You cannot wash off blood with blood: entering the mind through the body.
Explore (New York, N.Y.) January 1, 2012 DOI: 10.1016/j.explore.2012.04.002 (opens in new tab) via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractAn old Zen saying holds that thoughts cannot be controlled by other thoughts, suggesting the mind is regulated through the body. In Zen meditation (zazen), this is achieved by regulating breathing and posture. This article examines the relationship between breathing, posture, and concentration within one Zen tradition and explores how this relationship may inform psychotherapy and healing arts, along with implications for future research.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key finding | Proposes that the Zen practice of regulating breathing and posture to control the mind may have relevance for psychotherapy and the healing arts. |
Abstract
The old Zen saying, "You cannot wash off blood with blood," refers to the conviction that it is difficult to control thoughts with other thoughts. This saying implies that the way to control the mind is through the body. In Zen meditation (zazen), this is accomplished through the regulation of breathing and posture. The purpose of this article is to examine the relationship between breathing, posture and concentration in one tradition of Zen. I will explore how this relationship may be relevant to the practice of psychotherapy and the healing arts, as well as its implications for future research in these fields.