Zen Dynamics "theory"

The aim of this site is to demonstrate how traditional Eastern teachings can be used to help harmonize mind-body-spirit dynamics and improve holistic well-being. The information is provided for educational purposes only - it should not be treated as medical advice, nor should it be used as the sole basis for making decisions.

The ideas that make up Zen Dynamics are drawn from three traditions which are historically independent of each other:

• Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which dates back well over 2000 years, predating the arrival of Buddhism in China. TCM shares its underlying philosophy with Feng Shui, Chinese Astrology, the I Ching and many martial arts. For more information on this aspect, see the page on Chinese Elements
• Zen Buddhism, which originated in China about 1500 years ago (Zen is its Japanese name - in China it is Chan). Zen is only one of many schools of Buddhism, which originated in India about 2500 years ago.
• Abhidhamma, which comes from a different Buddhist tradition (Theravada), and originated in India at least 2000 years ago. In effect, Abhidhamma amounts to Buddhist psychological theory.

The latter two aspects are discussed in a little more detail on the Zen & Meditation page, and in much more depth in my Zen Dynamics book.

Purists may object to the mixing of ideas from different traditions, but in the East this is common practice. Zen Shiatsu includes elements of both Zen Buddhism and TCM, while the Abhidhamma word for meditation is jhana, which comes from Sanskrit "dhyana", as does Chan, the Chinese word for Zen!