Zen Priest Now Preaches Philosophy of “Authentic Thinking"
Sep 2, 2005
A former Zen Buddhist priest in Japan, Yasuhiko Genku Kimura, is a philosopher and writer who lectures people and businesses on business strategies, ethics, philosophy and what he calls "authentic thinking."
His business clients have included Kishibe Keori Corp. & KSB Marketing, Inc., a Japanese textile company and its U.S. subsidiary; Japan Health Products, Inc.; and American Family Funding.
He has also written several books, including "Think Kosmically Act Globally: An Anthology of Essays on Ethics, Spirituality, and Metascience."
Kimura will appear in Cambridge at 38Cameron for two talks: "Further Reaches of Human Consciousness" on September 15, 7:30 p.m., and "Awakening to Authentic Leadership," a seminar on September 16, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sampan interviewed Kimura recently by e-mail.
You've been called a "philosopher of change." What does that mean?
"Philosopher of Change" was the designation What Is Enlightenment? Magazine gave me and it makes sense. Since my youth, I have been interested in the whole phenomenon of change, particularly the kind of change often called "transformation" in which people experience a radical shift at the foundation of their being.
This kind of change or transformation takes place usually through a profound, powerful, and literally life-altering realization. My work has been focused on bringing people to the point of having such realization, while my philosophy has been focused on identifying the principles and dynamics underlying such transformational processes.
You were formerly a Zen priest. Why did you take that path and why did you eventually leave it?
Zen and Buddhism in general aim to bring about radical transformation of our self through a process of rigorous, meditative inquiry into who and what we really are. In my youth, my interest initially was in my own self-transformation and, later, in the transformation of other people. Therefore, Zen suited me very well. And, in a sense, I have never left Zen -- this ever-deepening inquiry into the nature of transformation.
What I left was the organization that had developed around Zen, which after many centuries had turned into a tradition-bound, organized religion. Also, like many other religions originating in the past, the tradition has become somewhat irrelevant and non-responsive to the issues, concerns, and lifestyle of modern and postmodern humans.
How does your experience as a Zen priest compare to what you're doing now?
The fundamental purpose is the same: To assist people in their transformation. However, now I am not bound by the conventions of Zen, or any tradition of the past….
This does not mean that I disregard traditions or that I do not respect traditions. My intention is to enliven the spirit and wisdom of traditions without being bound by their forms. There is a kind of freedom that would not be there if I were still a Zen Buddhist priest. At the same time, a degree of creativity is required to constantly break new ground in the formulation and application of the art, science and philosophy of transformation.
You talk a lot about promoting "authentic thinking." What do you mean by that?
Authentic thinking is the kind of thinking that fully uses our human and divine intelligence and creativity. Authentic thinking is my English translation of the ancient Japanese word for "to think," which is "kami-kaeru."
Authentic thinking is a spiritual activity through which we powerfully unfold our human and divine intelligence and creative potential. It has both meditative and creative aspects. Meditatively we return to our spiritual base and creatively we return to the world from our spiritual base. This is how real geniuses think in their fields, and every human being has the potential to think in this way. However, our educational systems "de-geniusize" people. By promoting and teaching authentic thinking, I am tying to "re-geniusize" people.
+Do you feel that the cultures of the U.S. and Japan typically have differing views of the value of "authentic thinking"?+
Authentic thinking is relatively absent in the world. That is why those who think authentically stand out.
Traditionally there seems to have been more emphasis on independent thinking in the U.S. than in Japan. But I have not seen any essential difference between the U.S. and Japan in this regard. Authentic, creative, and original thinking is an exception in both countries. Both the U.S. and Japanese education systems are churning out well informed, intellectually adequate, and professionally marketable non-thinking young adults who tend to remain non-thinking and unaware of "authentic thinking" throughout their lives.
What can attendees of your upcoming talks in Cambridge expect to hear?
In the talk on "Further Reaches of Human Consciousness," I will provide definitive answers to fundamental life questions such as: What is spiritual transformation and how can you permanently bring it about in your life?; What is consciousness and how can we understand it?; What is evolution?; What is the next stage of human evolution and how can we bring it about?
In the business workshop on "Awakening to Authentic Leadership," participants can expect to leave with a better understanding of what it means and takes to be an authentic leader.
For more visit 38cameron.com
-A.S.
His business clients have included Kishibe Keori Corp. & KSB Marketing, Inc., a Japanese textile company and its U.S. subsidiary; Japan Health Products, Inc.; and American Family Funding.
He has also written several books, including "Think Kosmically Act Globally: An Anthology of Essays on Ethics, Spirituality, and Metascience."
Kimura will appear in Cambridge at 38Cameron for two talks: "Further Reaches of Human Consciousness" on September 15, 7:30 p.m., and "Awakening to Authentic Leadership," a seminar on September 16, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sampan interviewed Kimura recently by e-mail.
You've been called a "philosopher of change." What does that mean?
"Philosopher of Change" was the designation What Is Enlightenment? Magazine gave me and it makes sense. Since my youth, I have been interested in the whole phenomenon of change, particularly the kind of change often called "transformation" in which people experience a radical shift at the foundation of their being.
This kind of change or transformation takes place usually through a profound, powerful, and literally life-altering realization. My work has been focused on bringing people to the point of having such realization, while my philosophy has been focused on identifying the principles and dynamics underlying such transformational processes.
You were formerly a Zen priest. Why did you take that path and why did you eventually leave it?
Zen and Buddhism in general aim to bring about radical transformation of our self through a process of rigorous, meditative inquiry into who and what we really are. In my youth, my interest initially was in my own self-transformation and, later, in the transformation of other people. Therefore, Zen suited me very well. And, in a sense, I have never left Zen -- this ever-deepening inquiry into the nature of transformation.
What I left was the organization that had developed around Zen, which after many centuries had turned into a tradition-bound, organized religion. Also, like many other religions originating in the past, the tradition has become somewhat irrelevant and non-responsive to the issues, concerns, and lifestyle of modern and postmodern humans.
How does your experience as a Zen priest compare to what you're doing now?
The fundamental purpose is the same: To assist people in their transformation. However, now I am not bound by the conventions of Zen, or any tradition of the past….
This does not mean that I disregard traditions or that I do not respect traditions. My intention is to enliven the spirit and wisdom of traditions without being bound by their forms. There is a kind of freedom that would not be there if I were still a Zen Buddhist priest. At the same time, a degree of creativity is required to constantly break new ground in the formulation and application of the art, science and philosophy of transformation.
You talk a lot about promoting "authentic thinking." What do you mean by that?
Authentic thinking is the kind of thinking that fully uses our human and divine intelligence and creativity. Authentic thinking is my English translation of the ancient Japanese word for "to think," which is "kami-kaeru."
Authentic thinking is a spiritual activity through which we powerfully unfold our human and divine intelligence and creative potential. It has both meditative and creative aspects. Meditatively we return to our spiritual base and creatively we return to the world from our spiritual base. This is how real geniuses think in their fields, and every human being has the potential to think in this way. However, our educational systems "de-geniusize" people. By promoting and teaching authentic thinking, I am tying to "re-geniusize" people.
+Do you feel that the cultures of the U.S. and Japan typically have differing views of the value of "authentic thinking"?+
Authentic thinking is relatively absent in the world. That is why those who think authentically stand out.
Traditionally there seems to have been more emphasis on independent thinking in the U.S. than in Japan. But I have not seen any essential difference between the U.S. and Japan in this regard. Authentic, creative, and original thinking is an exception in both countries. Both the U.S. and Japanese education systems are churning out well informed, intellectually adequate, and professionally marketable non-thinking young adults who tend to remain non-thinking and unaware of "authentic thinking" throughout their lives.
What can attendees of your upcoming talks in Cambridge expect to hear?
In the talk on "Further Reaches of Human Consciousness," I will provide definitive answers to fundamental life questions such as: What is spiritual transformation and how can you permanently bring it about in your life?; What is consciousness and how can we understand it?; What is evolution?; What is the next stage of human evolution and how can we bring it about?
In the business workshop on "Awakening to Authentic Leadership," participants can expect to leave with a better understanding of what it means and takes to be an authentic leader.
For more visit 38cameron.com
-A.S.
Article Reference: http://www.sampan.org/show_article.php?display=174
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