Truth is a pathless land! Each one has to embark on their own journey within, from Individuality to Universality, back into oneness with one’s True Nature.
If there is a truth, there can be only one truth. However, there may be different road maps to Rome.
Per the request from Advaitins, this article compares two conceptual road maps analytically; Advaita Vedanta and Prana Dynamics.
For definition purpose, citation of Advaita Vedanta from Wikipedia is as follows;
Advaita Vedanta (IAST, Advaita Vedānta; Sanskrit: अद्वैत वेदान्त, literally, not-two) is a school of Hindu philosophy and religious practice, and one of the classic Indian paths to spiritual realization. The term Advaita refers to its idea that the soul (true Self, Atman) is the same as the highest metaphysical Reality (Brahman). The followers of this school are known as Advaita Vedantins or just Advaitins, and they seek spiritual liberation through acquiring vidyā (knowledge) of one’s true identity as Atman, and the identity of Atman and Brahman.
If assimilate thoroughly and comparatively, Advaita Vedanta is referring to the realization of non-duality, the state of Oneness with consciousness freed from the stronghold of the mind. (Vedanta, the ending of Knowledge, then Oneness with Brahman, the Absolute that ends the process of knowledge (Vidya) accumulation derived from ignorance. All conceptualization is in the domain of the mind through the activation of intellect (Shiva-Shakti), whereas one’s true nature is not the mind nor the body, for once the misidentification of ego-mind dissolves, the animated consciousness (Samsara, the domain of Shiva) simply IS the manifestation, whereas the Absolute (Brahman), the Omnipresence, the Universality, that which is one’s true nature, is reflected as the manifestation through a functional psychosomatic vehicle, the sentient body.
In between the infused primordial energy (Atman) and animation of body sensation (fermentation of sensation, thought and emotion in the process of objectivization, the domain of Shiva), the substratum of which is the domain of energy (Yin and Yang, Soul and Spirit, Prakriti and Purusha, collectively “Prana”). When freed from the identification with the body, the energy is pure in peace and harmony (Sat, Chit, Ananda). When identified, one falls prey to the fermentation of Samsara, the Shiva-Shakti, the degradation from the constant presence to the suffering of the fluctuation of impermanence, the Sinner.
In comparison, the consensus of Kung Fu across schools and disciplines are the three treasures of Kung Fu: Essence (精), Chi (氣), and Spirit (神).
Conceptually different from one to another, yet intrinsically one in animation/manifestation, the Prana in Dynamics, literally means energy in manifestation.
No Rooting, no Kung Fu, period. The art of Rooting (樁) is referring to: ”Heaven, Man and Earth in Oneness” (天地人三才合一). Within the mind-body complex, Heaven is referring to Consciousness (Essence, Atman), Man is referring to that which animates the Ego Mind (Activation and attachment to body sensations, emotional fermentation, Shiva) whereas Earth is referring to the animated body, the animator of the five elements (Energetically The Spirit and Soul, collectively, the Consciousness).
Therefore, the art of Rooting, literally means the journey back to the source within, referring to the animated Essence, Chi and Spirit back into Oneness, Prana in Dynamics without duality, the presence of consciousness.
It takes practice to Root until it is spontaneous. Once rooted both mentally and physically, the ego-mind dissolves into the state of No-Self (No Activation, Wu Wei / 無為), what remains is the state of oneness with the animated energy (Wei Wu Wei, 為無為, Advaita Vedanta), freed from duality (with the dissolution of ego-mind, who is there to discriminate?). The freedom from duality by itself is the Liberation/Moksha.
The Essence is referring to the infusion of the primordial energy (Infusion of the seed of consciousness into the body from the Absolute, 先天, literally: prior to the animation), into the sentient form that gives birth to consciousness (The Animated, the temporal manifestation, 後天, literally, after the animation). Within the animated psychosomatic apparatus, the Absolute, being spaceless, manifest itself into space. The Absolute, being timeless, manifest itself into time. Say, if the Absolute is of the water body, then consciousness is of the reflection on the water surface, dancing with the wind caused ripples (the law of Cause and Effect, 因果), the mind is that which dances with the wind (I Am). With the conscious presence (Amness), the story of life unveils itself involuntarily through the undulation with manifestation.
Chi is referring to energy. Conceptually, there are two types of energy, mental energy, and body energy. The body energy (Chi, 氣)is derived from food intake that supports and sustains consciousness in animation, hence is the food to consciousness, whereas the mind is the mental energy (炁, mental energy, literally Energy without Flame) on flame, attachment, and involvement with the fermentation of sensations to manifestation. Once the mind is active, the light of consciousness disappears, once the mind is fasting, the light of consciousness appears (hence, the energy without flame). The Spirit (Atman, Jivatman) is that which observes consciousness, whereas consciousness is that which observes the manifestation, whereas the mind is just a misidentification with the body with the pseudo-subjectivity of doership.
Laotze said: “Tao gives birth to One (literally, Being), with the presence of One, there is Two (literally, Duality). One plus two equals three (Literally, Trinity, energy in manifestation, Prana in Dynamics). With the coming of the Three, there is the world (Manifestation within the periphery of sensation). All beings carry Yin and embrace Yang, infused with Energy to harmonize in being!” (Dao De Jing, Chapter 42).
Spirituality is not a child’s play, as manifestation is the child of a barren woman (Everything happens as it is per the functioning of consciousness).
Spirituality is an empirical science of reverse human engineering through diligent self-inquiry. The essence of Kung Fu is self-validation through the dissolution of the accumulated involuntary mental and physical habits that bond and block, once unshackled, swimming through the clouds of energy to unveil the light of consciousness to realize the true color of the sky within, one’s true nature.
There is nothing religious in the process, at all.
Any conceptual spiritual speculation is still of the mind within the periphery of sensations, whereas true spirituality is beyond the confine of the mind!
With Prana in Dynamics, energy in manifestation, all IS!
In Peace!
