Three paths (2)
So, in traditional Buddhist view, rather common to major schools and lineages, ethics and meditation and insight function as three trainings to be pursued alongside each other through stages on the path. We also know that, as one makes real progress, ethics prevails in preliminary stages, meditation prevails on intermediary stages, and insight prevails on most advanced stages. The previous emphasis gets subsumed into the higher stage with a shift in complexity and subtlety. Hence, the horizontal and vertical meanings. But enlightenment is unconditioned by definition, eluding both dimensions, so a third and radical approach becomes obvious.
What was distinguished as therapy - yoga - spiritual practice by David Deida, could also be termed in some other way, and one can easily think of possible alternatives, since yoga and spiritual practice are so often understood as synonyms. What is important, though, is that we understand that each of these three practice-modalities has a purpose, a dynamic, a modus, a condition, a measure, and - very fortunately - a language of its own.
Any confusion in this regard may have rather unfortunate consequences, as many practitioners and teachers fail to discern therapy from transformation and yoga from nondual recognition. While failing to do so, they will not observe what their practice of choice does well, and what it does not do at all; they will not be able to reflect on their own motivation or how it pertains mostly to one of these modes of engagement and practice. Therefore, all judgements made on basis of this undiscernment will most likely be distorted. Let's have a closer look.
The purpose of "therapy" is to fix something broken, to heal, to mend and to cure, to "make well", also to produce relief and comfort and ease and contentment, but basically it deals with functionality. You may feel this or that, but the key is you know you could be more functional. Anything we do to improve function in any area at any level is a therapy. Therapy may lead to transformation, of course, in the sense that it will remove the obstacles in form of various dysfunctions. Furthermore, therapy may take place on any level-structure, from sensory-motor regulation to adjustments in causal cognition. A great summary of such a spectrum is to be found in Ken Wilber's early works.
The purpose of "yoga", on the other hand, is to open, to purify, to make transparent and limpid and unrestrictive - in Deida's words, to enhance the flow of Life, Love and Light. (to be continued)
What was distinguished as therapy - yoga - spiritual practice by David Deida, could also be termed in some other way, and one can easily think of possible alternatives, since yoga and spiritual practice are so often understood as synonyms. What is important, though, is that we understand that each of these three practice-modalities has a purpose, a dynamic, a modus, a condition, a measure, and - very fortunately - a language of its own.
Any confusion in this regard may have rather unfortunate consequences, as many practitioners and teachers fail to discern therapy from transformation and yoga from nondual recognition. While failing to do so, they will not observe what their practice of choice does well, and what it does not do at all; they will not be able to reflect on their own motivation or how it pertains mostly to one of these modes of engagement and practice. Therefore, all judgements made on basis of this undiscernment will most likely be distorted. Let's have a closer look.
The purpose of "therapy" is to fix something broken, to heal, to mend and to cure, to "make well", also to produce relief and comfort and ease and contentment, but basically it deals with functionality. You may feel this or that, but the key is you know you could be more functional. Anything we do to improve function in any area at any level is a therapy. Therapy may lead to transformation, of course, in the sense that it will remove the obstacles in form of various dysfunctions. Furthermore, therapy may take place on any level-structure, from sensory-motor regulation to adjustments in causal cognition. A great summary of such a spectrum is to be found in Ken Wilber's early works.
The purpose of "yoga", on the other hand, is to open, to purify, to make transparent and limpid and unrestrictive - in Deida's words, to enhance the flow of Life, Love and Light. (to be continued)
2 Comments:
Thank you very much for this post. I am glad to receive such a summary which connects all these different notions and puts it under an easy to understand umbrella. I am wondering though; you have used the notion of "three paths". Much of your writings sound like the Noble Eightfold Path, with its three categories of Wisdom, Ethical Conduct and Mental Discipline. Will that correspond to the "Three Paths" terminology you are using?
I am keen on your further elaborations of your point, yet wondering, are you trying to point out that all these different notions are corresponding to the same three-fold path? Or is the grouping together of these different notions into horizontal levels and vertical columns, very matrix-like in my understanding, pointing out an understanding shared and visible in the Shingon teachings as well?
hi, adrian. these are merely considerations, but in this context "3 paths" refers to (1) therapeutic endeavours, (2) yogic transformations, and (3) enlightenment or radical recognition itself. these three are practical frameworks in which all divisions (e.g. three buddhist trainings of higher morality, higher awareness and higher understanding) are to be understood and pursued differently. in other words, one first of all needs to be clear on one's intentions. the levels of safety are quite different in each of these "paths" or approaches. in therapy it's quite necessary to remain relatively safe at all times, and this goes from environment to the relationship with the therapist and the method itself. in yoga, the point is crossing the safety boundary; and in radical nondual recognition all boundaries are found as nonexistent, so crossing or not crossing any of them also means nothing. indeed it's a matrix, but not like e.g. wilber-combs matrix, that combines levels of structural development (magic, mythic, rational, pluralistic, integral and higher) with forms of mystical states (nature mysticism, deity mysticism, formless mysticism, nondual mysticism). this is a 3D matrix combining modalities of practice with types of practice with levels of practice. indeed, such an understanding is found in shingon teachings, though rarely pointed-out. godspeed, hokai
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