Introducing mySelf

Introduce yourself to others at Dharma Wheel.
Post Reply
User avatar
JimTempleman
Posts: 92
Joined: Fri Jul 09, 2021 3:48 pm

Introducing mySelf

Post by JimTempleman »

Hi, it’s me, Jim Templeman, and I’m pleased to join your forum. I’ve been studying & practicing Silent Illumination, without a teacher, since I retired at the end of 2016. I’ve read a considerable amount of Zen & Chan literature, and rely most heavily on the writings of Chan Master Sheng Yen. Prior to this, I had studied Ki-Aikido for seven years and then assisted in teaching Ki based mind-body coordination (Koichi Tohe’s Shinshin-toitsu-do) for around ten years.

I’ve also enjoyed reading the Tao Te Ching since high school. In college, I earned a D.Sc. in computer science, with minors in neurobiology and perceptual psychology at GWU. My dissertation involved a computational model of how complex cells of the visual cortex learn to generalize over temporal variation. It applied James J. Gibson’s theory of perceptual invariance (constancy) to develop the complex cell responses described by Hubel and Wiesel.

After college, I worked on the design & development of novel interaction techniques. Most of the research involved user control over full-body avatars in virtual reality. My specialty was in developing and studying virtual locomotion techniques, including walking in place to move through virtual environments.

I believe that Buddhism offers time proven methods for accessing the mind’s potential. The ancients put a tremendous investment of some of the most astute minds in Asia into studying it. I am hopeful that bringing past and present insights together will shed further light on the matter.
User avatar
Shotenzenjin
Posts: 614
Joined: Tue Jun 16, 2020 11:23 pm

Re: Introducing mySelf

Post by Shotenzenjin »

Welcome
Generation's shall pass, our determination shall grow, at the foot of Mount Fuji
Like smoke that reaches far beyond the clouds.--nichimoku shonin. Third high priest of Nichiren Shoshu

Hokekko of true Buddhism https://nstny.org

Introduction to Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source= ... VKyEQ_cxK9
User avatar
FiveSkandhas
Posts: 917
Joined: Sat Jun 29, 2019 6:40 pm

Re: Introducing mySelf

Post by FiveSkandhas »

Welcome. I would be interested to hear any opinions you might have about the practice of Aikido as it relates to Chan/Zen (if you think there is a relationship). I practiced for several years under a Rinzai Zen teacher in Japan who also was trained in Aikido. It is my personal belief that Rinzai in particular involves a great deal of "physicality" (a view that has recently been put forth in great depth and eloquence by the author and authority Miedo Moore in his books on Rinzai). I wonder how you see Aikido "dovetailing" with Zen/Chan, if at all.
"One should cultivate contemplation in one’s foibles. The foibles are like fish, and contemplation is like fishing hooks. If there are no fish, then the fishing hooks have no use. The bigger the fish is, the better the result we will get. As long as the fishing hooks keep at it, all foibles will eventually be contained and controlled at will." -Zhiyi

"Just be kind." -Atisha
User avatar
Lotomístico
Posts: 100
Joined: Thu Jul 01, 2021 10:15 pm

Re: Introducing mySelf

Post by Lotomístico »

JimTempleman wrote: Sat Jul 10, 2021 5:20 pm Hi, it’s me, Jim Templeman, and I’m pleased to join your forum. I’ve been studying & practicing Silent Illumination, without a teacher, since I retired at the end of 2016. I’ve read a considerable amount of Zen & Chan literature, and rely most heavily on the writings of Chan Master Sheng Yen. Prior to this, I had studied Ki-Aikido for seven years and then assisted in teaching Ki based mind-body coordination (Koichi Tohe’s Shinshin-toitsu-do) for around ten years.

I’ve also enjoyed reading the Tao Te Ching since high school. In college, I earned a D.Sc. in computer science, with minors in neurobiology and perceptual psychology at GWU. My dissertation involved a computational model of how complex cells of the visual cortex learn to generalize over temporal variation. It applied James J. Gibson’s theory of perceptual invariance (constancy) to develop the complex cell responses described by Hubel and Wiesel.

After college, I worked on the design & development of novel interaction techniques. Most of the research involved user control over full-body avatars in virtual reality. My specialty was in developing and studying virtual locomotion techniques, including walking in place to move through virtual environments.

I believe that Buddhism offers time proven methods for accessing the mind’s potential. The ancients put a tremendous investment of some of the most astute minds in Asia into studying it. I am hopeful that bringing past and present insights together will shed further light on the matter.
It sounds as though you've had many interesting experiences and have much to share, welcome!
One should become the master of one’s mind rather than let one’s mind master oneself.
User avatar
DNS
Site Admin
Posts: 5268
Joined: Sun Apr 05, 2009 4:23 pm
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, Estados Unidos de América
Contact:

Re: Introducing mySelf

Post by DNS »

Welcome to DW!

User avatar
JimTempleman
Posts: 92
Joined: Fri Jul 09, 2021 3:48 pm

Re: Introducing mySelf

Post by JimTempleman »

Thanks everyone for the welcomes!
FiveSkandhas wrote: Sat Jul 10, 2021 11:00 pm Welcome. I would be interested to hear any opinions you might have about the practice of Aikido as it relates to Chan/Zen (if you think there is a relationship). I practiced for several years under a Rinzai Zen teacher in Japan who also was trained in Aikido. It is my personal belief that Rinzai in particular involves a great deal of "physicality" (a view that has recently been put forth in great depth and eloquence by the author and authority Miedo Moore in his books on Rinzai). I wonder how you see Aikido "dovetailing" with Zen/Chan, if at all.
Your suggestion led me to check out this interesting YouTube interview:
"Hidden Zen" w/Meido Moore:

Code: Select all

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jESL6ODnprM
I cannot answer your question directly, I can only speak from my own experience.

Your interest led me to consider how the ‘mind and body coordination’ training I received from Ki-Aikido influenced my approach to Chan/Zen. A number of insights and approaches from Ki-training can be applied to enhance one’s practice of silent sitting. I plan on writing a number of posts on the forum to cover this topic. I will post it under the Zen forum, because the founder of Ki-Aikido practiced Zen and Aikido is a Japanese martial art, even though other Eastern religious played an important role in its development. This might take me a while because I want the different pieces of the 'puzzle' to fit together.

I hope people don’t think that I am promoting Ki-Aikido over Zen. I have moved on from Ki-Aikido to Zen/Chan. However, there are many strengths of the more immediate practice of Ki-Aikido that are rarely mentioned in (Soto) Zen, that might prove beneficial.
User avatar
FiveSkandhas
Posts: 917
Joined: Sat Jun 29, 2019 6:40 pm

Re: Introducing mySelf

Post by FiveSkandhas »

Thanks for your reply above and best wishes.
"One should cultivate contemplation in one’s foibles. The foibles are like fish, and contemplation is like fishing hooks. If there are no fish, then the fishing hooks have no use. The bigger the fish is, the better the result we will get. As long as the fishing hooks keep at it, all foibles will eventually be contained and controlled at will." -Zhiyi

"Just be kind." -Atisha
User avatar
Rick
Posts: 2629
Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2013 1:05 am

Re: Introducing mySelf

Post by Rick »

JimTempleman wrote: Sat Jul 10, 2021 5:20 pm After college, I worked on the design & development of novel interaction techniques. Most of the research involved user control over full-body avatars in virtual reality. My specialty was in developing and studying virtual locomotion techniques, including walking in place to move through virtual environments.
Cool! Could you possibly build me a holodeck? No rush, anytime next week would be fine.

(I always wondered how people in the holodeck, which was large but not huge, could walk for miles, climb mountains, go surfing. Treadmills?)
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily ...
User avatar
JimTempleman
Posts: 92
Joined: Fri Jul 09, 2021 3:48 pm

Re: Introducing mySelf

Post by JimTempleman »

Rick wrote: Thu Sep 02, 2021 9:57 pm Cool! Could you possibly build me a holodeck? No rush, anytime next week would be fine.

(I always wondered how people in the holodeck, which was large but not huge, could walk for miles, climb mountains, go surfing. Treadmills?)
The conclusion we came to was that:
(1) Almost any form of walking-like locomotion controls were good for touring virtual scenes.
(2) But none of them were any good (including 2D treadmills) for training stressful or high-performance tasks, like fire fighting (inside a ship). This is because people can easily turn their body around while continuing to walk in a straight line - when actually walking, but they could not do it easily and smoothly with step-like gestures.
zerwe
Posts: 778
Joined: Mon Jun 07, 2010 4:25 am
Location: North Carolina

Re: Introducing mySelf

Post by zerwe »

Welcome, Jim.

Shaun :namaste:
Post Reply

Return to “Introductions”