The Meaning of
"Bodymind"
The formal use of the term "bodymind" was coined and developed by Dr.
Eubanks' personal teacher, David E. Shaner
PhD, during
the development of his doctoral thesis in Japanese
Buddhism at the University of Hawai'i. Dr. Shaner
defended "The Bodymind Experience in Japanese
Buddhism" in the summer of 1980 and published it in
1985 (SUNY Press). The term "bodymind" was Dr.
Shaner's formal translation of the Japanese
term shinshin
(shinjin in classical Japanese). This term combines the Japanese
characters for body (karada) and mind (kokoro). When the two characters are
combined together, they form a completely new word,
pronounced shinjin. This term describes a unified,
holistic view of a person. "Bodymind" is a singular,
interconnected expression of the human that is
irreducible and inseparable. In fact, modern
scientific research has demonstrated conclusively the
non-dual nature of the human bodymind. Dr. Shaner
continues to advance his formal teaching of bodymind
studies through his undergraduate course at Furman
University in Greenville, SC. The course entitled,
"Realizing Bodymind," is the first philosophy course
in the US to investigate both theoretical and
practical (experiential-based) aspects of the human
bodymind. Dr. Shaner is a 7th dan black belt and chief
instructor of the Eastern Ki
Federation,
as well as Japan Headquarters' Advisor to the Eastern
Europe/Russia Ki-Aikido
Federation, where he
teaches the five arts of: 1) Ki-Aikido
(martial art), 2)
Kiatsu
Ryoho (ki therapy), 3) Ki no Kokyuho
(ki breathing), 4) Ki no Seizaho
(ki meditation), and 5)
Sokushin no
Gyo (bell
meditation).
