When we speak of an individual's state we are actually referring to something that transcends the duality of the body & soul something that reflects the entirety of a person's being. Because each of us is a unity of body & soul there is no psychic structure or inner tension that is not reflected outwardly in the form & order of the body. When we find the physical centre of the body we also find the psychological centre of the soul. According to Zen masters by correcting posture & breathing to balance this centre one can cultivate inner tranquillity & balance: the state called Hara. In Hara Karlfried Graf Durckheim shows the Western world how to overcome the physical & spiritual decay of modern life by adopting the age-old techniques of Japanese Zen masters. By leaving behind the chest out
- belly in" posture & attitude of the west & adopting the belly-centred posture & attitude of Hara individuals can live a calm grounded & more balanced life. Included in this classic text are vital life force practices & translations of the wisdom teachings of three Japanese Zen masters. This book also explores how the practice of Hara emphasises empirical learning & the cultivation of self-knowledge through the perfection of arts such as painting & archery."