The Hidden Depths of the Daoist Body

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In this clip, Solala Towler explains his view of the body is a microcosm of the universe. The organs are understood as "heavenly orbs", i.e., planets and stars, or nodes in a vast cosmic network that is available to us through our own internal somatic experience. This view resonates with, and builds upon Roger Jahnke's discussion in the previous clip about the depth of physical and psychological experience available in the body "without traveling to the Himalayas." The views of the Daoist body as expressed by Roger and Solala clearly pose a challenge to conventional Western views that have exalted the mind and the spirit over the body seen chiefly as a vehicle or a container. But according to Roger and Solala, Daoists propose that the body is much more than a container for the soul, but rather the means by which Daoists can engage in spiritual cultivation.