One Wisdom.

... Many Dharmas​

Dharma means "The way it is; the truth or lawfulness of how things are." 
We all have different perspectives and understanding of what this means.
My understanding is that some Truths are the foundation from which
many perspectives find their ground.

Follow that seed until there is only one perspective;
​One fundamental Truth...
One Body...
​One Wisdom...

​This world is a moving mandala. Ever-changing, with new waves of complexity in every moment,
in ​every experience, in every relationship to every object.

---

"The birthright of each of us
includes an opportunity
to realize we are a dance of
light and energy...

We are a living, breathing, laughing,
loving animation of the Divine. "

---

Matrix Dance Studio - 1979 - Darlene Performs Sacred Dance Movements

Darlene Tataryn PhD

A recognized pioneer in the field of Expressive Arts Therapy in Canada, Darlene has been working with body/mind/emotion/spiritual practices since the early 70's. She is often referred to as one of the few teachers with integrated Masculine and Feminine teachings within Integral Theory frameworks.

Darlene studied Dance Therapy at Naropa Institute in Boulder, Colorado and obtained her Ph.D. in Expressive Therapy through the National Institute of Expressive Therapy.  In the Buddhist tradition she is deeply grateful to her primary teachers in the Karma Kagyu Namgyal Lineage. For many years Darlene practiced as a preceptor in the Sahaj Marg system introduced by Shri Ram Chandra. 

After meeting Junpo Roshi she was eventually ordained as a Zen Priest and certified as a Mondo Zen Facilitator.   Upasaka Culadasa John Yates taught the traditional path of Shamatha-Vipassana as outlined in the book The Mind Illuminated and Darlene was certified by him as a teacher in that System. Her teaching reflects Theravadin, Mahayana, and Vajrayana and Zen Buddhism.  

Life as a practitioner, wife, and mother has brought much opportunity to integrate conventional life with deep insight, including finding more time in a moment. 
A long time Meditation instructor, she is the creator of Maitreya's Chair and Asaya Yoga, two practices which open this breathing body into receptivity, release tension, realign the spine, and bring the body into natural, blissfully calming, self-healing cycles. 

​ As a Zen Priest and Mondo Zen facilitator, she is able to guide and orient healthy ego function to the service of clarity and depth of heart and mind.

As a psychotherapist/ counselor (Expressive Therapy), college instructor, and educator for over 35 years,  Darlene has a fluid capacity to navigate between the disciplines of therapy and meditation.  She facilitates somatic healing, expressive movement therapy, developmental re-patterning.  She is steeped in the understanding of the interconnection and interdependence of mind/body/spirit and is a skilled emotional therapy guide with an integral view.

Darlene's Practices:

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Maitreya's Chair
Dimensional Cross Patterns in 10 Directions

This contemplative movement form is a seated practice in which gentle movement releases tension patterns in the hips, spine, neck,  and opens our breathing into fullness.  Maitreya's Chair works to gently move energetic congestion and muscular armouring, releasing defensive patterns and helping heal the wounds such patterns protect. 

This wonderful practice  awakens and vitalizes our whole body providing focus for deep absorption into one's body/mind.  This often leads practitioners to an experience of deep peace and blissful calm.

Culadasa-Certified Teacher of The Mind Illuminated (TMI)

In 1981 Darlene stepped into the practice of Buddha Dharma as a student of Theravadin lay monk Kema Ananda, and since his passing has been a student of valued teachers in the Karma Kagyu Namgyal lineage in Canada.  In the Zen tradition she has taken Jukai and in 2014 has been ordained as a Priest by 83rd Zen Patriarch Jun Po Denis Kelly into the Rinzai Zen Hollow Bones order and given the names Emyo Seien (Gift of Clarity/ Pure Circle). As a certified Mondo Zen facilitator Emyo Darlene guides students through Zen koans adapted for those in the West.

Darlene became a student of Culadasa (John Yates) and among others, was certified by him to represent his teaching of The Mind Illuminated in 2021. Able to instruct all levels of TMI, she has facilitated spiritually-oriented groups, meditation programs including The Hermitage on Denman, and engaged as resident teacher at Dharma Treasure Cochise, AZ. Over the years, Darlene has woven Integral Theory into her life and practice. As an Expressive Therapist with somatic and emotional focus, she has maintained a private counseling and expressive psychotherapy practice since 1993 and was employed as a college educator in Applied Counseling Skills for many years.

Darlene guides those beginning and those having a “well worn cushion”, who wish to deepen their understanding of the mind system. She offers practical and Buddha Dharma instruction throughout the stages, emphasizing the four applications of mindfulness for a strong foundation, and guides through the challenges of unfolding as a harmonious being, becoming ever more capable of wise and compassionate choice in existence.

The Lotus Series (asaya yoga)
 Re-patterning through Movement Meditation

The Lotus Series was born out of years of experimenting with, integrating and expanding upon training and discipline in meditation, nursing, intensive dance therapy at Naropa University, dance and psychology studies  at University of Arizona, and Counseling with an Expressive Therapy Bias through Prescott College, Az.  This series is based on Developmental as well as Improvisational Movement.

The Lotus Series is comprised of three sets of movement patterns:

Lotus Rooting (Developmental Movement)

• Foundation of all movement and yoga forms (these patterns are the natural unfolding of human development from conception to adulthood, reptile to human)

• Neurocellular reprogramming
• Identifies emotional and muscular armouring
• Releases trauma and historical wounding from the body
• Integrates nuances Darlene has developed through work with clients

​Lotus Rising

• Continues the work from Rooting, but focuses on alignment
• Movement Mechanics
• Subtle Energy flow (similar to Qi Gong)
• energizing and smoothing the bio-energy systems of the body

Lotus Blossoming

• Integrates insights form above practices and moves into conscious movement
• free-form, spontaneous, embodied improvisational expression
• Opportunity to tap into collective states of consciousness.

We work with spinal, homologous, homo-lateral and contra-lateral movement combinations which are the foundation of all human movement whether walking, dancing or doing yoga, or any athletic endeavor. Designed to facilitate full range of movement,  spinal alignment, and overall flexibility, balance, and dynamic movement, these movements can be adapted for persons of any age and ability and serve to re-pattern our movement repertoire affecting and supporting our physical, mental, and emotional states.

These patterns are meditative, expressive, and depending on the context...enlivening and fun!

Mondo Zen
A direct path to experiencing and naming the nature of mind in deep Samadhi

Mondo Zen is a meditation system of koan inquiry based on Chinese and Japanese Zen updated for this century and western culture. What is a koan? A koan is a question designed to bring about direct experience of awakened mind. Each of the Mondo Zen koans deconstruct and reconstruct our philosophical orientation so that we might lead a life informed by deep clarity and heartfulness as we meet our self and others in the world. 

There are many philosophies and spiritual traditions that lead us to actualizing our awakened birthright and Zen Buddhism is one such path.  What the western influence and the Mondo Zen process has brought to traditional spiritual practice, is the recognition of the necessity to face and experience our emotional life and bring into light the shadow elements of our own conditioned psyche.  

Insight into correct understanding of the nature of mind and the function of our ego structures, leads to conscious choice, reducing reactivity, and helps us live a life that supports enlightened stewardship of our own mind and heart in relationship to all others and our Earth.

The Mondo Zen process involves full heart mind collaboration between the student and teacher and involves mind to mind transmission or resonance and recognition of the clarity, stability, and peace of the natural mind.   There are insight, practice, and emotional koans to explore, individually and/or in a group.  This work often involves embodiment movement practices such as Qi Gong and other practices such as the Asaya Process.

History
Jun Po (Dennis Kelly), 83rd Zen Patriarch and his Sangha created Mondo Zen which is a dialogue between the teacher and student based on Japanese and Chinese Zen updated for this historical time. It focuses on “in the world engagement” and “direct personal experience”. The philosophical orientation is very simple yet powerfully effective and does not require faith based beliefs. Please visit www.mondozen.org  or https://hollowboneszen.org/​  

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