Daoism and Okinawan Karate-Do! (1.11.2023)

Although these styles were diverse in expression – the underlying and underpinning Daoist worldview remained essentially the same. Although distinct from modern medical knowledge – Daoist thinking represents the height of human endeavour from a far earlier age. Indeed, even today elements of Daoist thinking and methodology appear to overlap with that of modern medicine – and contribute extensively toward the functioning of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

The Difference Between Gong-an and Ko-an Practice

It is bizarre to consider that as Japan descended into fascism and racism prior to WWII – the distorted, nationalistic Zen Buddhism of that time was popular in the West amongst intellectuals, despite a number of its masters expressing openly hostile attitudes toward the Western people. It is even more bizarre to consider that after WWII – many of these very same masters remained popular as they quietly pushed their formerly racist rhetoric into the background, and applied a more ‘neutral’ policy toward the acquisition of Enlightenment.