Tuesday, August 25, 2009

The Tao of Organization

I am happy to find so much interest in my upcoming October workshop at City College: The Introduction to The Book of Change, better known as the I Ching. The question that was asked most by people I ran into during the past few weeks was the name and title of the books that I will use. As promised, I will start providing information in my Urbanology articles that will help prepare workshop participants to obtain greater value from the four week workshop. I will focus on two books. The first is an excellent workbook titled The I Ching Workbook by R.L. Wing. You can get a used one from Amazon.com for under six dollars. This is the only book I would recommend on the I Ching that is not translated by Harvard’s Thomas Cleary.

The Tao of Organization: The I Ching for Group Dynamics by Cheng Yi will be the second book that the workshop will focus on. This Thomas Cleary translation is considered to be the best I Ching strategic handbook for business, political, social and religious organizations. It was written by Cheng Yi a distinguished educator in eleventh-century China and founder of the Study of Inner Design a study of both personal and collective life. Cleary writes that “the Tao of Organization analyzes relationships and power configurations within groups”.

Last week I wrote about how the 2000 year old I Ching influenced the discovery of information technology, the genetic code and the use of DNA, two factors that will take us past the 21st century. Cheng Yi’s Inner Design version of the I Ching played a major role in the life of Japanese Organizational genius Matsushita Konosuke, founder of Panasonic, National and other multinational Corporations. You can also get this book at Amazon.com. I recommend the above two books for anyone interested in introducing themselves to the Book of Change.

If your schedule will not allow you to take my workshop I would also recommend The Taoist I Ching: Translated by Thomas Cleary. This translation has more of a spiritual focus, but it can be hard to grasp without some basic understanding of the Book of Change. We will review this book also but we will focus on the two workbooks. If you would like to read my past articles on the I Ching or the Taoist Philosophy please visit my blog at www.theartofwarogers.com. And if you are interested in the I Ching, Book of Change four week workshop I’ll be presenting this October, you can register online line at www.ccny.cuny.edu/ace or call the City College Adult and Continuing Education Program at 212 650-7312.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

The Book of Change

The Book of Change, also known as the I Ching, is a book that’s over 5,000 years old. It is considered the oldest of the Chinese Classics according to Dr. Thomas Cleary who, in my opinion, is one of the best translators of classical texts on Taoism and Buddhism. Even though most will consider China the origin of The Book of Change, Wayne Chandler writes in The African Presence in Early Asia (one of my favorite books, edited by Runoko Rashidi and Ivan Van Sertima) that The Book of Change can be traced back to the ancient Ife of West Africa. It is said that the Ifa system of divination dates back to 20,000 B.C.E.

In 1675 German mathematician and philosopher Gottfried Von Leibnez, after being introduced to The Book of Change, was able to confirm his system of binary mathematics, which became the basis of computer science. In 1953 Dr. James Watson and Francis Crick announced to the world their discovery of the genetic code, consisting of 64 binary triplet figures called DNA codons, which correspond directly to the 64 binary triplet hexagrams of The Book of Change. We have yet to fully understand how the use of the genetic code and the future development of information technology will change the world. All we can say is that The Book of Change laid the foundation for our future.

I consulted The Book of Change with a question when I decided to write this article, with the understanding that the answer is always directed to the one who is consulting. Nevertheless, I thought that I would share the results with you. I asked the question: what is love? The hexagram that turned up for me was number 15: Humility. Part of the answer to my question reads as follows: “When one is able to nurture and to submit, one governs oneself with strictness and responds to others with openness; the mind becomes increasingly humble, while the way becomes increasingly lofty-outwardly one is lacking, inwardly one has more than enough. Submitting to truth and according with people, one rests in the highest good and does not move. This is why the path of humility is beneficial”.

If you are interested in learning more about the I Ching - The Book of Change I will conduct a four week introduction workshop on “The Book of Change this Fall at the City College of New York’s Adult and Continuing Education (ACE) program. For more information call 212 650-7312 or visit www.ccny.cuny.edu/ace.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

The Yin and Yang of Wellness

I’ve written about how the Taoist concept of the dynamic interface between yin and yang is the foundation of all things. Modern science has proven that everything in existence vibrates. That you must have a dynamic interface between a negative and positive (yin & yang) to create a vibration which is energy. Last week I wrote about the human energy field and how modern science and ancient wisdom agree that vital energy can dictate the degree of our well-being.

In Taoist energy wellness treatments, human organs are divided into yin organs and yang organs. The lungs, spleen/pancreas, heart, and liver are yin organs. The large intestine, stomach, small intestine, bladder/urinary tract and gallbladder are yang organs. When there is a balance in the flow of energy in our body we are well. When there is an imbalance of the flow of energy in our body we become ill.

Negative emotional stress is a major cause of illness, and the imbalance of yin and yang organs. Sorrow and grief can cause an imbalance in the large intestine and lung. Worry can cause an imbalance in the stomach and spleen/pancreas. Over excitement can cause an imbalance in the heart and small intestine. Fear/apprehension can cause an imbalance in the bladder and kidney. And anger/frustration can cause an imbalance in the gallbladder and liver. We all suffer from negative emotional stress because we are very seldom in the present. All too often our thoughts are on the frustrations and grief of the past, or the fear and anxiety of the future.

When the vital flow of energy is blocked by negative emotion, or stress, it is important to turn that stressed voice in our head off, and experience the harmony and balance of the present. The ancient Korean art of Chunsoo is an excellent way to bring balance to the flow of vital energy in the body. Ki energy masters use sound vibration and touch to open energy blockages; allowing the body’s electromagnetic energy to flow through interlocking energy channels, creating the feeling of relaxation and harmony.

Allegra Taylor writes in her book, Healing Hands, that “The energy that activates another human being’s failing recuperative powers of life-force has been called unconditional love. It is non-judgemental and compassionate. By creating a channel through which this loving energy flows…a healer can speed up, sometimes to an astonishing degree, the revitalizing process”.

The foundation of Chunsoo treatments is unconditional love. The treatments will relax you and allow your body to rejuvenate. Relaxation can be very healing, but most people just don’t know how to relax. A major reason why so many suffer from stress related illness.

If you’d like to experience a Ki Energy Chunsoo treatment, make an appointment any Wednesday, between the hours of 11am and 6pm, at Toni’s Touch Day Spa (www.tonistouchdayspa.com), located at 2364 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd. between 138th and 139th Streets (by appointment only - call 212 234-1455). Bring this article and I’ll give you a 10% discount.