Zen Yoga

Surely there are people who have doubts about the benefits of yoga - can you really heal from disease through yoga, really attain Siddhis (special psychic powers) or attain enlightenment through yoga? People often ask these questions.  Many people who practice yoga have recovered from sickness when medical doctors and medication were unable to cure them. By practicing yoga many have changed in fundamental ways, their bodies were transformed. They were rejuvenated, not merely in body, but their personality and lifestyle changed in positive ways as well. Because of yoga practice, holy men in history have attained sainthood.

Shakyamuni Buddha himself became Buddha because of the benefit of yoga practice - just moments before he attained enlightenment, Buddhism did not yet exist, there was only yoga. It is meaningless for me to practice and teach yoga in my life if it cannot heal the body, cure sickness of the mind, benefit the world and help to attain enlightenment. If yoga worked only for a small number of people, I would not feel called upon to devote my life to spreading the teachings of Zen Yoga. One reason for calling this practice Zen Yoga is that it is yoga practiced by a Zen monk - yoga practiced with the mind of Zen, a practice without expectation.

The practice of yoga with no mind, empty mind: Zen mind. It is practice for the sake of practice. Zen Yoga does not make use of asanas for the sake of health or flexibility. Zen Yoga does not practice pranayama, mudra or bandha for awakening chakras of raising the Kundalini Shakti. Zen Yoga practices asanas simply for the sake of doing asanas.

Likewise, Zen Yoga practices pranayama, bandha and mudras simply for the sake of doing pranayama, bandha and mudras. Of course Zen Yoga is not practiced to gain Siddhis. When you totally forget all the expectations and results, you will immediately receive them all. When you detach from seeking benefits, you attain them, e.g., mudra is practiced for mudra, nothing but mudra. There is no separation between you and mudra, instead you are the mudra. Because it is mudra, Siddhis will occur naturally. Zen Yoga is not a way of attaining enlightenment. You are already enlightened! How can you attain enlightenment if you are already enlightened? Zen Yoga is a way to realize that you are already enlightened.