Motion and Stillness are One: TCM-Zen Practices for Vitality and Peace

Donald Hwong

This is recorded to celebrate the launch of a new book. Not a theory but some proven practices. Let John and Jane, and this podcast bring you TCM-spirituality, heartfelt stories, and simple exercises drawn from my book, "Motion and Stillness are One: TCM-Zen Practices for Vitality and Peace" Expect weekly 10–15 min episodes that reignite playfulness, presence, and vitality—especially if you’re navigating teen years or seeking sustained contentment. read less
Religion & Spirituality

Episodes

Beyond Letting Go: The Freedom of No-Position
6d ago
Beyond Letting Go: The Freedom of No-Position
Beyond Letting Go: The Freedom of No-PositionDive deep into a radical understanding of freedom with 'Beyond Letting Go: The Freedom of No-Position' [Title of source document]. We often hear spiritual teachings speak of detachment from painful memories, harmful relationships, or even joyful attachments, but what if true liberation means surrendering far more? This podcast explores how genuine detachment runs far deeper than this surface-level understanding, challenging you to release not just worldly suffering but all conceptual frameworks – even cherished spiritual teachings. As the Diamond Sutra paradoxically declares, "Dharma is not Dharma; that is why it is called Dharma".Drawing on profound wisdom traditions, this podcast will guide you through:Advaita Vedanta's powerful "Neti Neti" (Not this, not this), a practice of systematic negation that burns away all false identifications—from body and mind to spiritual experiences and even the concept of enlightenment itself—until only indescribable reality remains. As the great sage Nisargadatta Maharaj noted, "When all false identifications are dropped, what remains is your true nature".Zen Buddhism's "Beginner's Mind" (Shoshin), an essential attitude for even advanced practitioners. As taught by Master Shunryu Suzuki, it invites you to meet each moment fresh, unburdened by accumulated knowledge, because "In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities; in the expert's mind there are few". This practice fosters freedom from expertise, immediate presence, and creative not-knowing, even challenging us to "If you meet the Buddha, kill the Buddha", reminding us that our highest spiritual concepts must be surrendered.Explore the "double-edged sword" of spiritual knowledge, where the very accumulation of sacred texts, guru teachings, and meditation techniques can become a new obstacle. You'll understand why "The Self is beyond all concepts, beyond words, beyond thought" (Mandukya Upanishad), and how clinging to teachings about enlightenment creates a new form of bondage.This journey guides you to the final detachment: from seeking itself. All spiritual paths are like rafts — essential for crossing the river, but burdensome if carried afterward. The moment we believe we're making "spiritual progress," we've created another illusion. As a profound realization from January 2008 reveals, "The notion of 'Ah, I understand' is for the mind only" — truth unfolds naturally, effortlessly, and requires no grasping of the mind. This echoes the Bhagavad Gita's concept of "Stithaprajna" and Meister Eckhart's "gelassenheit", both pointing to a complete surrender of all mental constructs.Ultimately, uncover the radical freedom of 'No-Position' – not about reaching some exalted state, but about having no position to defend, no identity to maintain, and no teaching to cling to. It's the profound realization that what you've been seeking was never lost, only obscured by your very attempts to find it, and that "there was never anything to attain in the first place".Grab your free sneak‑peek chapter by signing up at ⁠⁠For Love of Life.
Harmonizing Body, Mind, and Heart for Lasting Contentment
02-08-2025
Harmonizing Body, Mind, and Heart for Lasting Contentment
In this audio review, explore "Harmonizing Body, Mind, and Heart for Lasting Contentment," a book that uncovers the secrets to sustained well-being. We delve into the crucial interplay of your body, mind, and heart—your physical self, emotional core, and logical brain.Learn how these three interconnected elements influence not only your health but also the quality of your life:The brain, the seat of logic and perception, processes information and drives decision-making, but it remains incapable of truly feeling emotions.The heart, or emotional core, purely senses and experiences emotions deeply and authentically, without relying on logic or memorization.The body is the physical manifestation that responds to signals from both the heart and the brain, showing physical reactions to emotions or stress.Discover how an overactive mind, constantly analyzing, can numb the heart's emotional awareness, and how excessive emotional sensitivity without logical grounding can lead to overwhelming stress. The review highlights the book's exploration of how bodily discomfort or intrusive thoughts can swiftly disrupt your heart's delicate state of genuine contentment, making it elusive and fleeting.Crucially, this review explains how the book addresses the challenge of transforming contentment from an ephemeral sensation into a lasting, sustainable state of being. Tune in to understand how this insightful guide offers practical insights and techniques to cultivate enduring contentment within the interconnected harmony of your body, mind, and heart.
"Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven"
01-08-2025
"Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven"
In this video, we delve into the profound teaching from Matthew 18:3: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven". This isn't just about cultivating innocence or mental stillness; it's about a whole-being return to the childlike state, encompassing the body, energy, spirit, and, above all, an unshakable love of life.Discover how children embody integrated aliveness, living beyond man-made schedules and rules, guided instead by the natural rhythm of their being. A child is:Physically fluid and vibrant, full of spontaneous movement.Energetically unblocked, allowing their life force to flow without stagnation.Emotionally free, able to feel and release without clinging.Spiritually open, connected to wonder, mystery, and presence.Mentally positive, always looking at life through the lens of possibility.And most significantly, in love with life itself.Learn that "heaven" isn't a distant destination, but a present state of full harmony with life – where body, mind, and spirit dance together without conflict. Joy is a child's default state because they trust life, greeting it with a smile, movement, and curiosity. While adults often lose this natural delight, succumbing to fear, resistance, and overthinking, this childlike joy is not lost forever; it's simply buried and can be reconnected with intention.The path back to this state is not "upward" but inward and backward, a return to the "garden of your original being". It's about observing and copying the wisdom of a child: living when your life force flows, resting when it doesn't, acting with joy, receiving with love, and surrendering without fear. This includes practices like:Breathing with openness.Moving with lightness.Feeling fully without shame or suppression.Laughing easily, even after pain.Trusting the flow, not controlling the outcome.And, fundamentally, loving life simply because it's there.Living joyfully is presented as the greatest spiritual practice. This childlike delight, powered by your love of life, not only heals trauma and improves physical well-being but also aligns your consciousness with the universal joy of being. Ultimately, to enter "heaven" is to wholeheartedly say "yes" to life in its entirety, embracing that unified state where every part of you rejoices in existence.Think of it like tuning a musical instrument that has gone out of sync; "becoming a child again" isn't about discarding your adult experience, but rather about re-tuning your entire being to the original, harmonious melody of life, where every note—body, mind, and spirit—plays in joyful concert.Grab your free sneak‑peek chapter by signing up at ⁠For Love of Life.