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Benebell Wen
США
Добавлен 16 окт 2014
Author of I Ching, The Oracle (2023), The Tao of Craft (2016), and Holistic Tarot (2015), publisher: North Atlantic Books.
Learn more about my work over at www.benebellwen.com.
Learn more about my work over at www.benebellwen.com.
Ziran 自然 (Taoist Path of Least Resistance)
This is a video lecture on the Taoist principle of ziran 自然, commonly translated into English as “of its own accord,” “the natural way,” or “spontaneity.” It is the free and unfettered natural course of events.
"In the beginning," notes Zhuangzi, "yin and yang were in balanced harmony, and because of this balanced harmony of natural forces, there were no cataclysms and no corruption, and no need for knowledge, though the ancient ones possessed great, profound knowledge. This is what we call the state of perfected unity -- ziran." [Outer Chapters]
Let's explore the many facets of what ziran means. Within Taoism as a school of thought, the meaning and the way we interpret ziran is not static,...
"In the beginning," notes Zhuangzi, "yin and yang were in balanced harmony, and because of this balanced harmony of natural forces, there were no cataclysms and no corruption, and no need for knowledge, though the ancient ones possessed great, profound knowledge. This is what we call the state of perfected unity -- ziran." [Outer Chapters]
Let's explore the many facets of what ziran means. Within Taoism as a school of thought, the meaning and the way we interpret ziran is not static,...
Просмотров: 8 195
Видео
Mysteries of the Six Holy Kings
Просмотров 6 тыс.Месяц назад
Everything you need to learn about the Tao can be learned from the Six Holy Kings - or so goes a classical, oft-cited axiom. Chinese historian and philosopher Li Zehou 李泽厚 noted that the Six Holy Kings were shamanic rulers, wū 巫, and that their divine right to sovereignty came from their alignment with Heaven, which is received on the basis of their abilities to commune with Heaven. Companion b...
What is the Way of Heaven?
Просмотров 14 тыс.Месяц назад
The Way of Heaven (天之道, Tiān zhī Dào) is a Taoist doctrine on how to attain immortality, becoming an awakened one (聖人, shèng rén), and achieving transcendence. Four verses from the Tao Te Ching are instructive on what the Way of Heaven is, and is now considered canonical in Way of Heaven discourse. We’ll also take a look at what other classical Chinese texts have to say on the Way of Heaven (an...
Taoism: A Decolonized Introduction
Просмотров 80 тыс.2 месяца назад
We’re still having audio-video syncing issues. Be sure to turn on Closed Captioning for the subtitles. That’ll help clarify any confusion caused by audio hiccups. ... If a techie witnessed the wholly inefficient Luddite way I cobbled this video production together, they would probably die of a brain aneurysm … Timestamps: 00:00 Why another “Introduction to Taoism” video 00:19 Historical textual...
Purpose of the Taoist Lineage Tradition
Просмотров 4,9 тыс.2 месяца назад
Do we need to be having this conversation? :: cringe :: Drinking game Every time I say "lineage," take a shot. Drunken good times guaranteed. 😞 TECH EQUIPMENT NOTE: The audio recording and the video footage recording are two separate channels/devices (I don’t know if that’s the right techie lingo…) and for some reason that’s causing hiccups with the syncing.
Secret Book of Three Sovereigns & Seal of the Nine Immortal Realms
Просмотров 200 тыс.3 месяца назад
What is the Secret Book of the Three Sovereigns 三皇內文遺秘? Is it a recovered fragment from the lost legendary grimoire, the Book of the Three Sovereigns 三皇文? The Sān Huáng Wén 三皇文 (Book of the Three Sovereigns) refers to a collection of texts currently in the Taoist Canons. Whether they are fragments of the legendary grimoire by that same name, we can’t be sure. The version of the texts in the can...
Wu Wei 無為 (Taoist Non-Action)
Просмотров 25 тыс.3 месяца назад
This is a video lecture on the Taoist principle of wu wei 無為, commonly translated into English as “non-action.” Timestamps: 00:00 Review of what I said on wu wei in a previous video 00:24 Wu wei in a nutshell 00:59 What the Tao Te Ching (6th century BC) says about wu wei 01:33 Tao Te Ching Verse 2 02:19 The Tao as a divine monad vs. polytheistic view of the many gods, spirits, and demons that a...
Ritual Magic and Shamanism in Pre-Qin China
Просмотров 33 тыс.4 месяца назад
Let’s consider what pre-Qin texts (that’s about 1046 BC to 200 BC) had to say about wu (巫) shamanism and ritual magic. Who were the wu (巫)? What practices and rites would have been described as being within the purview of the wu (巫)? How did the role of the wu (巫) then change when we enter Imperial China? What became of Chinese shamanism and Taoist ritual magic once we enter the Post-War Era? A...
Magical Spells and Aphorisms for Attaining Primordial Truth: The Guan Yinzi
Просмотров 27 тыс.4 месяца назад
Companion blog post: benebellwen.com/2024/02/12/guanyinzi/ The more recognized naming convention for the sutra is the Guan Yinzi (闕尹子) or Wen Shi Zhen Jing (文始真經) attributed to the gatekeeper who Laozi encountered. According to lore, the gatekeeper at the Western Pass, named Yinxi 尹喜, later given the name Wenshi (文始), transcribed the teachings of Laozi and that text became the Tao Te Ching (道德經...
Tao Te Ching and Feminist Metaphysics
Просмотров 7 тыс.7 месяцев назад
Is God a woman? When the Tao Te Ching references gender, what does it have to say? Discussing the Tao Te Ching through the framework of feminist metaphysics. Also, apparently today (date of this upload) is World Philosophy Day! 😊 Timestamps: 00:04 What is the Tao Te Ching? 01:29 Feminist and Feminine Implications in the Text 08:43 What do we mean by feminist metaphysics? 09:18 How was the unive...
Dragon Gods, Land Spirits; the Hakka
Просмотров 7 тыс.7 месяцев назад
I’m compounding several different topics into one video and probably should have done separate videos for each topic, but for me, they’re all related to each other, and so I guess from that personal perspective, it makes sense for me to be presenting them in one bundle. Link: wp.me/p32or0-a9v
Your Inner Palace and the Akashic Records
Просмотров 14 тыс.7 месяцев назад
The Akashic Records is very much a Western conception, right? The Theosophists of the 19th century formulated a mash-up of Eastern and Western esoteric traditions and from that mash-up came its most popular legacy the Akashic Records. Most of us get that the "Akashic" part was inspired by the akasha, a fifth element or essence found in various Asian traditions, associated with the sky, space, a...
Descent into the Underworld 觀落陰 (Wu Shamanism)
Просмотров 9 тыс.8 месяцев назад
Guan Luo Yin is a practice of wu shamanism found primarily in the South Pacific. Methodologies differ. One approach is as an astral journey to the underworld to see the spirits of those who have passed on. Another is as a method of "remote viewing." Some traditions conceptualize the descent as beginning from the entrance to a cave at the base of a mountain; others conceptualize it as a palace w...
Three Mysteries of Taoist Scriptural Tradition
Просмотров 7 тыс.8 месяцев назад
The opening paragraph of Chapter 3 in my book I Ching, The Oracle makes reference to the three major Taoist texts referred to as the Three Mysteries. This video is an introduction and overview of the three texts. TIMESTAMPS: 00:12 What are the Three Mysteries? 01:00 What is the School of Mysteries? 01:50 Xuan and the Mysterious Lady of the Nine Heavens 02:52 Mystery 1: The Zhouyi [I Ching] 03:4...
I Ching: Philosophy or Fortune-Telling?
Просмотров 7 тыс.9 месяцев назад
This video lecture is part of a companion course series leading up to the release of my third book, I Ching, The Oracle: benebellwen.com/i-ching-the-oracle/a-companion-course/ Learn more about I Ching, The Oracle: benebellwen.com/i-ching-the-oracle/ A previous video in this companion course series might be a helpful guide on how to interpret an I Ching hexagram: ruclips.net/video/_Pd-yv7h2mQ/ви...
I Ching, The Oracle: Author Unboxing, First Impressions, About Book 3
Просмотров 5 тыс.9 месяцев назад
I Ching, The Oracle: Author Unboxing, First Impressions, About Book 3
Lady of the Nine Heavens (Jiu Tian Xuan Nu) and the I Ching
Просмотров 11 тыс.9 месяцев назад
Lady of the Nine Heavens (Jiu Tian Xuan Nu) and the I Ching
There Is No Self in Eastern Philosophy?
Просмотров 3 тыс.11 месяцев назад
There Is No Self in Eastern Philosophy?
How to Fix Shuffling Friction in Matte Finish Tarot Decks
Просмотров 2,8 тыс.Год назад
How to Fix Shuffling Friction in Matte Finish Tarot Decks
Spirit Keeper's Tarot: In Search for the Prisca Theologia
Просмотров 7 тыс.Год назад
Spirit Keeper's Tarot: In Search for the Prisca Theologia
Rachel Pollack and God's Tarot Reading
Просмотров 3,4 тыс.Год назад
Rachel Pollack and God's Tarot Reading
What is psychic ability? Predictive analytics and divination tools
Просмотров 2,9 тыс.Год назад
What is psychic ability? Predictive analytics and divination tools
Fantastic video, with great detail, and comparative comprehension. Thank you so much. Interesting is the comparison with the western culture: in Roman literature (I’m Italian) we can find many references to a similar concept: please just have a look to Seneca’s “De rerum natura” and “Proevidentia”, or to the thoughts of Marcus Aurelius. Thank you so much, very insightful 🙏🏻
Your videos are so informative and educational. I've been looking for a channel that does a good job of explaining all things Taoist and it seems I've finally found it! Great work 👏🏽😊
Incredible work on fitting all the info into your presentation, and the ability to translate for us, what a gem of worldwide philosophy here
If there is no blame then whatever someone does, there is no guilt. No moral protection for the victims of crime.
Thanks
So Gottfried Leibniz plagiarised the I Ching :( that's sad there are many like him that have stolen others work, like Thomas Edison stealing from Nikola Tesla, even if history is trying to deny it.
Ocean and land. The oldest war in history. Land water spirits ocean water spirits are friends where they meet.. special places. Is the south dragon asleep
I feel total resonance with your exploration of Ziran 自然 and the personal embodiment of Wu Wei - thank you for your thorough exploration of the topic and your personal cultivation so as to be able to transmit it - especially to me as an English speaker!! I'm 4 years into a Qi Gong training and enjoying the exploration of 5-Element theory - I'm getting deeper each season. At this time (Wood into Fire) I am enjoying focusing my Heart Spirit (Shen) on embedding into my Kidney (Jing) by aligning my Zhi with my inner Vision (Liver). I am also noting the tendency to express my excess creative energy in a flash, and would rather, this Cycle, see it as an opportunity to move the Yang deeper in to nourish the Kidneys through the Winter. What are you feeling about the Seasonal tides? :]
awesome video. 1 why north is down? and south up. 2 any fixed logic of pattern 492/357/816