has nurtured and warmly supported the birth of Let's Open the Box of ZEN! In accordance with the principles of Zen philosophy, the past 12 chapters have held the key to liberating ourselves from fixed ideas - Authenticity, Anger, Perspective, Fear, Love, Surrender, Power, Forgiveness, Patience, Time, Loss, Love - this season has explored the true meaning of happiness.How do you define happiness? Where are you in your life now? Has your happiness changed? What makes you happy? Do you have a new outlook on what happiness means?As we reach the final chapter, Marsha poses thought-provoking questions to the listeners.

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• Chapter 12: Love - cultivating self-love

  Myoju Tanagokoro ni ari is a Japanese Zen phrase originating from the Blue Cliff Record with two meanings. The original meaning is there is a clear mirror in your hand, while the common meaning today is there is a beautiful pearl in your hand. The original interpretation suggests that the ability to perceive things accurately is within one's control, enabling one to distinguish between good and bad. The second interpretation highlights the importance of self-cultivation and acknowledges that everyone possesses the Buddha nature within themselves. Ultimately, both interpretations convey the same message: the fundamental teaching of Buddhism is that one's own self is a Buddha. In this episode, we embark on a journey guided by the radiant presence of Marisa Cranfill - a revered Qigong teacher and beacon of light. With over two decades of experience studying and working with Qigong and healers in both the Buddhist and Taoist traditions, Marisa invites us to delve deep into the boundless realm of love. Through her direct experience, she reveals that love is the pinnacle of human potential and the master frequency, from which all other emotions arise. She shares that true love is unconditional, a force that transcends the duality of yin and yang and the limitations of ego. Love becomes a virtue, a path to transcendence. Marisa illuminates that cultivating self-love is the essential first step towards nurturing unconditional love. Join us for an enlightening conversation on the power of love and how it can transform our lives. Website: https://www.yoqi.com/, YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq6iAv6Ydn5-ccJ5Nm6Mcdg, YOQI Video on Demand: https://videos.yoqi.com/, Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yoqi.yogaqigong/, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yoqi.yogaqigong/?pnref=lhc

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• Chapter 11: Loss

  “Let's seek for things that won't disappear. Let's acquire things that won't disappear. Although our bodies may return to dust, there are things that won't disappear. Those are love and sincerity. No matter how grand the temple, it will eventually crumble, as history has shown us. But there are things that will never fade away, like love and compassion. These two are like ether, never disappearing from the universe.” - This beautiful poem was written by Shinmin Sakamura who was a member of the Zen school of poetry. The lifespan of all living things is limited, and eventually we will all experience separation. Throughout our lives, we will face various forms of separation, whether it be in our careers, our health, the loss of a loved one or a relationship breakup. Loss has many facets, some tangible, some more subliminal. Yet loss is a part of life and can initiate great transformation, if we allow ourselves to go through the process of healing and embrace change as potential for new beginnings. In this episode, I invite my friend Ursula Adams to a conversation about the heavy topic of loss,” starting from her experience with a tragic traffic accident that occurred during her teenage years. Ursula is a holistic Energy worker, Qigong Flow Instructor, Reiki Master and Sound therapist who specializes in integrative bodywork, spiritual healing and soul empowerment. We will discuss what lessons loss can bring us and how we can manage the process and grow from it.

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• Encore What is The Box of ZEN Chapter 1: Authenticity

  The heart of the mountains, the heart of the clouds, the heart of the sea, and the heart of the moon. The heart of everything…. This famous Zen word is from Blue Cliff Record and it refers to the state of being able to talk openly about everything to the fullest. We are the Mountains, the Clouds, the Sea,and the Moon. Every one of us is unique and has a voice to express unique perspectives from our personal experiences. I am a practitioner of John.F.Barnes’s Myofascial Release Approach®?, as well as a Qigong instructor under Shifu Yan Lei & YOQI®?. My unique experience reflects the idea - The box is full, yet is empty. What is inside the box is not fixated, but is an endless possibility. The key to happiness is learning to let go. With my colleagues Jorge, a certified Personal Trainer & Corrective Exercise Specialist and Zrna, a Mindfulness & Meditation teacher as co-hosts, we interview our most respected teacher of authentic Qigong and Kungfu - Shifu Yan Lei, a 34th generation of Shaolin fighting disciple, also an author of many books related to martial arts and Wellness, as well as an actor in the feature film “The Turtle And The Sea”. His unique and straight forward teaching style earned many admirers. We are so excited to find out his secrets behind how he established his authenticity.

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• Chapter 10: Time

  Who do the flowers bloom so beautifully for when spring arrives? is a Zen phrase that questions why the flowers bloom so beautifully all at once in spring and for whom. We may think to ourselves, Oh, how beautiful! It's so wonderful to see something that can make people so happy, but that is only our own selfish view. Flowers do not bloom just to make humans happy or to show off their beauty. Rather, they delicately sense the changes in the seasons and temperature, and fulfill their own duty as flowers within the great cycle of nature's laws, rules, and the circle of life, without being asked to do so by anyone. On the other hand, we humans often become trapped in our own selfish desires and wishes, such as wanting to be successful, liked, or to remain young forever, and constantly worry about them. The undeniable fact is that the laws of nature that allow flowers to bloom are equally accessible to each and every one of us. We should be grateful for the life and environment we have been given, and fulfill our duties as humans. Complaining and whining will only deepen our anxieties and uncertainties. We should strive to live a humble, selfless, and fulfilling life, like the white plum blossoms. As the poet Yagi Shigekichi once said, Why are flowers so beautiful? Because they bloom with all their heart. Now is the time for our hearts and lives to bloom with all their might. - By Daigo Ozawa, Head Abbot, TOKOZENJI, Japan Today's guest is very special to me. Without him, I could not even speak about Zen. He is the reason I am here with you in this show, Let’s open the box of zen. Thanks to him, I was able to encounter Zen and gained an attitude of understanding towards myself and life. In this episode, Ozawa head abbot will guide us through childhood memories of growing up in a Japanese temple to the training in a monastery, he will share with hints on how to become a master of time and of life. In busy modern society, why do we feel like we are always racing against time? His answer sheds light on our perspective of time.

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