Avainsana: Dogen
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Zen and the Art of Dissatisfaction — Part 45
What leads an ordinary person towards violence, and what allows them to recognise the consequences of their actions? This essay explores these questions through the lens of Zen practice, meditation, social engagement, and the story of Bosnian war criminal Esad Landzo. Drawing on more than a decade of meditation practice within the Soto Zen tradition,…
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Zen and the Art of Dissatisfaction — Part 44
This post explores the relationship between mystical experiences, altered states of consciousness, psychedelic experiences, and Zen Buddhism through anthropology, philosophy, psychology, and personal reflection. The post examines how extraordinary states of mind have accompanied humanity throughout history, shaping religions, rituals, and spiritual traditions. Drawing from examples such as persistence hunting, ultramarathon hallucinations, Indigenous trance rituals,…