Windsor,
> I conjecture that the spiritual sensations brought on by shakuhachi playing
> are
> mostly due to repeatedly taking deep breaths and then exhaling slowly and with
> fine control through a tiny opening between pursed lips: changes blood-gas
> levels. (Compare the various methods of breathing used to allay anxiety or to
> assist exertion in childbirth.)
Apparently not a popular view.
Ostensibly, the purpose of the practice of Zen is to achieve something
called enlightenment. While enlightenment remains undefined it is portrayed
as something qualitative rather than quantitative--rather like pregnancy.
And the most noticeable attribute of the practice of Zen is the manipulation
of personal physiology through the assumption of specified physical postures
and the control of breathing and other autonomic processes. If playing the
shakuhachi is advantageous to the practice of Zen, it's likely contributing
factors are development of discipline and management of physiology.
It's curious that in the robust and growing American Zen community there are
so few (if any) examples of enlightenment.
So much Zen, so little enlightenment. Something's wrong somewhere.
Nelson
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