Big Mind

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Big Mind is a synthesis of western psychology and Zen Buddhist wisdom. Big Mind is typically manifest in a 2-3 hour small group or individual process that can lead participants into a mindstate which, according to creator Dennis Genpo Merzel Roshi of the Kanzeon Zen Center, normally requires years of dedicated spiritual practice in Buddhist, Contemplative Christian, Jewish mystical or Sufi traditions to attain. This experience can, according to Merzel, range from a mere glimpse into the absolute to a profound and life-altering experience.

Contents 1 The voices 2 The dysfunctional corporation analogy 3 A key idea 4 Technique 4.1 The Dualistic Voices 4.2 The Non-Dualistic Voices 4.3 The Integrated Self (Real Self) 4.4 At dismissal to leave on a good note 4.5 Solo use 5 Additional information 5.1 Objective testing 5.2 Translation to other languages 6 Further reading 7 External links

[edit] The voices

The central idea in Big Mind is that there are 10,000 voices in the mind. They are all competing to be heard and to act. Because they are 'stuck' or suppressed, they are not well controlled and manifest at inappropriate times. (e.g losing one's temper). Propopents of the Big Mind process argue that by very clearly bringing out each voice into full consciousness, the voice loses its neurotic control of actions and instead can be expressed in a healthy manner.

[edit] The dysfunctional corporation analogy

One analogy used in Big Mind is that of a corporation where the 10,000 employees have no idea of their job description, don't know who hired them and there is no organizational structure. The company is total chaos. The mind is very similar. The Big Mind process talks with each voice (or at least the most important ones) and clarifies the roles, duties, benefits, and dangers of each voice in the mind. One also simply stays in a given voice to become familiar with the depth and feelings of that voice.

[edit] A key idea

One key idea in Big Mind is that for 2500 years Buddhism has been trying to achieve enlightenment by sitting and meditating on various mental states. Mertzel claims to have discovered that simply talking to a given mental state or voice will achieve the state immediately, although dedicated practice is generally needed in order to arrive at deep levels of that state.

One analogy is that of a long journey where someone shows you a map of the entire journey. Then you fly in a helicopter and very briefly touch down at key points in the journey, all the way to the end of the journey. One then goes back to the beginning and spends a lifetime walking the route on the ground.

[edit] Technique

The big mind process consists of 'talking' with various voices in the mind. For example the dialog between the facilitator and the student or students might go as follows for the voice of Fear:

Facilitator: Ok, I would like to talk to the voice of Fear.

(Everyone does a small sitting position shift to represent a change of voice or shift in perspective.)

F: Who are you?

Student: I am the voice of Fear.

F: What is your job?

S: To be afraid.

F: Will you ever stop being afraid?

S: No. It's my JOB to be afraid. That is why I was hired and get paid.

F: What are you afraid of?

S: Everything.

(Various students will volunteer items that one could be afraid of, digging deeper into what is the nature of fear.)

Students: Other people. Being attacked. Failure. Being hurt. Losing control. Uncontrolled fear. Death. Fear itself...

F: Why are you (Fear) useful?

S: I protect us from harm. I act as a warning. I Tell the Protector (voice of the protector) that there is danger.

(Note that all responses are done in the first person AS Fear, not a third person description of fear.)

The group then goes on to talk with the voice of Fear about benefits, disadvantages, roles, and such of the given state of mind. The conversation is always in the first person.

Many voices are investigated culminating in the voice of Big Mind. Big Mind is usually described as being in and of everything and timeless. Big Mind is synonymous with the Buddha Mind, the Mind of God, the Timeless Mind, the Non-Dualistic Mind and many other representations of one's higher conciousness.

The voices engaged and the order in which they are engaged varies due to the dynamic nature of the Big Mind process. This process can take anywhere from 2 to 7 hours. Longer sessions allow for better internalization of ideas and realizations that the participants experience.

A typical order in which each voice is engaged follows:

[edit] The Dualistic Voices

• Introduction
• The Sceptic
• The Protector
• The Controller
• Fear
• Anger
• The Fixer
• The Damaged Self (takes all the damage when the above fail)
• The Innocent Child (this is what all of the above are protecting)

[edit] The Non-Dualistic Voices

• The No-Mind
• The Big Mind
• The Big Heart

[edit] The Integrated Self (Real Self)

• The True Self (Big Mind, Big Heart, All Dualistic Voices integrated); also called "Integrated Free-functioning Mind"
• Great Doubt
• The Big Mind
• The CEO (Chief Executive Officer: the voice that sets goals, directs and plans)

[edit] At dismissal to leave on a good note

• The voice of Great Joy

Some Big Mind sessions last for as long as a month in the form of retreats with sessions taking place once or twice every day for a few hours each. Intensive retreats allow ideas to be explored on a much deeper level and there is extensive time for meditation between sessions.

[edit] Solo use

Once a foundation has been laid, Big Mind practitioners can then use the techniques on their own in a solitary setting. When an issue comes up in life one meditates (if possible) and attempts to arrive at a name for the voice causing the problem. For example: One having a problem with overeating might meditate and talk internally with the 'voice of overeating'. As one studies the aspects of that voice it will become manageable.

[edit] Additional information

[edit] Objective testing

The University of Utah is doing a neurological study where an EEG is done before Big Mind on students that have never meditated before. After the session another EEG is done and the results compared. Preliminary results show a visible change in the wave patterns. The changes persist for at least six months afterward and may be shown to persist longer.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Translation to other languages

One issue with 'Big Mind' is that some languages such as German, French, and other Nordic languages have no word for 'Mind'. In these languages the term 'Big Mind' is simply not translated.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Further reading

• Merzel, Dennis Genpo. The Path of the Human Being: Zen Teachings on the Bodhisattva Way. Shambahla Publications, Inc., 2005. ISBN 1-590-30173-0.
• Merzel, Dennis Genpo. The Eye Never Sleeps. Shambahla Publications, Inc., 1991. ISBN 0-877-73569-7.

[edit] External links

• http://www.bigmind.org
• http://www.kzci.org
• http://in.integralinstitute.org/live/view_bigmind.aspx