The whole process was very interesting! They had a long conversation, and only a small part was shown on TV.  Dr. Kim was grateful for their desire to understand Buddhism and the time they took for the interview.

Throughout the interview, many questions were discussed.  These included:

What is Buddhist tradition?
Buddhists strive to understand human suffering and the cause of suffering and to attain a state of balance where there is no greed or fault that can lead to suffering. Buddhists work hard to cultivate purity and calmness that will lead to that state of balance. Buddhists strive for behavior that will get to the state of balance in themselves and try to behave that way in all their relationships as well.

What about sin and forgiveness?
There is no external agency against whom human beings commit sin, nor from whom humans ask for forgiveness. One’s own greed or excessive craving creates wrong doing or transgression.
Just like the zero point of a scale one needs to keep an empty and calm status of mind, which is free from the deviated mind, which leads to transgressions. This is the state of balance.
For forgiveness one needs to say they are sorry to the person to whom one hurt or offered harm; one needs to be sorry to oneself because the person himself or herself is responsible for the wrong conduct and behavior resulting from that conduct.

What can Tiger Woods do?
Woods must have applied a great deal of mental discipline and concentration, which led him to reach the top in his professional field of golf. If he applies that same type of mental disciple to foster the state of calmness and clarity, the state of balance, to further his moral cultivation he would improve his moral character and relationships.

You can find a video of the interview here.

I recently stumbled across a RadioLab podcast that recounted an experiment done by University of California psychologist Dr. Benjamin Libet. For as controversial as its results have become in the world of psychology, the experiment itself was extremely simple. The subject was asked to sit in a room with a clock. Whenever it struck her fancy she moved her wrist while remembering the exact time when she consciously decided, “I’m going to move now.”

While she was doing all of this, her muscle movements and brain functions were being recorded.  After preforming this experiment several times with several different subjects, Libet noticed something a bit strange:  the spikes in brain activity that he expected to see when the subjects decided to move their wrists actually came, on average, 350 miliseconds before the subject consciously decided to move.

Wait.  What?

These results were groundbreaking.  What Libet had found was that the brain “decided” to move the wrist before the person did.  Needless to say, criticism of this experiment and the interpretation of its results was fierce and still continues to this day.

But what if Libet is right?  The implications of this would be (and have been) almost endless.  Consciousness would be demoted to nothing more than an epiphenomenon, a mere byproduct of an automatic brain function.  Free will would be all but destroyed.  At the very least, we must admit the fact that we have less control over our actions than we would like to think.

Now getting back to meditation.  Libet’s experiement leads me to wonder how much of what we gain through the practice of meditation is cultivated at a subconscious (or, perhaps, pre-conscious) level.  Sure, the act of meditation gives us the ability to better deal with annoyances and stress on a conscious level.  But how much of our behavior is changed because we are forcing our subconscious to restructure its deeply entrenched habits?  How can a conscious thought influence our subconscious mind to be less reactive to stress?  Looking into this would be an interesting experiment–if we take as a truth that the brain reacts before our conscious mind does, can we influence that pre-conscious reaction through intentional conscious thought?  Can I reprogram my pre-conscious mind to react less adversely to stress?

More about Dr. Libet’s Experiments:  Overview Criticism Libet’s Published Papers

Bright Eyes is the first point on the Bladder meridian, which is the longest meridian on the body and also corresponds to the Winter season and to flow and movement, especially along the spinal cord.  The meridian starts at the inner eye, moves up and over the head and down along the back, through the hips and back of our knees and exits at the side of the foot.

Therefore in diagnosis and treatment, when an acupuncturist looks for the brightness emanating from the client’s eyes, she is also questioning and looking at deeper levels for the brightness of the flow and movement in all aspects of their life.  If these levels are blocked or “frozen” with the winter cold or the immobilization of chronic illness, she may open up this point with an acupuncture needle to re-establish flow, clarity and brightness to the whole system.

Unblocking this one point may help clear the way for better health and a brighter future.  This is just one example of how utilizing the “spirit” of an acupuncture point during a seasonal treatment, reflective of the beauty and clarity of the nature of the season we are immersed in, can have profound results for our healing.

Eyes

Bright

Bright blessings from Lynn Mitchell, Acupuncture Chair

Lisa is very kind also. We visited New York together.  She followed us to help us. At first, we were afraid to have conversation with her, but she understood us and eventually, we could make a good relationship.”
From Hannah and Jason

About houses– from Kevin and An

“America has large ground so you don’t need apartments.”

“Each house has a big front yard.”

“American houses developed the porch.”

“In the house, carpet is spread.”

“Inside the house, you may put on slippers or shoes.”

“Everyone uses a bed.

About food–Likes and Dislikes! from Lee and Woo

“It is convenient.”

“It is made of many food materials.”

“It is a new experience.”

“I like cheese.”

“Soda is very cheap, better than Korea.”

“It is high-calorie.”

“It has few sidedishes.”

“It is expensive.”

“The restaurants don’t give me a water.”

“Very salty and greasy.”

A poetic impression titled “What I’m doing” from Jo

I don’t know, but I’m just alive.

And I’m here in America.

It’s the second time I’ve been here.

Everything is same as last year.

Only difference is shape of them.

It might not change in the future.

Whatever time passes like the river flows.

The shape of the world is changing even now.

And it’s same.

Change is not up to shape of everything, but it’s up to me.

If I feel something’s different from before, it’s my change

Nobody except I, cannot change my world, even a tiny thing.

This is what I’m doing now.”

Naming Infinity, Loren Graham and Jean-Michel Kantor, 2009. “A passionate confluence of mathematical creation and mystical practices is at the center of this extraordinary account of the emergence of set theory in Russia in the early twentieth century.”
“The intellectual drama will attract readers who are interested in mystical religion and the foundations of mathematics. The personal drama will attract readers who are interested in human tragedy with characters who met their fates with exceptional courage.”

Tibetan Buddhism and Modern Physics: Toward a Union of Love and Knowledge, Vic Mansfield, 2008. “Clearly and engagingly addresses the complex issues of dialogue and collaboration between Buddhism and science, revealing connections and differences between the two. It strongly responds to the Dalai Lama’s ‘heartfelt plea’ for genuine collaboration between science and Buddhism.”

A Bull of a Man/Images of Masculinity, Sex, and the Body in Indian Buddhism, John Powers, 2009. “Whereas for years Western scholars have propagated a disembodied view of Buddhism, John Powers makes a powerful case for the Indian tradition’s obsession with gender, sexuality, and the body. Engagingly written and packed with fascinating details, A Bull of a Man is a major contribution to Buddhist studies and a must read for anyone interested in the interaction between gender and religion.”

The Energetics of Western Herbs/A Materia Medica Integrating Western & Chinese Herbal Therapeutics, 2 volumes, 4th ed., Peter Holmes, 2007. “This classical book, now extensively revised and updated, provides a creative revisioning of western herbalism. Clear, concise and comprehensive. . .An exceptional and immensely useful text.”

Herb, Nutrient, and Drug Interactions/Clinical Implications and Therapeutic Strategies, M. Stargrove, J. Treasure, D. McKee, 2008. “This book, by acknowledged medical experts, offers evidence-based advice on a variety of interactions between conventional drugs, dietary supplements, and herbal medications.”

I also work  at  the Jefferson Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine as an Acupuncturist/OT/Massage Therapist.  We identified a need to offer this service to people in Center City and the Jefferson Community.  So last night, after a lot of planning  and preparation, we opened the Group Acupuncture Clinic at the Jefferson Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine. It is called Group Acupuncture because although the treatment is delivered Community Acupuncture style, there is not a sliding scale just an initial fee and a follow up fee.  The session was successful.  All time slots were filled and everyone left feeling better and less stressed than when they arrived.  I am so excited.  I trust it will grow into a full time clinic someday.  We also plan to offer free treatments to veterans.  If you know any veterans in the Center City area that want acupuncture treatment send them our way.   The Group Acupuncture Clinic is open Thursdays from 5:30 to 7:30 pm.  Call 215 955-2221 for an appointment.

I sat in a regular metal chair (It may have had some padding, I recall). The room was in a building where students earn masters’ degrees in various forms of meditation, as well as acupuncture. (acupuncture@woninstitute.edu) I cleaned my ears with a small alcoholic rub that was provided. Standing behind me, I could not see Practioner Cunningham hold the needles, but I felt the first “pin prick” on  my left ear. I believe three more needles followed, each slightly higher than the previous.

After completing the other ear, a procedure that took all of two minutes, a needle was stuck in the top of my head, where I was told the “chi” rested. I think it was used to help energy flow better.

I felt just the opposite take place!

I felt sedated. Almost numb.

Not so much with my body, but with my anxieties. I had none, and I felt their loss with a happy sweet sorrow. Sorrow, hell. I experienced a wonderful feeling of freedom. Freedom from PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) and all other agitators!

Sedated. He could have taken my tonsils out and I would not have cared. I could feel no harm and I was as peaceful as I have ever felt through meditation.

And I did not have to wait long minutes to reach this state of awareness. It came within 60 seconds of the last needle. Instructed to close my eyes like in meditation, I relaxed with nary a thought for some 25 minutes. I did not experience the same “lightness” as in a meditation. The relaxation was more palpable, more “heavy,” so to speak. I was free of all worries about the past and/or the future, and completely immersed in the moment being at one with my breathing and the contact my body had, feet to the floor, arms on my lap, and buttocks on the chair. Like in meditation, I felt a “oneness” with the physical properties I touched. A “oneness” with the comfortable temperature inside the room and the slight taste of salsa my taste buds had still noticed from the snack I consumed minutes earlier.

Nothing this good could go on forever, and I slowly opened my eyes. The practitioner was seated on one of the chairs. He had moved around while my eyes were closed, but the sounds he made adjusting a table or dropping a package somewhere did not bother me or my relaxation. It was simply part of an environment that was engaged with me, engaged with my ease and comfort.

One of the doctors who had opened this clinic some six years earlier had come into the room. We had chatted before in the waiting room. He was native of South Korea and served in the medical corps in his homeland. As a captain, he outranked me, and I saluted him, wishing him a pleasant “Veterans Day” before leaving.

The procedure invigorated me and energized me, while at the same time I felt calm and peaceful the rest of the afternoon and night, and even now, several days later,  I still can remember the “wellness,” I felt come over me with acupuncture. I hope to return to the institute for a possible follow-up procedure. You see, I have this bad back and if more  needles could help me, I will gladly offer it up as a pin cushion.

Over the next three months, I logged more hours on my Huffy than most CPAs put in at the office during tax season. Through everything that a Pennsylvania summer had to offer, from 100° heat, blaring sun and 100% humidity to powerful thunderstorms and screaming winds, I endured it all. My goal was set and nothing was going to stand in my way. By August, I felt that I could not practice for one more minute. All of my energy had been honed and focused over the last few months toward this final test. I was ready.

The first time I tried to ride without my training wheels was a disaster. I managed to make it a mere five feet before falling face-first onto the searing asphalt. A little worse for wear, but full of fortitude I got up, brushed myself off and got back on my bike. I was not about to let one fall stop me. Not surprisingly, though, that one fall quickly turned into two, then three, then four. The rest of my afternoon was spent in much the same way. By the end of the evening, I had become completely disheartened and was ready to throw in the towel. I had spent a whole afternoon practicing and to what end? I had nothing to show for it but some nasty road rash and a pair of torn jeans. I reluctantly told myself that I would try one more time before I gave up for the day. And that is when it happened.

I remember that moment to this very day. It was as if something finally clicked inside of me. After all of the effort, all the pain and frustration, I had finally done it. I was riding on two wheels! The adrenaline pumped through me; I had never been more excited. As the wind blew slowly over my face, I let out a cheerful yell. Looking back on that day, I realize that riding my bike was not the only thing I learned that summer. I also learned that practice does indeed make perfect, a truth that holds for all aspects of life.

Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, also realized the importance of practice and, like my parents, he realized the value of having a set of training wheels to guide this practice. One set of training wheels that he provided for practice are the five moral precepts. These precepts are both very basic and widely applicable. Providing this type of system gave lay practitioners the ability to live in accordance with the precepts in their daily lives and gain the benefits of practice without having to take the more drastic vows of a monastic.

This forum is intended to be an opportunity for individuals interested in the general topic of applied meditation to present their ideas for feedback from an interested and engaged audience and we extend an invitation to other professionals in the field of applied meditation to join us. For more information, please contact either Helen Rosen or Glenn Wallis at the Won Institute.

Presented by Helen Rosen, Ph.D.
students in library
Where & When
Date: Friday, December 11
Time: 7-9 p.m.
Location: Won Institute
Fee: $30

Dr. Rosen teaches Applied Meditation and Buddhist psychology at the Won Institute as well as at the Psychoanalytic Center of Philadelphia where she is also a member of the faculty. She is a student of Buddhist meditation in the Thai Forest tradition. In addition to teaching meditation, Dr. Rosen leads meditation sessions both at the Won Institute and at the Philadelphia Meditation Center.

Social Work CEUs pending

Won Institute of Graduate Studies
137 S. Easton Rd
Glenside, Pennsylvania 19038
215-884-8942
www.woninstitute.edu

Register at events@woninstitute.edu
Call 215-884-8942 and ask for Zach
credit cards accepted over the phone

We urge all interested to attend and have their voice be heard — you do not need to speak, but there is strength in numbers! The public hearing is the legal record for the State on this issue.

Ben Griffith, Won faculty and APA legislative liaison will be testifying. He says, ” Acupuncture, being both complementary and preventative medicine, fills a much needed gap in the health care system. The current language in our statute inhibits our ability to practice preventative medicine.” In addition, Dr. Mitchell Krause, Won faculty member, will be speaking for the bill on behalf of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture. At this point we do not know who will be speaking in opposition.

The Won Institute is happy to host this historic event in the first acupuncture school in Pennsylvania. We are pleased that the Licensure Committee chose us as the venue for this hearing. Legislators and their staff will be at the Institute at 1 p.m. for a tour and the hearing will start promptly at 2 p.m. We hope to see you there! You can RSVP your attendance to planning@woninstitute.edu.