Corey Hess, a Zen practitioner trained under Shoto Harada Roshi in Japan, shares his insights into energetic opening and embodiment. He reflects on his transformative journey during Zen training and the shifts he witnesses in students through online meditation classes. They dive into the complexities of merging traditional spiritual practices with modern life. Corey emphasizes the importance of vulnerability and authenticity, discussing the connections between breath, energy, and daily presence, and encourages seeking mentors to navigate personal doubts.
Corey Hess emphasizes the importance of grounding practices in the body to foster deeper self-awareness and personal transformation.
He discusses the need for individuals to surrender to the larger energetic processes within themselves, rather than striving for control or enlightenment.
Deep dives
Corey's Journey and Teaching Approach
Corey Hess, a trained Zen practitioner, shares his transformative journey from intense monastic training in Japan to leading an international group focused on movement and standing meditation. His approach emphasizes the significance of the tanden, located a few centimeters beneath the navel, as a tool to energetically connect with reality and facilitate profound change. Corey highlights the common experiences of those who come to him, whether they are seeking to deepen their existing practice or grappling with energetic disturbances, and he provides a welcoming environment for exploration and healing. Through online classes and retreats, he creates a community where individuals can experience personal transformations by reconnecting with their bodies and energy.
Engaging with Energetic Experiences
In addressing individuals who have experienced energetic openings, Corey describes the importance of integrating these experiences into everyday life through a process focused on embodiment. He notes that many people find their bodies constricted or overwhelmed after such openings, and his role is to help them access what is truly happening within themselves. By guiding students to tune into their physical sensations and feelings, he fosters an environment of exploration that encourages deeper self-awareness and the release of energetic blockages. This internal alchemy allows participants to embrace the evolving process of energy within, facilitating personal growth and transformation.
The Concept of a 'Bigger Process'
Corey emphasizes the idea of a 'bigger process' that is continuously at work within individuals, which often becomes obscured by their efforts to control their experiences or attain enlightenment. He reflects on his own struggles during training, realizing that true progress comes from surrendering to this larger energy rather than pushing against it. This shift in perspective invites practitioners to deeply engage with their current experiences without the pressure of achieving specific outcomes, fostering authenticity and acceptance. As individuals begin to recognize this process, they often experience transformative shifts in their lives, marked by clarity and a sense of flow.
Moving Beyond the Mind: Embodiment in Practice
Corey articulates the necessity of grounding practice in the body rather than solely in the intellect, suggesting that many individuals become trapped in their thoughts during meditation. He argues that true meditation involves embracing all aspects of experience, including discomfort and difficulty, rather than seeking to avoid them. By focusing on physical sensations and grounding themselves, practitioners can access a wider range of experiences and insights beyond their cognitive limitations. This embodiment allows individuals to discover a more profound connection to their surroundings and themselves, ultimately leading to a more enriched and authentic engagement with life.
I ask Corey about energetic opening, Zen training, bringing essence out in life, relationship, and differing cultural forms, Great Doubt, awakening, and more.
Corey's links:
https://coreyhessbodytherapy.com/
https://coreyhess.substack.com/
https://zenembodiment.com/
My links:
https://linktr.ee/WystanTBS
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