Chinese terms are often used in Ren Xue teachings when the English translation is not as precise or simply doesn’t exist!. At first, you will just 'learn' the term, but as you progress you may find that you have come to ‘know’ a new concept.
Here are some of the terms (and ideas) you will come across in the first series of the Master Your State workshops:
- Jingshen: Jingshen is a concept referred to frequently in Yuan Tze’s teachings. It is the overall manifestation of the combined activities of the True Self (see ‘Shen’ below), the heart (see ‘Xin’ below), and the consciousness of an individual. Jingshen refers to the non-physical, non-Qi aspects of your life. Sometimes it is also used to refer to the overall manifestation of the natural consciousness or social collective consciousness.
Defining Jingshen helps the mind to understand. However, Jingshen, like Qi, is a concept that one discovers and comes to know with the totality of our being, over time, as we progress in knowledge.
- Shen: Shen, or the True Self, is one of the three main components of life: the Body, Qi, and Shen. We use the word Shen when we are referring to it as one of the components of life, and when we want to emphasize the true nature of Shen, we tend to use the term True Self. Shen is the source of the consciousness. We can also say Shen is the essence of life, what makes you, you - that is your Shen. Shen has the potential to manifest infinite wisdom and the ability to connect with the universe and access the infinite wisdom of the universe.
- Gongjing: Gongjing is one of the five essential heart qualities. This is a special one because it is a composite quality encompassing trust, openness, love, and gratitude. Gongjing itself means humility and true respect. It is the kind of respect we feel when we are in awe, when we are unified with our own heart and True Self, and with the universe. It is a very special state when we feel Gongjing. In this state, we feel one with all and we disappear. This is the state of not feeling, not having a sense of self. It's a state of totality, of total unification.
- The Totality of Life: The theory of totality is one of the three foundational theories of Ren Xue, where it is understood as the fundamental truth of all existence in reality.
The theory explains that the whole is made of its parts, yet every part is a whole unto itself:
- The universe is a totality
- The interconnection of everything in the universe is an integral part of the whole
- Human life is a totality in itself and every human life is a unique totality
- Understanding the totality of human life can help us better understand society, nature, and the totality of the universe.
To achieve health and wellbeing and to grow toward realization and wisdom, we need to address the totality of life. Ren Xue does that.
- Qi: You will not stop learning about Qi as you progress through Ren Xue! In the Workshop sessions, you will be introduced to Qi in more detail. For now, we define Qi as a fully integrated form of material, energy, and information. In English, the closest translation is simply energy, but Qi is far more than just energy!
- Xin: Xin translates literally as “the heart”. In Ren Xue, it refers to the spiritual aspect of the heart. When Xin is in its natural and healthy state, its natural qualities can manifest, including the five essential heart qualities: trust, openness, love, gratitude, and Gongjing (also referred to as the Five Xin Qualities)
- Xin Ling: Xin Ling is actually almost the same as Xin, the heart. But sometimes we use the term Xin Ling when we want to emphasize the Xin's ability to grow, to develop, and to transcend itself to a higher level – especially its ability to connect with the True Self and the universe.
- Jua Cha: The ability to observe oneself through Shen’s awareness. Imagine a mirror: in it, every image and every movement is reflected without judgment. All things are shown as they appear and nothing is left in the mirror once they disappear. The mirror doesn’t get disturbed or pulled into what it is reflecting.
- Dantian: In Chinese, “tian” is a field used for growing food and “dan” means Qi in a concentrated form, so Dantians are where Qi gathers inside the body. There are three Dantians in the body: lower, middle and upper and they store different types of Qi.
You will come across the use of these terms throughout the workshops. You may find it helpful to print out these definitions for easy reference.
