The Broken Bokken

Indra's Net

2011-11-16T21:09:00.000-06:00

Indra's Net

Indra's Net is a Buddhist metaphor to show the interdependence of all things. The Net of Indra is a jeweled net, each reflecting upon each other. Each jewel representing a single life, or teaching or being. We are reflections of each other. All the world's great teachings are but a reflection of each other. Touch one jewel in the net and you have touched them all...reflected in them all.

Bushido

This became so apparent to me a few years ago. I was preparing to facilitate a Men's Wellbriety Group with my coworker, Gina. When I walked into the group room she had already posted the 7 teachings of the Grandfathers. Gina is an addictions counselor and a member of the Mohican Nation. As she had them listed on the white board and we began discussing them, it flashed into my head, "This the Bushido Code of the Samurai." Almost the exact same 7 Virtues.

Caduceus

A few days later as I was reading about the energy systems of the body, more commonly known now as Chakras. This term borrowed from the yogic traditions shows 7 chakras each with a set of qualities...and you guessed it...they were almost identical to the 7 Teachings and the 7 Virtues. Chakras were not only known in India, but have been referenced in the cultures of the Andean shamans, the Navajo, and even the Jewish traditions...the 7 Stars of David. Even the ancient Greeks knew of the 7 energy centers as evidenced in the medical symbol the caduceus.

Chakras

Everything is a reflection of each other. Indra's Net. I found this interesting and provided some fun popcorn for my brain.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Recieved a Cool Honor!

2011-11-01T05:28:00.000-05:00

My new job has kept me pretty busy and my writing time for the Broken Bokken has been limited...as I am also working (almost done) on my next book proposal.

This post I would like to share some fun news about a cool award I received from Master Farouk Gibbs of the Yudan Sila Bela Close Quarters Defense Academy out of New York.

He wrote "There is much in my heart that I would like to say about Master David Nelson. He is a gift to the martial arts world. When I reached out to him for advice he did not hesitate to provide me with great information. Master Nelson, please continue to spread your wealth of knowledge."

I am honored by his words.

Thank you Mr. Gibbs. I invite all of my Budo friends to check them out on FaceBook. This is a cool bunch of Budo-brothers and sisters.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Being Nobody, Going Nowhere

2011-09-25T07:58:00.001-05:00

Lao Tzu, the famous Chinese philosopher accredited with writing the "Tao Te Ching" wrote how the life of a sage is one of daily diminishing, not adding. Bruce Lee also spoke of peeling back non-essentials of the martial arts in order to reveal 'the truth' of self-defence training.

Looking at ourselves, as a people, we love to gather certificates, diplomas, trophies. We accumulate things, like cars, houses, books, and so forth. Why? For most of us it is a sense of security through identity. Deep down, we don't know who we are or why we are here on this planet. In an attempt to find this security or identity we try to find it through 'outer things' such as titles, materials possessions and relationships.

As martial artists, most of us have studied about five to six different art forms looking for the 'the truth' or ourselves. And, guess what? They do satisfy, but for only a short while, because as you know, all things are temporary. So we keep searching.

If we would really listen to Lao Tzu, we can see we are like an onion. If you begin to peel back the layers of who you think you are, just like the onion, you will find when you get to the middle, that there is 'nothing' there. Yes, you are nothing, going nowhere! (LOL here!)

Being nobody, going nowhere is our truest nature....it is Ku or Emptiness. We are emptiness in form and form in emptiness. If you remember, Ku is the unfolding field of limitless possibilities only waiting for a thought to manifest into form. At your truest inner self, because you are No-body you are All things. You are infinite with unbounded potential. How cool is that!

So, as you look at yourself, Peel back the layers of who you identify as you. Throw away the labels, the security, the diplomas, the sense of importance and just watch. Meditate. Learn to just be and your inner self of Being Nobody, Going Nowhere is there. Then you can have a great laugh and play in this wonderful universal field of 'energy'...which is what I am off to do now.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Got Gusto?

2011-09-01T09:42:00.000-05:00

The impetus for this post comes from a conversation of mothers I overheard while at a coffee shop. In fact, as I write this I am at the coffee shop. The mom's had all just dropped off their young kids at school and were talking about how to achieve Zen calm, Zen happiness or this was 'zen' and that was 'zen'.

I got to asking myself, "Do they really know what zen is?" Well, actually, that is a loaded question, for zen can't be known, only experienced...which brings me to my point.

Zen is usually equated with calmness and serenity...but that is for those who see from the outside of zen practice and have not engaged in it directly. In the middle of Zen practice is angst, painful knees, doubt, suffering, peace, quiet, heaven, hell. The insides are always churning, while an outsider will see people just sitting 'peacefully' not knowing that perhaps this person is grieving the loss of loved one and in the midst of great turmoil.

Zen is about entering into where you are with 'Gusto!' Now, sitting on a zafu doesn't look like an activity full of gusto, but it is. When your asshole is burning cause you have been sitting on and off the zafu for six hours into the second day of a sesshin, the only way 'out' is 'in'....and with gusto. You must lose yourself only by pushing yourself in.

It's like training in Karate. You must enter in and embrace the battle. It is easier with an opponent in a dojo...more difficult when it is your own mind, body and emotions. In the dojo you push yourself to the limits till you 'lose yourself'...you go past the point of what you can endure and run on adrenalin and spirit.

Same in zazen. Push yourself, Enter in till the self is lost and all there is...is. In Karate we attack and defend with Gusto! Lotsa of screaming and grunting and laughing. In Zen...it is quieter without physical movement...but the Gusto! must be there. Push, push, push till you can't push anymore...you get to that point of letting go...this is Zen. Leave no trace of the Self...burn yourself out!!

When you cross 'the gap' in Karate to defend yourself it is an all or nothing adventure. If you go in with hesitancy or reserve or half-assed you will lose. You must give it all. You must die and leave no trace. Same in Zen...give it all! Give it Gusto! Leave not trace of the self....burn it to the ground.

Gusto! Give all of your life's activity Gusto! Leave no trace. Zen looks calm from the outside...and it can be on the inside, but first there must be Gusto! The gusto of fire in the belly.

Wow...those Mom's sparked a fire in my brain.

Hands palm to palm,

Shinzen

Self-Defense Tips

2011-08-25T22:09:00.000-05:00

Sensei Dean and me (with black hair)

Sensei Dean always told me to keep my Karate and Self-defense simple. He gave some good pointers, like: The only time to turn your back to your opponent is when you are running away...no fancy spinning kicks or punches.
He always emphasized movement. When you get hit, don't stop! Keep moving.

Overtime I discovered my own.

1. Embrace the fight...
2. Never back up...
3. Hit hard and fast
4. Always assume 3 opponents...so,
5. Don't hang around too long with one guy...drop him fast.
6. Look and be psychotic with lots of Kiai!
7. Use a weapon, like a chair, pen, ruler, knife before you use your hands/feet.
8. Cause I'm a small guy...get in close with knees, elbows and headbutts.
9. Have big friends!
10. Keep training everyday
11. Kick a guy in the head after he's on the ground...(a groin kick is a high kick on the street)

That's just a few of them...
Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Verses on the Faith Mind

2011-08-25T11:44:00.000-05:00

Hsin-hsin Ming:

Verses on the Faith-Mind

By Seng-ts'an, Third Chinese Patriarch

Translated by Richard B. Clarke

The Great Way is not difficult
for those not attached to preferences.
When neither love nor hate arises,
all is clear and undisguised.
Separate by the smallest amount, however,
and you are as far from it as heaven is from earth.

If you wish to know the truth,
then hold to no opinions for or against anything.
To set up what you like against what you dislike
is the disease of the mind.

When the fundamental nature of things is not recognized
the mind's essential peace is disturbed to no avail.
The Way is perfect as vast space is perfect,
where nothing is lacking and nothing is in excess.

Indeed, it is due to our grasping and rejecting
that we do not know the true nature of things.
Live neither in the entanglements of outer things,
nor in ideas or feelings of emptiness.
Be serene and at one with things
and erroneous views will disappear by themselves.

When you try to stop activity to achieve quietude,
your very effort fills you with activity.
As long as you remain attached to one extreme or another
you will never know Oneness.
Those who do not live in the Single Way
cannot be free in either activity or quietude, in assertion or denial.

Deny the reality of things
and you miss their reality;
assert the emptiness of things
and you miss their reality.
The more you talk and think about it
the further you wander from the truth.
So cease attachment to talking and thinking,
and there is nothing you will not be able to know.

To return to the root is to find the essence,
but to pursue appearances or "enlightenment" is to miss the source.
To awaken even for a moment
is to go beyond appearance and emptiness.

Changes that seem to occur in the empty world
we make real only because of our ignorance.

Do not seek for the truth;
Only cease to cherish opinions.

Do not remain in a dualistic state;
avoid such easy habits carefully.
If you attach even to a trace
of this and that, of right and wrong,
the Mind-essence will be lost in confusion.
Although all dualities arise from the One,
do not be attached even to ideas of this One.

When the mind exists undisturbed in the Way,
there is no objection to anything in the world;
and when there is no objection to anything,
things cease to be— in the old way.
When no discriminating attachment arises,
the old mind ceases to exist.
Let go of things as separate existences
and mind too vanishes.
Likewise when the thinking subject vanishes
so too do the objects created by mind.

The arising of other gives rise to self;
giving rise to self generates others.
Know these seeming two as facets
of the One Fundamental Reality.
In this Emptiness, these two are really one—
and each contains all phenomena.
If not comparing, nor attached to "refined" and "vulgar"—
you will not fall into judgment and opinion.

The Great Way is embracing and spacious—
to live in it is neither easy nor difficult.
Those who rely on limited views are fearful and irresolute:
The faster they hurry, the slower they go.
To have a narrow mind,
and to be attached to getting enlightenment
is to lose one's center and go astray.
When one is free from attachment,
all things are as they are,
and there is neither coming nor going.

When in harmony with the nature of things, your own fundamental nature,
and you will walk freely and undisturbed.
However, when mind is in bondage, the truth is hidden,
and everything is murky and unclear,
and the burdensome practice of judging
brings annoyance and weariness.
What benefit can be derived
from attachment to distinctions and separations?

If you wish to move in the One Way,
do not dislike the worlds of senses and ideas.
Indeed, to embrace them fully
is identical with true Enlightenment.
The wise person attaches to no goals
but the foolish person fetters himself or herself.
There is one Dharma, without differentiation.
Distinctions arise from the clinging needs of the ignorant.
To seek Mind with the discriminating mind
is the greatest of mistakes.

Rest and unrest derive from illusion;
with enlightenment, attachment to liking and disliking ceases.
All dualities come from ignorant inference.
They are like dreams, phantoms, hallucinations—
it is foolish to try to grasp them.
Gain and loss, right and wrong; finally abandon all such thoughts at once.

If the eye never sleeps,
all dreams will naturally cease.
If the mind makes no discriminations,
the ten thousand things
are as they are, of single essence.
To realize the mystery of this One-essence
is to be released from all entanglements.
When all things are seen without differentiation,
the One Self-essence is everywhere revealed.
No comparisons or analogies are possible
in this causeless, relationless state of just this One.

When movement stops, there is no movement—
and when no movement, there is no stopping.
When such dualities cease to exist
Oneness itself cannot exist.
To this ultimate state
no law or description applies.

For the Realized mind at one with the Way
all self-centered striving ceases.
Doubts and irresolutions vanish
and the Truth is confirmed in you.
With a single stroke you are freed from bondage;
nothing clings to you and you hold to nothing.
All is empty, clear, self-illuminating,
with no need to exert the mind.
Here, thinking, feeling, understanding, and imagination
are of no value.
In this world "as it really is"
there is neither self nor other-than-self.

To know this Reality directly
is possible only through practicing non-duality.
When you live this non-separation,
all things manifest the One, and nothing is excluded.
Whoever comes to enlightenment, no matter when or where,
Realizes personally this fundamental Source.

This Dharma-truth has nothing to do with big or small, with time and space.
Here a single thought is as ten thousand years.
Not here, not there—
but everywhere always right before your eyes.
Infinitely large and infinitely small: no difference,
for definitions are irrelevant
and no boundaries can be discerned.
So likewise with "existence" and "non-existence."

Don't waste your time in arguments and discussion
attempting to grasp the ungraspable.

Each thing reveals the One,
the One manifests as all things.
To live in this Realization
is not to worry about perfection or non-perfection.
To put your trust in the Heart-Mind is to live without separation,
and in this non-duality you are one with your Life-Source.

Words! Words!
The Way is beyond language,
for in it there is no yesterday,

no tomorrow
no today.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Be Dead

2011-08-20T09:15:00.000-05:00

Imagine for a moment you are on your death bed. Death is imminent...soon your body will be a corpse.

Will your mind be full of 'how to become wealthy?' or 'who am I?' or 'I am going to get revenge on so and so?' or 'Tomorrow I am going to go on a diet?' or so on and so on?

Allow your mind to take the composure of a dead man or woman. You recognize the uselessness of struggle.

Now live your life from this point and see what happens.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Underground Zen Combat: Sanchin Dachi

2011-08-17T07:14:00.000-05:00

Enso

Sanchin Kata is my staple. It is the Kata that speaks to me like no other. In this post I am going to share with you a very exciting lesson that inspired me greatly. Now, if you don't do Sanchin, this is going to be a 'so what' moment. But if you practice Sanchin and are really into combat, this will crack your cosmic egg.

The first pic is an Enso. It is the circle of Zen that points to completeness and the unlimited power of your pure nature/mind. Quantum physics uses this to display the vacuum field of unlimited potential...same thing. This is the Ku/Kara of Karate.

Now...take a look at Sanchin Dachi. Super-impose this stance over the Esnso. Take the left foot and put into the center where the dot is. Take the right foot and place upon the circle. Done correctly the circle will travel from your right toe to the right heel.

Sanchin Dachi is a Living Enso. It represents unlimited power and potential. It is the 'emptiness is form, form is emptiness' of Zen. With over 40 years of doing this stance, I 'feel it'...and it is awesome. From here, I feel I can defend myself easily. The Ki, or energy, that flows up from the feet and through my body and hands is...well, no words capture it other than 'cool'.

Remember the post on Sanchin with the number 3, for 3 Battles? Three also represents infinity. It is more than two and stretches forever...Combining these two you can see, hopefully, how Sanchin shapes up to be a Kata of unlimited power and defense. You can't get it with your thoughts or feelings, only practice. So practice, practice, practice.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Heretic & A Saint

2011-08-14T20:12:00.000-05:00

I've posted on Ikkyu before, but he deserves to be revisited. He is one of the most significant (and eccentric) figures in Zen history and one of my favorites as well.

To Japanese children, he is a folk hero, mischievous and always out-smarting his teachers and authorities In Zen traditions, he is both a heretic and saint. Ikkyū was among the few Zen priests who argued that his enlightenment was deepened by consorting with ladies of the evening. He wandered into brothels wearing his black robes, since for him the act of sexual intercourse was a religious rite. He was adamant against what we call fundamentalists of his day. He warned Zen against its own bureaucratic layering of useless ritual and rites.

Usually he is referred to as one of the main influences on the Fuke sect of Rinzai zen, as he is one of the most famous flute player mendicants of the medieval times of Japan.

He is also credited as one of the great influences on the Japanese tea ceremony, and renowned as one of medieval Japan's greatest calligraphers and sumi-e artists. Ikkyu was also renowned for his poetry written in Kanbun style of Classical Chinese.

My hand, how it resembles Mori's hand.
I believe the lady is the master of loveplay;
If I get ill, she can cure the jeweled stem.
And then they rejoice, the monks at my meeting.

Ikkyu is my 'hero'...he keeps me from getting too wrapped up in 'right' or 'wrong' and allows me to just enjoy where I am at. I don't plan on emulating his behavior as I don't think my wife would approve :-)....plus, I am not much of a beer drinker...but on these hot summer day, ah, they taste good. Thank you Ikkyu.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Underground Zen Combat

2011-08-07T07:29:00.000-05:00

1977 Shodan

Shortly after I was awarded my Shodan in 1977, Sensei Dean told me to now go and 'steal' from everybody and anybody all the martial knowledge I could. I was 21 years old at the time and he knew I was going to be transient. He was right.

From there I went and studied and stole from other forms of Karate, Tai Chi, Aikido, Kung Fu, Kempo.....anybody I could learn from I was there. I also began developing my own vision and ideas about Budo as I also explored traditional Soto Zen Buddhism.

So, here I am. An older Karateka (42 years of experience now) with a firm base in traditional Karate, but also full of my own ideas, insights and visions. I am not so much interested in starting another 'style' but simply putting out there, as a friend once told me, my unorthodox ways of understanding budo.

I have decided to document some of my ideas and concepts in "Underground Zen Combat." Maybe you as a reader might be interested. Maybe not. Either way, that's what I will do. Underground Zen Combat are my understandings and may or many not line up with tradition in Budo or Zen or Qigong or TCM...they are just how I see things and more importantly feel things. I am planning on turning this into an e-book as well. (It's almost done)

There is an energy (ki, chi, prana) that courses through us and that I have been able to tap into. I credit one Kata for this. Sanchin. My one steady companion throughout Karate has been Sanchin Kata. It has 'taught' me so much and my ways of seeing and doing self-defense, especially close quarters combat, comes from Sanchin. Sanchin is not only full of insights, but practical hardcore self-defense...Sanchin is about savagery on many levels.

So, here is one of my first Underground Zen teachings via the Broken Bokken Blog....

Sanchin literally means "Three Battles"...many practitioners speak of the battle of Mind, Body, Spirit (breath) and you can find three battles in turning energy in qigong as well. But for me, you have to look Underground and 'see' that the number 3 represents more than 2...this implies Infinity. Three is a number that gives way to unlimited numbers and unlimited potential...like the Kara of Karate that I have posted on before (another one of my Underground teachings)

Sanchin means Unlimited Battles. It is a Universal Kata that teaches you how to move and handle everything! It is rich with symbolism that points the way...and does more as well...it provides unique insight into handling battle itself, with others and yourself. Karate is not so much about kicking somebody elses' ass as it is about kicking your own.

Hands palm to palm,

Shinzen

Book Review from World Martial Arts Magazine

2011-08-02T14:03:00.002-05:00

Check out the book review from Martial Arts Magazine by Master Richard Hackworth....it's great!

BOOK REVIEW

Black Belt Healing: A Martial Artist’s Guide to Pain Management & Injury Recovery by David Nelson, PhD.

EDITORS NOTE: I have one great regret about reading this book... that I did not have it over 30 years ago when I first began learning martial arts. I am so impressed with the insight and usefulness of this book that I have added it to the Required Reading List for our Black Belt candidates at my martial arts school.

Below is some information from the www.blackbelthealing.com website. My only additional comment about this book is: BUY IT! You can thank me later.

ON PAIN MANAGEMENT & INJURY RECOVERY

Pain can be one of the most devastating experiences a martial artist will ever go through, both physically and emotionally. It robs you of training time and fills you with uncertainty about your life and your ability to ever train again. As difficult as this time can be,
your best strategy is to educate yourself and approach your pain with well-informed information and preparation.

In this essential guide for anyone suffering from long-term chronic pain, martial artist and psychotherapist, Dr. David Nelson, shares his years of experience working with martial artists, and non-martial artists, in conquering pain. Filled with the information you need to harness the power of your mind, Dr. Nelson has taken proven mind-body healing strategies, simplified them with easy-to-use metaphors and action plans and made them available in this step-by-step guide.

HOW BLACK BELT HEALING CAN HELP YOU

Knowledge of mind-power based on martial art metaphors and strategies can make a world of difference in your recovery. You will learn:

• How your mind is your dojo equipped with all the weapons you need to conquer pain
• The ability to stop pain quickly with simple and easy techniques
• The amount of time you need to devote to your recovery
• The natural weapons your mind has to conquer pain
• The difference between pain and suffering

Many martial artists find out too late that they could have gotten back into the studio faster and stronger if they had better information about pain management. So, it’s in your best interest to prepare well and apply sound healing strategies early in the process. Avoid costly mistakes and take charge of your recovery.

Healing isn’t rocket science, but you do need guidance. Black Belt Healing is your manual for success…not only for healing, but for seeing the possibilities your mind has to offer for peak performance, health and staying strong in the martial arts.

This book will not replace your physician, chiropractor or herbalist, but provide valuable information you can bring to them to enhance overall healing and get you quickly back into the dojo…and that’s what it is all about, right? Dojo Time!

World Martial Arts Magazine gives this book our highest ranking, 5 Stars. Visit www.blackbelthealing.com today.
Black Belt Healing
www.blackbelthealing.com
Your source for natural health & healing

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

When the Stars Align...the Power of Positive Intention

2011-07-28T22:04:00.000-05:00

My family's long seven month journey of living in two cities is coming to an end thanks to the Power of Positive Intentions. My wife, Jean, has been living and working in Madison, WI while I was back home with my son in Shawano, WI. Madison and Shawano are two and half hours away. Jean and I made a commitment to see each other every weekend till school let out for my son in June.

We put our home up for sale in January and waited. I am a firm believer in positive intentions create your reality. In many ways this is what Karate is all about...it is about manifesting your reality...(see my posts on this subject) With meditation and prayers from my friends and family, our home is now sold. The timing was perfect.

We put an offer on a home near Madison months ago and set the closing date for July 22nd. At that time our house had zero offers or serious lookers. Near the end of June while we were preparing to rent out our home an offer came through and they wanted the house on July 29th. Wow! One week after we buy our home we will have sold ours.

To top it off, my wife was worried about the job market for me. I had zero hits for interviews then on the same day we got an offer to purchase our home I got a call for a job interview. Well, I will be employed with a new clinic after Labor Day. This gives me a few weeks to get Jacob settled in school.

All of these events happened so synchronistically it was eerie...a cool eerie.

Well, tomorrow morning the movers drop off our belongings at our new home and Jean and I can resume a married life under one roof. Thanks for all the prayers. They do work.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Words do Shape Your Reality!

2011-07-07T21:18:00.000-05:00

Last week, in my office, one of my pain management clients came in to tell me how the advice I gave her reduced her discomfort tremendously. She was amazed how a simple change in how she describes her pain could actually make a difference in her perception of the pain.

She has severe jaw pain and finds it difficult to talk, eat and drink. Opening her mouth wide is extremely painful and she reports being in chronic pain 24/7. She hates pain medications and uses them sparingly, stating she would rather have the pain and feel clear and sharp than dulled by meds.

Well, the change in words she used is something I have posted before and she isn't the first person to report a change in their perception of pain by doing this. What this woman did was stop using the word 'Pain.' She substituted the word 'Discomfort.' She stated that after only three days of doing this she was talking to a friend who made her laugh...now laughing usually causes her pain to escalate, but this time her mouth opened and she was laughing without care. Her friend noticed it and made the comment on the wonderful change.

My client was ecstatic with delight.

So, how does this work? Discomfort has an imbedded hypnotic suggestion of Comfort. The Subconscious Mind which is responsible for your healing can't pick up on the Dis in Discomfort. It can only see and respond to Comfort. One of the prime examples of how a negation, like Dis, or Un or Not, can't be picked up the subconscious is for me to ask you right now..."Do Not think of a Blue Monkey with a big red butt".

Yep...Blue Monkeys...Big Red Butts.

So, be mindful of the words you use. They do shape your reality. Now, don't think of Blue Monkeys tonight when your head lies down on your pillow...

For more info on Pain Management make sure you check out "Black Belt Healing: A Martial Artist's Guide to Pain Management & Injury Recovery"...you can buy it at www.blackbelthealing.com

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Changing of the Guard

2011-06-29T05:55:00.001-05:00

Sensei Micik receiving the Broken Bokken

Last evening I turned over the Broken Bokken Dojo to Sensei Verna Micik. She has been a student of the arts for 10-11 years now. She is one of the most dedicated students I ever had. Even when she blew out her knee last year and was in a lot of pain, she still showed up at the dojo. She is tough...period.

In a brief 'ceremony' I turned over our Dojo's symbol, a Broken Bokken to Sensei Micik. It is so appropriate that she recieves the bokken since she and her son, Rick (also a Shodan) came up with the name of the dojo.

Sensei Micik

Verna broke the first bokken at the dojo....it was funny. When the bokken broke, she thought she was in trouble and felt so bad. When I told her it was a good sign that she was training hard and rejoiced, I think I unleashed a tiger.

Sensei Micik is going to do real good!

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

If Only...

2011-06-23T09:43:00.001-05:00

On my journey through this life I was blessed with receiving the Dharma name, Shinzen. Trust/Faith Zen. This is my path. To trust zen. For many years I have pondered what this really means to have faith. I am learning that faith and trust are not intellectual endeavors for philosophical discussion, but a deep practice of being centered here in this moment...this moment of my typing and yours now in your reading.

One theme that has jumped at me as of late is "There is no, if only"...I was reading an article from the Dharma Rain Zen Center on "Living in Vow" and the author, Alison Shin'ei Brown had this one sentence. "There is no, if only." Wow, what a powerful statement.

How often do we say to ourselves, "If only I had ___________". Insert whatever you want. Perhaps it is a job, a car, a partner, a black belt, a whatever. It is not so much the object of the If Only, but the intention and longing behind the If Only. To live in this state of If Only is to suffer. It is living for the future, not being here now.

Begin to notice how you live your life in this manner. As you notice it more and more you can learn to step out of it. Don't try to stop it or you will increase it..."if only I could stop if only" is a trap of the mind. Stop and just watch...this is the Zen Way. This the Shin Zen's Way. Faith Zen. Trust Zen.

No more If Only. Feels good. Then we can be like Basho:

"Fleas, lice
The horse pissing
near my pillow."

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

A Samurai Warrior's Creed

2011-06-20T11:14:00.000-05:00

A Samurai Warrior's Creed

I have no parents--I make the heavens and earth my parents.
I have no home--I make awareness my home.
I have no life or death--I make the tides of breathing my life and death.
I have no divine power--I make honesty my divine power.
I have no means--I make understanding my means.
I have no magic secrets--I make character my magic secret.
I have no body--I make endurance my body.
I have no eyes--I make the flash of lightening my eyes.
I have no ears--I make sensibility my ears.
I have no limbs--I make promptness my limbs.
I have no strategy--I make "unshadowed by thought" my strategy.
I have no designs--I make "seizing opportunity by the forelock" my design.
I have no miracles--I make right-action my miracles.
I have no principles--I make adaptability to all circumstances my principles.
I have no tactics--I make emptiness and fullness my tactics.
I have no talents--I make ready wit my talent.
I have no friends--I make my mind my friend.
I have no enemy--I make carelessness my enemy.
I have no armor--I make benevolence and righteousness my armor.
I have no castle--I make immovable-mind my castle.
I have no sword--I make absence of self my sword.

Anonymous Samurai, fourteenth century
Found in The Book of Runes. Ralph H. Blum, St. Martin's Press, NY, 1993

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Are you guilty of the 3 F-ups?

2011-06-16T07:25:00.000-05:00

Are you guilty of the 3F's, or F-ups, as I call them?

Under attack we go into the well-known Fight, Flee or Freeze syndrome. These 3 F's will get you knocked on your ass! These are reactions based on lack of training and vision.

A Warrior has the ability to not act on these 3 F's, but responds to an attack based on vision and training....and lots of practice. This is what I call being Response-able.

A Warrior is Response-able. He/She is "able to respond" to an attack, not react. A response is more intelligent and in accord with natural ways of the Tao or flow of the Universe. With proper vision a Response-able Warrior evolves into a Warrior-Sage and is able to manage 'attacks' not only in the seen world, but in the unseen world of emotions, thoughts and spirit as well.

Keep on training.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Grit, Guts, Gumption...A Warrior's 3G Network

2011-06-10T12:47:00.001-05:00

While driving to work this morning Grit, Guts, and Gumption kept running through my head. I knew I hadn't had that much caffeine yet, but it dawned on me this is a Warrior's 3G Network.

Looking up some definitions of these words what I found was that Courage strung them together. It is the wireless connection of the 3G Warrior's Network.

Grit is unyielding courage in the face of danger. It is firmness of both mind and spirit.

Guts is fortitudinal courage. It is perserverance, nerve and audacity.

Gumption is about taking initiative, being resourceful, full of spunk and courage.

Grit, Guts, Gumption. A Warrior's 3G Network.

Could add another for a 4G Network...Glory..distinction for courage on the battlefield.

Just rambling thoughts for the day...Do you have a 3G or 4G Network?

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

The Warrior's Path

2011-06-07T13:39:00.001-05:00

I've been writing a book about Warrior's and have had some thoughts. I noticed that the martial arts, the real ones, require a long time (a lifetime or two) to master. There are no short cuts to the deeper levels Budo has to offer. To begin to "see" these deeper teachings of wisdom involves a great deal of discomfort and pain.

As a counselor working with people who are addicted to substances like alcohol, pot, crack, pain pills and what ever they can find to get a buzz, I have noticed they are looking for convenience and comfort. They are no different than most of us, except their path is more dysfunctional in our society. Most of us, however, are always wanting the fastest most convenient method to get what we want. After all, Time is Money in our society and we have to have comfort.

In fact, a few years ago, when I was researching to set up a private counseling practice, the research stated people will visit the counselor who has the most convenient and easy parking! What's up with that? People don't care about your credentials, just that they can park easily and it be convenient for them.

The Warrior's Path is a lonely one. Take a look at ancient times when a student of martial arts or Zen wanted to study with a teacher. The teacher usually rejected, humiliated and scorned the student. Gave him/her impossible tasks to do and basically demean the student. The student who kept coming back, over and over, was finally accepted.

Don't have that now...I ask myself now after 41 years as a Martial Artist...do I do what I do because it is easy, convenient and comfortable? If it is...it is time to move outside my comfort zone. Why? Growth only comes about through struggle...and nothing makes you squirm like pain and inconvenience. These two allies, when embraced, lead you to dig deep within yourself and find resources you never knew you had...it brings you to relief...to a great inner peace...to the ceasing of the struggle...ah! Budo: To Cease The Struggle.

I am moving to Madison in a few months. Perhaps I should just set up an old school Dojo...it will be inconvenient and uncomfortable...any takers?

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Believe not...

2011-05-31T13:26:00.000-05:00

From time to time I am asked what drew me to Buddhism and the practice of Zen...I remember reading this quote from the Buddha when I was a teen:

"Believe not because some old manuscripts are produced, believe not because it is your national belief, believe not because you have been made to believe from your childhood, but reason truth out, and after you analyzed it, then you find it will do good to one and all, live up to it, and help others live up to it."

This spoke to me immensely. Maybe because the Viet Nam War was raging and we were questioning a lot of beliefs during that era. I was also growing as a teen with lots of 'rebellious thoughts' going on anyway...either way, this quote made me investigate more of the Buddha's teachings. I liked what I read and eventually went on to practice Zen and receive the precepts.

These wise words have always been dear to my heart. I hope they speak to you as well.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Let's Dance!

2011-05-20T19:12:00.000-05:00

Let's Dance!

One of the greatest lessons my Sensei, Mr. Paul Dean, taught me was how to 'dance'...He used to always tell me it was important to dance, and or blend, with your opponent. This keeps your opponent off balance and easier to lead.

To be honest with you, I never really understood this when I was younger. To me fighting was about getting in fast, furious and full of flurry and loud noise...well, add a few decades onto my body and now "I get it"...

A Warrior knows how to have what I call 'blended engagement'...this is what Sensei Dean calls 'dancing'....In Budo, it is about 'Ceasing the Struggle"...the Struggle contains a combination of fighting and running. When we struggle we want the situation to end and so we tend to either fight it or run from it. It's the basic fight or flight syndrome....sometimes you win sometimes you lose...mostly you lose, though.

I see people on daily basis who struggle with anxiety, depression, addictions and life in general. They are fighting and running all the time...no rest. This leaves them feeling out of control and generally very tired and more depressed than before. Teaching them how to do zazen, qigong, daily mindfulness and hypnotic techniques takes them off of fight and flight. It suspends it long enough so they can Dance!

When you Dance, you are full of life. Blended engagement is neither fighting your opponent (whether in the seen or unseen worlds) or running from your opponent. It is about embracing your opponent and embracing the situation, pleasant or unpleasant. Embrace it and begin to harmonize and dance. Smile. Blend and float...and lead your opponent. Aikido is a great example of this philosophy. It exists in Karate and most Martial Arts...Tai Chi is another great example...Kung Fu for sure...I have had many of my Fu Chen bros 'dance me around' quite well.

Working with your opponent takes 'getting a feel for it'...sort of like riding a bike. You can talk about it but you don't know it till you do it. Watch the older masters...they 'know it'...

We can do this with our emotions and thought processes as well...even physical pain. There are many great ways to dance with pain and reduce your suffering...(read my book Black Belt Healing).

Like most good things, practice is paramount...but it is Fun! Dancing,blended engagement and/or harmonizing brings forth the joy inherent in our spirit...bring it forth!

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Zen Master Bee

2011-05-16T21:15:00.000-05:00

A beautiful spring day today. Went for a walk and enjoyed the sunshine, the birds flying, bugs buzzing and hearing children playing in yards. My mind wandered onto the subject of how nature doesn't measure success by profit or loss. Everything is just as it is.

Nature doesn't measure period...yet, we has humans live lives of quiet desperation (I love Thoreau)...we live in fear and fear is a by-product of measuring our lives in terms of profit/loss.

And then just as I was getting lost in this thought a huge bumble bee buzzed by and broke my trance! Fear raced through my body. I am seriously allergic to them...ahaaa!...Nature testing my thoughts and insights...I was in fear of life/death from a bumble bee! Thank you Zen Master Bee for waking me up!

Hands palm to palm,

Shinzen

Embrace the Fight!

2011-05-03T08:40:00.001-05:00

Take a moment and look at a coin. A penney, dime or quarter. Doesn't matter. Notice it has a heads and a tails. Two sides. Now ask yourself, "Which side is the true and real coin?

Now that might seem like a weird question as the answer might seem obvious...but let's look at another coin.

The Coin of Life. It has two sides as well. It has a heads and tails, but let's call them 'positive outlook' and 'negative outlook'

How do you perceive this coin? Which side is the true and real coin of life?

To look and grasp at life with either a positive or negative outlook is to not see the total coin. To choose one over the other is to deny the reality of the other. Both outlooks are in many ways 'deluded'. Both are ghosts. To grab at one and reject the other is to live in suffering...even tho the positive feels better...it is still a trap of the mind and will continue your suffering...especially when negative shows up and you don't want it.

Zen is about seeing the Coin in its totality. No thoughts of one side better than the other. It is a Coin...just as it is. You use both sides all the time.

In Budo this is also very important. To grasp and hold onto only certain 'techniques' as good or bad disrupts your ability to flow with what is needed moment by moment. You are trying to use only one side of the coin...dumb! It is important to embrace the fight and use the coin in its totality. It is there. Use it. To reject one side for the other will get your ass handed to you.

Hope my morning rambling makes some sense...I have to get to work and maybe will edit this later or wait for comments.

Hands palm to palm,

Shinzen

Zen Doesn't Work!

2011-04-19T06:58:00.001-05:00

Many of us are drawn to Zen for its qualities of calmness, serenity and peace of mind. In it we are looking to find relief from pain and suffering. What is weird about the process and practice of Zen is that if you try to get these things from it you actually chase it away. To use Zen to achieve any goal is to not practice Zen. Zen is Zen as it is...in our attempts to make Zen work for us we defeat ourselves, get frustrated and stop practicing.

Zen is one of those practices that can't be described by what it is or by what it is not. Zen is actually useless in accomplishing anything. Yet, its practice has many 'benefits'....but to try and get those benefits you actually lose those benefits.

So, how do you not practice Zen? Practice it...but don't practice it with an end in mind. Just sit. Watch the breath. When the mind wanders return to breath. If you feel comfortable or uncomfortable, scattered or focused, happy or sad...just acknowledge these sensations and return to breath. Each day, each breath is different. Be with it as it is...no chasing after pleasant sensations or running from unpleasant. Be present...here and now....and watch. All is perfectly managed.

That's it.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

10-Breath Zen

2011-04-14T06:55:00.000-05:00

I have to admit, some mornings I run short of time to formally sit Zen...or I am just too damn lazy to get out of bed.

Well, what I do from time to time that actually keeps me in the meditative habit and my Zen-groove is 10-Breath Zen.

I do my ceremonial lighting of a candle and incense, then sit in seiza or on my cushion...then simply focus on breathing, but count down each exhale starting at 10. By the time I get to one I am feeling more settled and calm. It is like doing a hypnotic deepener technique...it feels good.

From here I give thanks for my many blessings and go about my day. 10-Breath Zen. A great way to start your day and keeping in the routine of sitting practice.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Playing Ball on Running Water

2011-04-11T14:44:00.000-05:00

Many years ago I had the opportunity to meet with the founder of Constructive Living, David K. Reynolds, PhD. He was presenting his work at the University of Nebraska in Kearney at the invite of Dr. Yozan Mosig, a Professor of Psychology and noted Martial Artist. Many of you old time martial artists would know him as Dirk Mosig. He is also now a Zen Priest and uses the name Yozan.

Well, to get to the point. Dr. Reynold's wrote some 6 Key Points about Constructive Living. Constructive Living is a combination of two Japanese psychotherapies, Naikan and Morita. They are Zen-based teachings which I found very helpful...and I hope you can too. Constructive Living contains practices that are helpful in journeying our way through life a bit more, well, constructively.

Some of Dr. Reynold's work is now out of print, so here is Constructive Living principles in a nutshell:

1. Observe, acknowledge and accept feelings and thoughts without necessarily expressing or acting on them.

2. Pay attention to the details of reality in the present moment and bring attention to whatever you are doing when the mind wanders elsewhere.

3. Distinguish between what is controllable (your own behavior) and what is not controllable (just about everything else).

4. Identify purposes and establish realistic goals.

5. Co-exist with unpleasant feelings and still take appropriate action based on the needs of the situation.

6. Examine your behavior in relation to others and assess the impact of your behavior on others.

Take some time and reflect on this. See how following these principles can help make your life flow more evenly.

I invite you to read some of his works or Google Constructive Living. There are some good websites dedicated to his teachings. Over the years I have found his teachings very helpful...and I have fond memories of eating lunch with him and Dr. Mosig.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Squishing Frogs

2011-04-02T07:03:00.001-05:00

Have you ever squished a frog? I am going to say, "yes. you have squished lots of frogs in your life." I know, because I have too. Let me explain with an old Zen story:

A very young and devout Zen priest needed to relieve himself during the evening. He went out into the dark night, did his business and upon returning to his quarters stepped on something extremely squishy. The thoughts went through his head that he had stepped on a frog...and not just a frog, but a frog full of eggs. He felt really bad as he had taken a vow of not killing. Not wishing to disturb anyone he vowed to return in the morning to clean up the mess.

All night long he tossed and turned in bed, worrying about breaking his vows of not killing. He even had a horrific dream of frogs chasing him and wanting him dead. Upon the break of dawn he rushed out to where he squished the frog only to discover he had stepped on a rotten eggplant! His eyes were opened and now he "understood."

Can you see you how have squished frogs? I've done this so many times in my life as well. The biggest frog I ever squished was when I needed a job 8 years ago after getting laid off from my previous job. We had lost a major contract in our agency and I had least seniority, so I was given a severance and let go. The job search wasn't easy, but a job for a child therapist opened up on a nearby reservation. My wife encouraged me to apply but I told her my specialty is not working with children and plus I am not sure if I would even like working on a reservation. I was imagining a whole bunch of negatives.

My wife, in her sweetest kick butt voice said, "You need a job. Fake it till you make it" So I applied. During the interview I discovered it was the wrong ad in the paper and they were looking for someone with my skills....ah, eggplants. What a relief. To make a long story short, I got the job and have been there ever since....one of the longest and best jobs I have ever had.

If I would have not applied due to my squishing frogs delusion, I would have missed out on a wonderful opportunity to work in a great community and meet some really fantastic people. How many of us live in these delusions without ever going into the daylight and seeing that all along we have just been stepping on eggplants?

So, ponder how you squish frogs. Be here now....it is where the sunshine is.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

This Unseen Toxin is Killing You!

2011-03-27T14:31:00.001-05:00

Spring is the time of year many naturopathic healers educate their customers on the value of detoxification. Over the winter we tend to be a bit more cloistered and less active...and, at least in colder climates, crave warm fattening foods. Much of this food has been raised in toxins that overtime can effect your health. Come spring, toxins have built up in the body and need to be cleansed for optimum health.

Well, there is one toxin that if left to build will erode your quality of life slowly over time, then kill you. It makes your life miserable and snowballs very fast into a variety of medical conditions, such as heart disease, ulcers, back pain, migraines, irritable bowl syndrome and a host of other diseases.

What is this toxin? It is Negative Thinking.

All things are created with Thought. Look around the room you are in right now. Everything in there is a result of one thing. Thought. The chairs, tables, computers, clothes, shoes, books, cats, your own body. All a thought at one time. This includes your health.

Negative thinking breeds negative health, events and circumstances. Positive thinking breeds positive health, events and circumstances. The best way to purge yourself of negative thoughts is simply to be mindful of when you have them. Know what our enemy looks like so you can defend yourself. Many times, negative thinking is like a Ninja sneaking in at night to assassinate you. You don't know it's there until it is too late.

Once you are aware of when, where, and how you think negatively...just accept it...give thanks and then think positive thoughts and image positive results. Be aware of the unseen toxin of negative thinking and defend yourself with gratitude and positivity. It works. You will be healthier, happier and live a life of joy.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

The 84th Problem

2011-03-22T15:11:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite Buddha Stories: The 84th Problem

A man seeking help went to see the Buddha. He told him he was a farmer. "I like farming," the man said, "but sometimes it doesn't rain enough, and sometimes it rains too much. One year we nearly starved." The Buddha listened.

"I like my wife," the man said, "but sometimes she nags too much, then I get tired of her...We have kids too. Good kids, but sometimes they don't show enough respect, and..."the man went on and on like this.

After the man finished, the Buddha sat, thought, then said, "I'm sorry, I can't help you." "Everyone has problems. In fact, we have 83 problems", and he enumerated them, from birth to death, but as he talked the man grew more and more furious until he questioned the very premise of the Buddha's teaching.

"Well," the Buddha finally said, "I may be able to help you with the 84th problem."

"The 84th Problem? What's that?" the man queried.

The Buddha said, "The problem of wanting to not have any problems."

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Dim Mak for Anxiety & Depression

2011-03-08T07:03:00.000-06:00

My life is going through a lot of transition lately. My wife took a new job 3 hours away in Madison, Wisconsin and my son and I are waiting to join her when school is out. We are facing the pressures of selling our house in a slower (but getting better) housing market, so we can purchase a home in the Madison area. I face the challenges of joining a private practice or starting my own. I also have lots of writing to do, not to mention a full time job and the stress of managing a lot of multiple competing demands.

So, some times my emotions swing back and forth through anxiety and some depression as life presents itself to me. I had a "aha" moment a few weeks ago after Master Tim Vocke and I began talking about Count Dante, the controversial '60's martial artist who proclaimed himself to be the most dangerous man alive...he claimed to be the master of Dim Mak...well, he isn't. ..I am now!!!

I discovered the Dim Mak, or Death Touch, for difficult emotions!

It's Gratitude.

Now, I've always known and have practiced gratitude and counted my blessings when times get tough, but when I realized it acts just like Dim Mak, I got excited.

Remember, Dim Mak, doesn't necessarily kill your opponent immediately (even tho it can), but mostly it has a bit of a delay to it. Gratitude does as well. While counting my blessings and being thankful, my mood doesn't shift right away to glorious hallelujahs, but slowly transfers the chi of blessings to kill the anxiety, the worry, the depressed mood. Over time, the uncomfortable emotions have been 'killed' and I am feeling better.

Practice more emotional Dim Mak...practice gratitude all day long. Gassho to all things in thankfulness for supporting your life. Your clothes, bed, sink, floor, doors, pots, coffeepot, driveway, garage,...everything supports your life. Give thanks...you are Dim Mak-ing negative forces entering your life...and it feels good!

Research Dim Mak and see how it works...practice Gratitude. You will soon see what I see. It's fun too...and then you will be the most dangerous wo/man on earth!

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

No Satisfaction

2011-02-27T10:47:00.000-06:00

Good old Mick Jagger had it right when he sang, "I can't get no satisfaction." When you look deeply at life and how it changes, how it ebbs and flows and nothing remains constant, how can we ever get real satisfaction?

Just when you work your ass off to get that job, buy that dream house, enter into a wonderful relationship....it all changes. It seems to go down the toilet. What once was fantastic loses its high, is no longer. The job either gets boring or where you work goes out of business or you are asked to transfer. The honeymoon period on relationships, houses, in fact anything, eventually wears off.

Now, don't get too depressed or bummed by this, because in the midst of all of this is peace. Tranquility and equanimity do exist, but not when you rely on conditions or circumstances...or even your idea of self (which is also a set of conditions)....Conditions and circumstance are always in a state of constant flux. Change is always happening...or at least appears to be happening when you are hanging onto an idea that you have a fixed 'self'. Your 'self' is also part of the whole equation of no satisfaction.

Satisfaction is only temporary...The good news is that you are not 'you'...Once you look deeply into who you are and who you call you, you can 'see' that there is no-thing there. All that is simply is as it is. Any grasping to make it different, to bend it to your ego's desires will end you up singing with good old Mick.

Learning to see into the transient state of all 'things' is to feel the peace of eternity. You can then see the illusion or delusion of chasing after conditions for eternal happiness or longstanding satisfaction. Once you catch a glimpse of this it is easier to live 'here and now'...in eternity. No self. No chasing. No satisfaction.

Henry David Thoreau once stated, "the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation." He knew the human condition and folly of chasing conditions for satisfaction. He saw the transiency of existence and could rest in "being". Finding our way through the illusion of this chase is in each of our journeys and is an easy trap to fall into...but once you are aware of the trap it also makes life more fun and joyous. It is a freeing event that you don't "need" anything...that all peace, all tranquility is right here, right now. No chasing required.

Well...my caffeine high is wearing off..

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Unseen Mai-ai

2011-02-17T20:52:00.000-06:00

A few posts ago I talked about the distance between two opponents, or Mai-ai. My Sensei simply called it "the gap" and taught us that whoever controls the gap wins. He emphasized the art of being able to dance with your opponent so you can enter and control the gap. This takes an ability to flow, harmonize, disrupt and control while on the edge of the gap and/or in the gap itself.

I am a firm believer that whatever we see on the physical level of karate is a pointer to an internal unseen world. This internal unseen world includes our thoughts, intentions, feelings, moods, etc. So, whatever we have in the Seen World is also in the Unseen World.

So, where is the Unseen gap? Well, one that I am aware of is the gap, or distance between your actions and your thoughts. Most of us can be aware of this one quite easily. I am sure you have had a thought you know you should not act on and so you censor the action. People with impulse control issues have a very difficult time being aware of it and of course managing it.They have no awareness of the gap...and of course lose to impulsivity.

Another gap of the Unseen world is the gap between your Intention and the actual Thought. This is one that takes a little more practice to become aware of. Prior to a thought coming forth is the spark of intention...and there is a gap between them. A good exercise to become aware of this is zazen. Seeing how the mind wanders and feeling the intention to wander before the thought shows up begins the process of seeing the gap...and consequently controlling the gap. In many ways, just to 'see' the gap between intention and thought is to manage it.

Now, when I became aware of this I said to myself...So What?...well, the longer I am in the martial arts and have become aware of the gap between intention and thought....and thought and behavior....it became easier to defend myself. Being able to feel another's intention is faster than reading their thoughts through their behavior...if you only act on their behavior your odds of self-defense are 50/50 in my book. But reading and feeling intention puts you on the edge of and entering your opponent's unseen gap. You may be able to move faster and harmonize with their intention without thought...mu-shin anyone? Your odds of defending yourself just shot up to 85/15 or better.

Just some thoughts.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Read an excerpt from Black Belt Healing

2011-02-15T18:19:00.001-06:00

From time to time, for those of you who have not purchased my book, Black Belt Healing: A Martial Artist's Guide to Pain Management & Injury Recovery, or for those who want to remember key items, I have decided to post a few excerpts. Perhaps, those of you who have not read the book will be enticed to picking it up, and for those who have purchased it...Thanks! Please continue to spread the word.

In Chapter 7 I go over the rules of your mind, especially the subconscious part of your mind. Just like a dojo has rules to adhere to for training, so does your mind have rules for healing. So, here is Rule 5.

"Rule 5: Create rather than resist. Did you know your subconscious mind cannot see the negation or absence of something? For instance, right now, do NOT think of a blue monkey! An image of blue monkey crossed your mind, didn't it"

Think about this: "Not" is a word that has no image. Blue monkey is an image. As you recall, words are in the realm of the conscious mind and joined with ego and willpower. Images are stored in the subconscious. So, think about this: When pain flares up and you resist the image and feelings of pain by saying you wish you did NOT have it, the subconscious mind only "sees" you telling yourself to "Have Pain." It cannot see the word NOT. And because the subconscious mind creates a physical reaction based on what it sees you will continue to have pain. In fact, you are sending direct messages prompting more pain. Ouch!

So, to prevent yourself from experiencing more pain, imagine comfort and healing instead. In your imagination, see and feel vigor and vitality. Your subconscious mind will then create physical and emotional reactions for comfort and healing. A hypnotic trick for this is to use what is called an imbedded suggestion. Here's how it goes.

Rather than say "pain", use the words "discomfort" or "uncomfortable" instead. Why? Remember blue monkeys? "Dis" and "Un" are not recognizable by the Subconscious Mind, but "comfort" is. This is an example of an imbedded suggestion to produce comfort whenever you feel pain...excuse me, discomfort."

Once you know the rules of the mind, it is easy to harness its power to create health, healing, vitality, peak performance...the sky is the limit.

If you have any questions about this just ask. Make sure to visit my other blog over at www.taekwondotimes.com. It is "Black Belt Healing with Dr. Dave" and is written weekly for health & healing in the martial arts.

Now, the next time you brush your teeth...Don't think of a Blue Monkey, especially one with a big red butt!

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Yang's Ten Important Points (part 2)

2011-02-13T21:16:00.000-06:00

Here's is Part 2 of Yang's Ten Important Points in practicing Tai Chi...with short commentary by Chen Wei-ming. These ten points can also be applied to Sanchin Kata of Okinawan Karate...it may not be obvious at first, but practice Sanchin with Tai Chi principles and it is amazing what comes out. Unorthodox...yes...but that's me!

6. Use Mind and not Force. (The Tai Chi Chuan Classics say "all of this means use mind and not force." In practicing Tai Chi Chuan the whole body relaxes. Don't let one ounce of force remain in the blood vessels, bones and ligaments to tie yourself up. Then you can be agile and able to change. You will be able to turn freely and easily. Doubting this (not using force), how can you increase in power?)

7. Upper and lower mutually follow. (The Tai Chi Chuan Classics say "the motion should be rooted in the feet, released through the legs, controlled by the waist and manisfested through the fingers." Everything is the same. When the hand, waist and foot move together, the eyes follow. If one part doesn't follow, the whole body is disordered.)

8. Inside and outside coordinate. (In the practice of Tai Chi Chuan the main thing is spirit. Therefore it is said, "the spirit is the commander and the body is the subordinate." If you can raise the spirit, then the movements will be naturally agile.)

9. It is mutually joined and unbroken. (As to the external schools, their chi is the Latter Heaven brute chi. Therefore it is finite. There are connections and breaks.During the breaks the old force is exhausted and the new force has not yet been born. At these moments it is very easy for other to take advantage. Tai Chi Chuan uses mind, not force. From beginning to end it is not broken. It is circular and is again resumes. It revolves and has no limits.)

10. Seek stillness in movement. ( The external schools assume jumping about is good and they use all their energy. That is why after practice everyone pants. Tai Chi Chuan uses stillness to control movement. Although one moves, there is also stillness.Therefore in practicing the form, slower is better. If is it slow, the inhalation and exhalation are long and deep and the chi sinks to the tantien.)

Hope this expands your mind on how to look at Sanchin Kata...and practice it. I am an artist and love to play with my colors...when you play you create wonderful works of art. Sanchin is endless in its expression.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

My Karate Kids

2011-02-12T10:16:00.000-06:00

Contrary to popular belief, the Mohicans are still alive. Here's a photo of some of my Karate Kids at the Mohican Family Center...along with Sensei Verna Micik. The kids were thrilled to get there gi's.

We are working on warriorship values, kata and basic techniques. Come spring a few of these great kids will be wearing yellow belts.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Yang's Ten Important Points (part 1)

2011-02-10T20:05:00.000-06:00

From the Essence of Tai Chi Chuan:

Yang's Ten Important Points with commentary by Chen Wei-ming

1. The head should be upright so the spirit can reach the headtop. (Don't use strength or the neck will be stiff and the chi and blood cannot flow through. It is necessary to have a natural and lively feeling. If the spirit cannot reach the headtop, it cannot raise.)

2. Sink the chest and pluck up the back. (The chest is naturally depressed inward so the chi can sink to the tan tien. Don't project your chest: the chi gets stuck there and the body becomes top-heavy. The heel will be too light and can be uprooted. Pluck up the back and the chi sticks to the back; depress the chest and you can pluck up the back. Then you can discharge force through the spine. You will be a peerless boxer.)

3. Relax the waist. (The waist is the commander of the whole body. If you can relax the waist, then the two legs will have power and lower part will be firm and stable...It is said, 'the source of the postures lies in the waist. If you cannot get power, seek the defect in the legs and waist.")

4. Differentiate insubstantial and substantial. (This is the first thing of all in Tai Chi Chuan. If the weight of the body is resting on the right leg, then the right leg is substantial and the left leg is unsubstantial and vice versa. When you can separate substantial and insubstantial, you can turn lightly without using strength. If you cannot separate them, the step is heavy and slow. The stance is not firm and can be easily thrown off balance.)

5. Sink the shoulders and elbows. (The shoulders will be completely relaxed and open. If you cannot relax and sink, the two shoulders will be 'uptight.' The chi will follow them up and the whole body cannot get power. 'Sink the elbows' means the elbows go down and relax. If the elbows raise, the shoulders are not able to sink and you cannot discharge people far. The discharge is close to the broken force of the external schools.)

Observe these principles of Tai Chi Chuan when performing your Sanchin. Feel how accurate these teachings are. I will finish this in some upcoming posts.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Tai Chi & Sanchin

2011-02-07T22:08:00.000-06:00

Many years ago I picked up a tattered and torn copy of "The Essence of Tai Chi Ch'uan" by Lo, Inn, Amacker and Foe. As I was reading through this classic, it appeared to me that the advice they are giving to the Tai Chi practitioner also applies to those of us who practice Sanchin Kata.

Looking at Tai Chi and Sanchin from the outside they definitely look different. Most styles of Tai Chi are soft flowing movements, with perhaps a few sharp ones thrown in, whereas Sanchin is done with intensity and at times a seemingly maniacal manner. They are different in outer form, until you can see how they are the same internally. Once you can capture their inner essence, then you can see how their outer forms aren't all that different.

In this post and those that follow I will provide excerpts from the above-mentioned book. For my Sanchin friends, as you read, see how this Tai Chi advice is similar to what you have learned in Sanchin. Now, not all Sanchin practitioners will get this advice from their teachers, but find it later through practice.

So here is Yang's ten important points in practicing Tai Chi. I will provide Chen Wei-ming's commentary in later posts.

1. The head should be upright so the shen (spirit) can reach the headtop.
2. Sink the chest and pluck up the back.
3. Relax the waist.
4. Differentiate substantial and insubstantial.
5. Sink the shoulders and the elbows.
6. Use mind and not force.
7. Upper and lower mutually follow.
8. Inside and outside coordinate
9. It (qi) is mutually joined and unbroken.
10. Seek stillness in movement.

Ten very important points in the practice of Tai Chi and Sanchin.
Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Why Zen is like Sex

2011-02-05T21:51:00.000-06:00

Nonin, my Zen Teacher, posted something like this back in the mid 90's in his newsletter. Laughed my ass off! It showed me a whole new way of thinking about zen masters. Now, I can't remember all 10 of them, but here is what I can recall.

Why Zen is like Sex

1. It's okay to do it by yourself, but it is better with other people.

2. You can dress up in funny clothes to do it...or not.

3. Those who talk about it the most, tend to know the least.

4. You can study it all you want, in fact you can get a PhD in it, but it doesn't mean you really know it.

5. You can do it in different positions.

6. Being flexible is a bonus.

7. You can do it anywhere, but quiet natural surroundings are the best.

That's all I have right now. If I remember anymore, I will put them in the comments. If you know more, please comment. Not sure why this popped into my head, but I always had found them funny. Well, gotta go.

Hands palm to palm,

Shinzen

Let's Dance

2011-01-28T18:46:00.000-06:00

Sensei Dean & Me...199?

Do you fight or do you dance?

Sensei Dean would always encourage us to learn how to dance...not ballroom dancing, chacha or waltz, but harmonizing in step with your assailant. He would show us over and over how to move in step with an attack. He would maintain mai-ai, or the gap, to his advantage always moving just out of range to be hit, yet remaining in range to smack the crap out of you.

To this day I still can't dance the way he does...well mostly cause I dance to the beat of a different drummer. Sensei Dean is Sensei Dean. Shinzen is Shinzen. I finally found my own dance! What I learned is that I can't copy the man who took a skinny teen kid and turned him into a man. I had to find my own way through the maze of kata, kumite, sweat, tears and lots of blood (mostly my nose...I had a habit of running into Sensei's fist). I had to find my own dance...I had to listen to my own music and move to it the way Shinzen moves...and it is great!

Keep practicing your Karate, Kempo, Aikido, TKD, Kung Fu. You will find your own dance. Just listen to the music it plays, the rythym that sways and you will begin to move the way you need to move. It's there. Just let it happen...let's dance.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Mai-ai

2011-01-25T21:19:00.000-06:00

Mai-ai, or proper spacing, is extremely important in Budo. Without skill in managing Mai-ai, or what my Sensei called, "the gap", you are not going to be very effective in defending yourself. Proper spacing between you and your opponent keeps you safe...and in most cases in Karate, it allows you to hit your opponent, yet he can't hit you.

Just an inch of proper movement to close the gap or move within the gap can be the difference between victory or defeat. Proper spacing allows you to flow with your opponent without you getting locked up in your stances or handwork. In fact it makes them work even better.

Drills with a partner for proper footwork are paramount and most styles have their own drills to keep spacing and/or to control the gap. From my experience, the person who controls the gap wins, but the gap is also a very tenous place to be. It is in constant flux and you must be able to make adjustments accordingly. If you don't your opponent will...so in an altercation, it is as important to know how to enter the gap and control your opponent in it. Practice, practice and more practice is the only way to develop this skill. It can't be done by intellectualization.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Where are 'You'?

2011-01-21T07:06:00.000-06:00

Where are 'You'?

If you dismantle a car, when does it cease to be a car?

If you dismantle you...your past, your likes and dislikes, your body, your emotions, your family, your dreams, your hopes, your little voice in the head...when do you stop being you?

Who are you....where are you...when are you? If there was a pile of all of your 'stuff' can you find the you you call you? Where are 'you' in that pile?

Something to ponder.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

A Path with Heart

2011-01-18T07:02:00.000-06:00

Years ago when I was vascillating between opening a commercial dojo or not, I came across a saying that inspired me to move forward. "Life will always present problems and obstacles to overcome. You might as well make them interesting." ( I can't recall who wrote it)

This made sense. I opened up my dojo (this is when I lived in Lincoln, Ne) and it was successful! Yes, there were problems. There's marketing, rent, insurance, parents of kids who think their kid should be a black belt in three months and a few sleepless nights....but, during this time, I conducted many Zen workshops with Rev. Nonin Chowaney of the Nebraska Zen Center, met many black belts from other systems of martial arts and even was published in the Lincoln paper and a national martial arts magazine...and met many wonderful people.

Don Juan Matus, the famous Yaqui medicine man, is often quoted by saying your path in life must have heart. He said all paths lead nowhere, so make sure your path is one of passion and heart. Otherwise, your path will kill you and rob you of life.

I am so happy I chose to move forward in the martial arts. Even tho I had to sell my dojo when I had to relocate back to Wisconsin, returning to the land of the Badgers has opened many more opportunities. The Broken Bokken Dojo has been a path of heart for me and I gave myself more interesting problems when I got my book published. The publishing world is a strange new world for me and exploring it a white belt has been quite a journey.

Pursue your passions...it won't make your life perfect or give you everything you want...but at least the path will be full of excitement and wonder...and it will give your life a rush of energy that makes you feel alive!

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Keep your Swords Sharp!

2011-01-13T12:57:00.002-06:00

In my book, Black Belt Healing, I show you how your mind is a dojo with all the weapons you need to defend yourself from pain, anxiety, depression, suffering. In your mind's dojo are your mind-swords. These are the swords you use to make yourself healthy. These are the swords that can give you life...or take it. Depends on how you use them.

Imagination is your Katana....if you don't use it right, it will cut you. An imagination running wild does you no good. Train your imagination and it will give you life (how it does this is in my book...hint hint for those who haven't purchased it yet)

Just like an actual sword, it must be cared for. The proper care of your sword retains it sharpness. Without proper cleaning of your sword it will grow rusty and be of no use when you need it. Same goes for your Mind-Swords. It is imperative to keep them sharp and well cared for.

Gyoji, or daily practice, of engaging your Mind-Swords (there are three of them) keeps them sharp and ready to use. They will be clean without a lot of emotional or psychological rust. Meditation, such as Zazen or Transcendental Meditation, is a great way to keep the Mind-Swords sharp. Also, daily use of visualization and emotionalization is a great way to stay sharp and healthy. Qigong, like standing on stake, or Tai Chi is also another way to keep these swords sharp.

Life throws a lot of stress at you from day to day. Having sharp Mind-Swords keeps you in shape for battling these daily encounters, whether it be a toxic boss, a tough customer or a self-absorbed teenager. Just as you find it important to practice your external artform...remember your internal arts as well. This is what differentiates Budo from just fighting.

So, keep your Mind-Swords clean and sharp. They will serve you well when you need them.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Stop or Yield

2011-01-10T13:23:00.000-06:00

In Zen we take vows. These are different than goals...at least in my mind. Vows are also not commandments. A vow is a course of action with purpose, but is more of a guideline than an absolute. Goals are more absolute and tend themselves to on and off, pass/fail thinking...also lots of discouragement.

I see it this way. Goals are like Stop signs. Vows are like Yield signs.

Stop signs are absolute. Stop. No options...stop. If you don't you have broken the law and probably harmed yourself or another. Regardless, it is on/off thinking. A goal like not eating sweets is on/off, pass/fail. You must stop or you fail.

Yield signs give you options. You slow down, assess the situation and determined by the situation you either stop or continue on. A vow is like this. It makes you slow down and assess. I have vowed to lead a healthy lifestyle...I want some chocolate...I slow down and assess the situation. Do I stop (don't eat) or do I continue (eat the chocolate)...depends on the situation. Sometimes I don't eat cause I just don't really need it...or I eat because I am offered a small piece at a social gathering and to refuse would insult the host.

Now, I am sure there are lots of holes in my thinking...but for me this works. If you are a martial artist you might be able to see this.

When someone asks you how to defend yourself from a left hook punch, most of you would say...'don't know, it depends on the situation'...this is living by vow...you defend yourself, but the situation dictates the response. Your response then can have multiple dimensions. If you have only one way to defend yourself in your mind...let's say you will duck whenever a left hook comes at you...this is the goal...it may or may not work. Your response is now limited by your one course of action you have predetermined...what if the left hook was just a sucker punch...now you are screwed. With a vow you have more options...and you stay on track with your life.

Stop signs have one command. Yield gives you options. Ponder this in self-defense and life. Just some ponderings while I await my next appointment.

Hands palm to palm,

Shinzen

A lesson from my Zafu

2011-01-10T06:38:00.000-06:00

The longer I sit zen, the more that I can see and feel how zazen is a model for how to conduct my life. Be here. Be now. I have heard and read those words since the 60's, but now, with years of zazen they are more than just words. They are a reality of presence. Coupled with my martial arts practice I can see how everything is always here, when I need it and that there is very little I need to change.

Zazen is a model for how to be. Pay attention. Live from you hara...your body's center. No rush...take your time. All is here, perfect as it is. Just now, just this, just being with no being. A thought with no thinker. No words can express it.

As you read these words you will have your own intrepretation based on what you know. I encourage you to sit zen...on a regular basis. Zazen has many lessons to show us...as DT Suzuki once said (I am paraphrasing)..."all teachings come from the mind, zazen simply points the way"

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

To Goal or Not to Goal

2011-01-02T20:44:00.001-06:00

What if you didn't set any New Year's Resolutions?

What if you never set any goals at all?

What if you made no provisions for the future?

What if you just lived your life moment by moment in total faith that all is provided when you need it?

What would that be like?

Are you bold enough to do this?

Can you have faith that you are complete and whole just as you are? Right now?

Can you see that the 'self' you wish to improve is a ghost?

Can you see the 'self' is just an illusion of the senses?

Can you see that to try and improve something that is a ghost and just an illusion is pure folly?

Can you understand that to set a goal actually hinders you and your flexibility to be responsive in limitless ways?

Can you see that to now set a goal, even if it is to set no goals, is a goal as well and puts you in a bind? Oh, what to do? What a dilemna!

To goal or not to goal.

What do you say?

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Congrats to Verna & Rick

2010-12-30T06:46:00.001-06:00

Verna throwing Rick

Congratulations to Verna Micik and Rick Micik for earning their Intructor Certificates in Zen Goshindo Karate! Rick has been a Budoka for 12 years and Verna 10. They are a mother/son team that bring great energy to the Broken Bokken.

In fact, Verna named the dojo after she broke my bokken during practice one day. The name stuck!

She will be taking over as head instructor of the Broken Bokken after I move to Madison in the spring of 2011. Rick is off to culinary school...he likes sharp knives.

Rick performing Sanchin

Again, congrats! I am blessed to have two wonderful Yudansha!

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

A Warrior Sage is...

2010-12-28T15:37:00.000-06:00

A Warrior Sage is....(please fill in the blank)

What are the qualities of a Warrior Sage?

Who do you consider to be a Warrior Sage?

I am curious to find out people's impressions.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

My New Year's Resolution: Slurping Gruel

2010-12-27T12:01:00.000-06:00

Yun-men

Yun-men, a noted Chinese Zen Master, from the Tang Era (late 800's) was approached by one of his students.

The student asked, "Please, Master, show me a way in!"

Yun-men said, "Slurping gruel, eating rice."

I have decided to make this my New Year's Resolution. Slurp gruel and eat rice.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Holiday Eating Tips!

2010-12-21T18:46:00.000-06:00

HOLIDAY EATING TIPS..........LIVE IT UP!

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the holiday spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It's rare... You cannot find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Holiday party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple, Pumpkin, Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner. Remember this motto to live by:

"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate and wine in one hand, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"

Have a Happy Holiday Season!

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

(thanks to my office manager for sending this to me...thanks Rose)

The Zen Priest's Ass

2010-12-20T20:41:00.000-06:00

THE ZEN PRIEST’S ASS (rated pg-13)

The local zen priest entered his donkey in a race and it won. The priest was so

pleased with the donkey that he entered it in the race again, and it won again.

The local paper read:

ZEN PRIEST’S ASS OUT FRONT

The Zen Temple’s Head Monk was so upset with this kind of

publicity that he ordered the local priest not to enter the donkey in another race.

The next day, the local paper headline Read:

HEAD MONK SCRATCHES PRIEST’S ASS

This was too much for the Head Monk, so he ordered

the priest to get rid of the donkey. The priest decided to give it to a Zen nun in a

nearby temple also overseen by the Head Monk.

The local paper, hearing of the news, posted the

following headline the next day:

NUN HAS BEST ASS IN TOWN

The head monk fainted.

He informed the nun that she would have to get

rid of the donkey, so she sold it to a farmer for $10.

The next day the paper read:

NUN SELLS ASS FOR $10

This was too much for the head monk, so he ordered

the nun to buy back the Donkey and lead it to the

open country where it could run wild.

The next day the headlines read:

NUN ANNOUNCES HER ASS IS WILD AND FREE

The head monk, totally losing equanimity, was hospitalized the next day.

The moral of the story is……. Being concerned about public opinion can

bring you much grief and misery & even shorten your life.

So be yourself and let your ass run free!

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Got Sole?

2010-12-18T08:20:00.000-06:00

Getting down to basics today...Your Footwork. In Karate we have many stances to learn: Sanchin Dachi, Kiba Dachi, Zenkutsu Dachi, Kokutsu Dachi and so on. Some look funny, some feel funny and some just plain hurt when you stand in them for a long time...spend some time in a low Kiba...ouch! But I digress.

Why so many stances and why the importance placed on proper foot positioning, etc?

Your ability to stand properly and use your footwork to drive power is why. All of your hand techniques derive their power from your feet. If your feet or stance work are not proper you will not have power in your hands. Pure and simple.

All power to deliver a punch, a block a throw are born in the soles of your feet. Think of your soles as your soul of power. Without a soul of power your techniques have no spirit...no umpha!...no chi! It comes up from the sole/soul.

Get in touch with your soles. Practice kamae...stance standing and feel the energy of connecting to the ground or floor. Move your feet across the floor and feeeeel them. Get in touch with them. Be soulful! :)

Come to think of it...maybe this is another way of connecting with your spiritual soul as well. See the connections of sole power and soul power. Something to ponder.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Ryokan and Winter

2010-12-12T18:41:00.000-06:00

Thanks everyone who gave me feedback on a title for my next book proposal.

It's been snowing a lot the last few days with 4-5 foot drifts around my house...and in my driveway. Funny how it works that my neighbor one door down has almost zero snow in their driveway and mine looks like I could go downhill skiing.

But, I won't complain. Back in the late 1700's Zen recluse, Ryokan wrote some poetry about his winter experiences. I will share.

"No begging in town today.
The snow falls and falls.

I lie down near the hearth
and stretch out my feet to the fire,
But still the cold pierces my belly."

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Need help with title of next book.

2010-12-11T16:28:00.000-06:00

I am in the process of putting together a proposal for my next book. I have some working titles I want to post here...and get some feedback from readers. Even if you aren't a martial artist, let me know which title grabs your attention or piques your interest. If you want you can rank them. Give me the top three.

The book is going to be on how I see Sanchin Kata and how it has spoken to me over the last four decades. It will have some philosophy and applied self-defense situations based on my insights. It is sort of a new twist on an old kata...but maintaining the historical integrity of the form. I 'see' things in Sanchin I have not seen in other books. So here are some working titles with subtitles following the colon (feel free to mix and match if you want) Again, just go with your first impression:

1.The Sanchin Code: Ancient Secrets of Self-defense

2.Contemporay Applied Sanchin: Breathing Life Into an Ancient Kata

3.Sanchin Speaks: Life Lessons from Karate's Most Venerated Kata

4.Wake up to Sanchin: Re-Discover Karate's Ultimate Combat Kata

5.Emptiness Becomes Form: Zen & the Art of Sanchin

6.Zen & the Art of Sanchin: Emptiness becomes Form

7.Cracking the Sanchin Code: Breathing Life into Karate's most venerated Kata.

8.Cracking the Sanchin Code: Unlocking ancient secrets of creative combat

9.Neo-classical Sanchin: A new twist on an old form

10. I am a Sanchin Slut: (no subtitle...this just popped into my head...must be the cold medicine)

So...rank order your top 3 or suggest something...or rearrange...just wanting some feedback...if you have questions, put them in the comments...

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

What is your Original Nature?

2010-12-10T08:55:00.002-06:00

Received a couple inches of snow last evening and so was shoveling a bit this morning. Got to work and my Zen Calendar has this little saying by Natsume Soseki:

"What is your Original Nature, Snowman?"

And now Calvin & Hobbes:

Click on the comics to enlarge,

Hands palm to palm,

Shinzen

Scabs are Good!

2010-12-09T12:50:00.000-06:00

One thing I have learned over the years in working with emotions, not only others, but my own specifically (I suffered panic attacks as a teen), is that there is nothing wrong with having anxiety, panic, depression, sadness, loneliness, even anger...

Emotions, when viewed as the healing scab, give them a new flavor and become less of a problem. Look at this way. So many people pay large sums of money using pharmaceutical and street drugs to drown out their emotions. This is like picking a scab. It only makes the matter worse.

When you get a physical cut, perhaps a deep gash in the arm, a scab forms over the wound. The scab is itchy, ugly, irritable and you want to pick it off. But, you know to pick the scab before the wound heals is to make the healing take longer and you run the risk of infecting the original wound and making your situation worse. In fact the scab will have to grow thicker and larger to cover the wound.

So, if you have sadness for an example. Sadness is the emotional scab that has formed to protect the original wound done to your psyche. If you try to get rid of it with drugs, prescriptive or street, the original wound is in danger of becoming infected and your sadness turns to depression...a thicker more irritable scab.

It is imperative, just like a physical scab, to just let it itch. If you learn to just watch sadness, you will see how the sadness changes and eventually you will feel better. The sadness falls away and you are healed from the original wound.

Zazen helped me see this. I also used to get depressed quite a bit during the winter, but after years of Zazen...my winters are filled with, well, just winter as it is. I highly recommend a regular meditative practice that allows you to 'just watch'. It is a lot cheaper than prescription drugs or street drugs...and no side effects!

Be Well.
Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Beyond Likes & Dislikes

2010-12-06T10:16:00.001-06:00

The great Zen master, Seng-Ts'an, wrote, "The Great Way is not difficult for those who have no preferences. When love and hate are both absent everything becomes clear and undisguised."

So true, especially when you can see how this works in self-defense. When being attacked you have to suspend like or dislike and deal with the situation NOW! It goes beyond whether you like it or not. Your life depends on you being in the moment and flowing with the action. Get caught in mental discourse of like and dislike you can kiss your ass goodbye.

So, addressing this in life. Same thing applies. Basic life is beyond your likes and dislikes. Life throws stuff at you and presents you with many situations. Some desirable. Others not. But to be caught between like/dislike... these preferences you lose your way. It causes suffering and you become reactive to life rather than flow with life.

Today, as I type this, I am a bit run down with a cold. It is beyond my likes or dislikes. Just flow with it and allow it to take its course. I will flow with it...and the snot. It is all part of the big cosmic dance of life. It is beyond our likes and dislikes...afterall, think about this...

...When someone is trying to beat your brains in to rob you do you think they are going to stop just because you don't like it? Neither will life stop because you feel like 'bad'. It is beyond likes and dislikes. Make sense? You gotta be tough and face the moment. When you do...as Seng-Ts'an says, "..everything becomes clear and undisguised." The Now or Tao or Void or whatever you call it, opens up to you and you will be free! You are only trapped when you choose...

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

All Is Provided

2010-12-01T08:36:00.000-06:00

The longer I am in the martial arts, the more I see how what you need is always there. When during an attack, the assailant actually gives me what I need in order to defend myself. This is difficult to put into words, but let's say my assailant attempts to push me straight back with both his hands. When his hands come at me I have a variety of ways to work with this and will take the one that 'feels' and 'flows' better. I don't have a pre-set method of dealing with this attack. What is there I use and the answer is provided. Even after I disrupt his initial attack and begin to 'mess him up' with either joint locks, hits, kicks or throws...it all depends on what he provides to me. This dictates the next movement.

All is provided when I need it.

This goes for life as well. Everything I need is already here. It is provided. But just like an attack I need to keep my center...and flow...and smile. Life will provide me with I need to do next. I don't have to pre-think or worry or have anxiety. I just have to trust.

In the martial arts, I trust my training. Defense and movement with another being is natural and no real concern. I am learning the same goes for life in general. Just gotta trust that no matter what life throws at me, I have the skills needed to flow and smile. On my journey this is about growing into my Dharma name of Shinzen...Trust Zen. I trust zen...I trust this moment...I trust that, just like an opponent, life provides exactly what I need to do next. Ahh...freedom!

Leap and the net will appear.

In Gassho,
Shinzen

Body like Stone...

2010-11-28T08:04:00.000-06:00

Body like Stone
Mind like Meatloaf

My mind loves to wander on wonderful tangents. My last post shot this up from the old memory banks. Cartmen...Master of Sumo!

Ah...perfection. Mind like Meatloaf....is this Mushin? No-mind? ^_^
Something to strive for.

In Gassho,
Shinzen

Mountain, Wind and Sky

2010-11-26T12:39:00.000-06:00

Body like mountain.
Breath like the wind.
Mind like the sky.

A set of instructions for meditation from the Tibetan hermit tradition of meditation.
From Ken McLeod's book, "Wake Up To Your Life." Excellent book. I recommend it.

In Gassho,
Shinzen

Reading Intentions

2010-11-20T20:54:00.000-06:00

One of the greatest skills you can learn as a martial artist is to read intentions...and most importantly, act on intentions. We've all heard of the remarkable ability of the old masters to seem to know what was happening before anyone else. They could read intentions...and just like practicing a side kick or reverse punch, the more you practice the better you will get.

We all have intentions. It is the spark just before a thought and just before an action. But how do you tell the intentions of your opponent? Learn how to see your own first. Here's a meditation to do to get you started:

Sit in a meditative pose with your back straight. Focus on breathing deep in your hara (center). Now, become aware of the intention to inhale and your intentions to exhale. Feel the energy of intention just prior to each breath. Do this for about 20 minutes a day for 21 days...and notice the difference in your ability to pay attention and feel the energy of intent.

Next 21 days: Begin with noticing your breath's intention and switch to being aware of your intent to have a thought. Be like a cat waiting for a mouse to come out of its hole...watch...and feel.

During your day...when you remember...notice your intentions to think, move, breath, etc. Also, begin to see if you can feel other's intentions. Just watch...don't overanalyze. Play with it in the dojo as well....think of ways you can work with your dojo mate in reading his or her intentions. I use the word PLAY....don't try too hard. Be loose and listen and watch...and feel.

Hope this makes sense. Think of how reading your opponent's intentions can help you...not only in the martial arts but in life as well.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

The Pace of Nature

2010-11-12T13:07:00.000-06:00

"Adopt the pace of nature; her secret is patience.
Sometimes you don't need the things you 'need' to enjoy the simple things, quiet times, friends, family."

Amish Proverb

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Tai Chi helped my Sanchin

2010-11-09T15:51:00.000-06:00

One great thing about being in the martial arts is the diversity. From one art foreign to you, you can learn more about your own art. For instance, one of my students back in Lincoln, Nebraska is a Tai Chi instructor (Yang family). As I learned more about tai chi and began practicing I fell in love with the movement, 'grasping sparrow's tail'.

Grasping sparrow's tail contains the essence of tai chi in terms of its movement. In it we have four movements, called ward off, roll back, press and push. These correlate a bit to the four 'winds', as I call them, of Sanchin. These are spit, swallow, sink and float. These winds when combined create a spiral of energy that is very powerful.

Well, practicing Grasping Sparrow's Tail, I could feel an internal movement of energy that moved and undulated. It taught me how to use me feet, hips, etc in a continuous movement for self-defense. Then when practicing Sanchin, I could feel the same energy and could use it within the more seemingly rigid structure.

It is difficult to explain this movement, but it is where Chinkuchi, or Fa-Jing, is generated. I am writing more about this in my next book on Sanchin and might play with it here for your reading feedback.

Well, basically, practice some Tai Chi and it will help your Karate. It feels good and can help any stiff Karate-ka break free and flow better.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Weathered the Storm

2010-11-07T07:52:00.000-06:00

Finally, I believe this latest storm of activities is over. I am feeling refreshed after taking care of my family's health issues over the past few weeks. Everyone is healthy now. My son's eye is looking better every day and his discomfort is minimal. Just one more followup visit to the doc in Milwaukee this week. One lesson that was reinforced for me was to keep my center and have faith, especially when so much is beyond my control.

Had a great book signing at Wausau's Barnes & Noble. They overnighted a bunch of my books from the publisher so when I arrived I was pleasantly surprised. They had cookies and coffee waiting for us as well. The book signing was an Author's Day and I had a wonderful time conversing and networking with other authors. I learned a lot as most of them were seasoned professionals with multiple books. It was great...I did learn I better keep my day job for awhile.

Just want to say thanks to all readers. Your encouraging words were helpful.

Hands palm to palm,

Shinzen

Testing my stress limits...arrgh!

2010-11-04T16:40:00.000-05:00

Life has a way of throwing a lot of stuff at you. In the past few weeks my two daughters have been very ill. One with a nasty virus that has effected her lungs, the other stung by a bee. My daughter who was stung is in college 3 hours away...she is allergic and went into shock. Fortunately a friend grabbed her epipen and gave her the doseage.

My wife and son, both have had surgery and lots of pain afterwards. My wife had to have a d&c to check for uterine cancer. Everything is okay as tests came back benign. My son had to have a eyelid repaired as it drooped due to a weak muscle-tendon connection. It was effecting his vision. Both of them, on the journeys home had break-through pain that caused my wife to pass out and my son to cry.

On top of this, once again, a top ranked bookseller, this time Barnes & Noble has screwed up an upcoming booksigning by forgetting to order my books. The one at Borders I had a few weeks ago, they accidently sent my books back just before the signing. What's up that?

Oh, well. Just gotta keep on one day at time. Everything does work out well. My son is recuperating well (I am home with him today...his surgery was yesterday) and he is feeling fine. My wife does not have cancer. My daughters have recuperated and are well...and my book signing for this weekend will go on.

What is there to learn from this? Not sure right now. Just needed to vent a bit. I feel better already.

In Gassho,
Shinzen

Some new Mind-Swords

2010-10-29T22:24:00.000-05:00

In my book, Black Belt Healing, I describe three primary mind-swords that manifest health and healing. In working with people one thing I have discovered is that some people still need to "cut out the past." Pondering this I realized we have another set of three mind-swords. This set is for cleansing and clearing the past and contained in many spiritual and religious traditions.

These three mind-swords are:

The knife - this is Gratitude. Being thankful for what you already have and where you are right now is important...even if it is uncomfortable. Gratitude as I have described in previous posts, brings us to the Now and begins a shift in our emotions and awareness. So, when you are feeling like sh*t from past memories or life is just feeling difficult, give thanks...and mean it. I will add a smile and a gassho.

The short sword - this is Contrition. Contrition is asking forgiveness and saying you are sorry...not to an eternal being or god, but to the situation you are experiencing in the Now. It is important to accept responsibility where you are right now...you are responsible for where you are. You may not have caused 'the problem' but you are responsible for where you are. Make sense? So, simply say you are sorry and ask for forgiveness, and once again, mean it...feel it.

The long sword - this is Love. Not the sappy romantic love, but the deep compassion you can feel when wishing others happiness and blessings. It is simply saying 'I love you'...and smiling...and seeing in your mind's eye all beings being blessed. A gassho works for me once again.

Using these three mind-swords can help clear away negativity that might be impeding your health or healing. I have a tendency to get virtigo from time to time, especially when I forget I am in my fifties and still think I am in my twenties...and try to free spar to heavy. So, when I get the bed-spins at night, I begin a routine of saying, Thank you to the spins/vertigo because it is showing me my life is out of balance right now. I then ask for forgiviness for manifesting the vertigo through my mind, body and behavior. Then I give it feelings of compassion and do my best to embrace it (see 'don't feed the bears' chapter in my book).

It is amazing how this helps me deal with the bed-spins, nauseau and lack of sleep. After this I put into forth my other set of mind-swords to create health and healing towards a balanced perspective and life.

In Gassho...
Shinzen

Ryokan

2010-10-22T20:36:00.001-05:00

I found a great deal at our local Goodwill store. A book of poems by the Zen Hermit, Ryokan for 49 cents. He was born in 1758 and passed away in 1853. I've always loved his poetry...here is a sample.

"At the main crossroads, playing Hotei,
coming and going with my bowl. How many years have passed?
Pretending again I do not know where I am going;
A fresh wind blows and the bright moon covers the autumn sky."

(Hotei is the fat Buddha who carries a sack and passes out gifts)
Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

The Brilliancy of Death

2010-10-05T10:16:00.000-05:00

As I was driving to work today I got the opportunity to drive under a canopy of autumn colors. It was amazing to notice how brilliant the leaves are in their dying. Oh, to be so bright and colorful upon my own death!

Hands palm to palm,

Shinzen

Shin Tai Gi 2010

2010-09-29T09:30:00.000-05:00

Shin Tai Gi 2010 Cassie's Farm

This year's Shin Tai Gi went well as we raised a good chunk of change for the local domestic violence shelter. The women who live and work in these situations are true warriors.

Our host, Cassie Hitzman (white gi by dog), had just finished renovating an outbuilding on her farm into a dojo. We initiated it with Zen Meditation and an Andean Shaman Despacho healing ceremony. Thank You Cassie...the dojo is awesome!

Our Guest Speaker/Healer this year was Teri Nehring (first row to the left in the blue). She is known as "Little Warrior" has studied with the Andean Shamans of Peru and conducted the ceremony. It was really neat to learn about the Andean Shaman traditions and to participate in a healing ceremony. Thank You Teri!

I want to say 'Thank You' to all participants and a special thank you to Joe Pounder of Original Martial Systems out of Appleton for his generous donation as well.

I have had some people who couldn't make it requesting to have another one soon. Maybe a winter retreat will be in order. I'm game.

In Gassho,
Shinzen

The Empty Boat

2010-09-22T09:57:00.000-05:00

A classical Zen/Taoist story regarding Emptiness. This version comes from The Way of Chuang Tzu as translated by Thomas Merton.

If a man is crossing a river and an empty boat collides with his skiff, even though he is a bad-tempered man he will not become very angry.

But if he sees a man in the boat, he will shout at him to steer clear. If the shout is not heard he will shout again, and yet again, and begin cursing. And all because there is somebody in the boat.

Yet, if the boat were empty, he would not be shouting, and not angry.

If you can empty your own boat crossing the river of the world, No one will oppose you. No one will seek to harm you....

Such is the perfect man:
His boat is empty.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Musashi's Land of Bliss

2010-09-14T15:22:00.000-05:00

"Under the Sword lifted high
There is Hell making you tremble:

But go ahead,
and you have the
Land of Bliss."

Miyamoto Musashi

(from my 9/14/10 Zen Calendar)

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Sahasrara Chakra & Gi: Equanimity reigns

2010-09-11T07:44:00.000-05:00

Sahasrara or the Crown Chakra is located just at or above the crown of the head. It is associated with enlightenment and spiritual freedom. It is about living in the here of the eternal now. It is our connection to the spiritual nature of the cosmos.

The Samurai treasured Gi. It is associated with making right decisions from equanimity. Seeing deeply into the nature of all things removed any fear of death or dying. It has also been translated as rectitude. With recititude, death has no grip. Attachment to mind and body has been dropped. Entering into the battlefield took on new life.

Becoming free from fear was a big thing for the Samurai. This seventh principle was an ideal sought after and practiced through zen and other indigenous ascetic practices, such as Shinto. Being able to operate from this source made legends of many Samurai.

Well, that's all for now about the 7 chakras and their similarities to the Samurai Bushido 7 Virtues. I will, overtime, write more on these subjects as I explore them more intimately on an energetic level rather than just an intelletual one. If any readers have insights or suggestions...let me know.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Ajna Chakra and Yu: Bravery

2010-09-09T22:05:00.000-05:00

Yu is about having courage but it is not just mere bravery. It is about doing what is right, when it is right to do so. Any warrior can run into the thick of battle and be slain. The Samurai termed this a ‘dog’s death’ and not true bravery.

True bravery comes about by having deep insight into non-duality and being open. This is the spinning of the Ajna Chakra. Often called the Third Eye, it is considered the sight of deep spiritual insight. It is here we see deeply into our truest nature, freeing us from the shackles of our deepest fears. When all fear has been removed, courage tinged with bravery has a chance to grow. This is what many Samurai were looking for....the removal of fear and the growth of bravery, heroism, courage.

Ajna Chakra is also considered the sight of our psychic nature and insight into the wonders of the universe. This Chakra is very white. I had an experience with it many years ago during zazen. I had been sitting for about 30 minutes and one of my legs had fallen asleep. When I switched my leg positions, a white-laser beam of light shot in between my eyebrows almost knocking me over backwards off my zafu! It was strong and left a deep impression on me. I'll never forget the intensity of that light.

A simple candle meditation can help simulate and stimulate this chakra and the quality of bravery. Sit in a meditative posture with a lit candle in front of you. Gaze at the candle for a few minutes. Then close and cover your eyes with your hands and just allow the after image sit in your vision. Notice how when you try to 'see' the flame, it will move...just relax and allow it to be it will be there. This allowing opens your nature 'to be', which requires bravery of a kind you have to practice. It is openess that can feel vulnerable as well. Too often we strain to see...it takes courage to see without seeing, by letting go. Sounds weird, but try it. You'll discover the quality of Yu.
Many blessings.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Vishuddha Chakra and Jin

2010-09-06T17:37:00.001-05:00

The throat chakra, or Vishuddha Chakra, guides our energy towards benevolence and compassion as expressed in the concept of Bushido's Jin. It is here we totally surrender our will to that of a 'higher' power...and it is here we find our true voice.

The essence of Vishuddha is Faith. Faith in that which is invisible to the eye. Faith in that which gives rise to our true essence and allows us to see a bigger picture than before. It gives rise to the spirit of deep compassion of Jin. We begin to see that the 'other' is ourselves. Those we thought of as enemies are no more. We can only see ourselves. This requires faith and the ability to communicate from our heart.

About thirty years ago I visited a counselor friend of mine who was an intuitive and could read chakras. She told me I was doing pretty good, but my throat chakra was a bit stuck. As I looked in myself, I realized I wasn't being true to my inner voice, but listening to others and wanting to please them more. Her insight helped my find my voice and faith within myself. Then about seven years later, I met Nonin, my Zen teacher. He gave me the Dharma name of Shinzen. To have faith in zen. I had to dig deeper and realized I was still hampered in this area.

This writing and the publishing of my book is a result of opening my throat chakra and speaking from faith and my inner voice...and I am hoping it blesses people. I still care how others percieve me, but I am less apt to be a people pleaser. I also have more faith in general. Faith that everything is okay just as it is.

Vishuddha Chakra and Jin. An expression of Faith.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Anahata Chakra & Rei

2010-08-29T08:09:00.002-05:00

Located in the region of the heart, the Anahata Chakra is typically associated with compassion and a surrendering of yourself to a higher power (however you percieve it to be). It is here, at this level, you begin to make decisions about life and your calling...about following your heart. It is here, the Samurai speak of Rei.

Rei is respect, kindness, politeness and all with a hint of morality. Treating others and yourself with Rei keeps this Chakra spinning...and conversely, keeping this Chakra open allows Rei to pour forth. Samurai culture was full of Confucian influence as well, which called for protocol that implied respect, politeness and refinement of character.

The act of bowing is deeply symbolic of these qualities....and add your hands together you have a gassho.
Also, the wish-fulfilling tree, kalpa taru, resides here, symbolizing the ability to manifest whatever you wish to happen in the world. Thus, following your passion, your heart, is highly creative. As a tree produces fruit so does the Anahata...and Rei.

Surrendering to this higher power within ourselves and listening is the beginning of entering into the higher realms of what it means to be human. It also here, when you learn to trust your martial training that 'magic' happens. Emanating from Anahata/Rei you rise above the physical lower chakras and your ability to see and relate to others begins to shift.

Get stuck here means...well, you"re an ego-centered jack ass. You can't see beyond your own wishes and carnal lusts. Visualizing green in your heart region and simply filling your heart with loving thoughts can help keep this chakra spinning. Also, practice bowing and paying respect to all things...rocks, sticks, animals, humans...and even the ego-centered jack ass. After all, you can only know he is a jack ass because you have those same elements within yourself. Be peace.

Hands palm to palm..._/|\_
Shinzen

Walk Blood-Heavy

2010-08-27T20:59:00.001-05:00

Just taking a bit of a stray from the Chakra/Bushido code for a post. In Madison, Wisconsin today to drop my middle child off at college. My wife and I went to a folk festival this evening full of old and young hippies.

While walking around I noticed my shoulders and breathing were high. There were a lot of people and I felt a bit on-edge. Then this little voice in my head (yes, I have voices in my head....now don't get jealous cause they just talk to me...lol)...well, this 'voice' or prompting said, "Walk Blood-Heavy".

For some reason I knew what to do. I dropped my shoulders, put my breath-focus into my feet and with each step I visualized the ground vibrating from the heavy step of blood-filled feet. A lot like when doing Sanchin Kata. A very strong rooted feeling. The only difference was it felt heavier than Sanchin and I felt better...less on-edge, more clear and calm. I felt connected to each step, the earth and now.

I know. Strange. But you have to listen to those voices...it is the voice of intuition. I am going to practice Walking Blood-Heavy more often and see what happens. Try if for yourself. Just see and feel your feet getting heavy with blood (remember chi and blood flow together). Then be aware of each step and as you step feel/visualize the ground thunderously vibrating beneath your feet. Have fun with it. Let me know what you think.

I know at times I can sound crazy...well, that's because it is important to push the parameters of consensus reality. Don't you agree?

Hands palm to palm _/|\_ (thanks Rizal for showing this to me)
Shinzen

photo courtesy of: users.surf.net.au

Manipura Chakra & Makoto

2010-08-21T20:55:00.000-05:00

The third Chakra, Manipura, also known as the Solar Plexus Chakra correlates well with Bushido's, Makoto. The Manipura Chakra is the seat of personal power and integrity. Whereas the first chakra is associated with tribal power and the second with the flow of power in relationships, the third chakra is all about personal power.

Makoto is about this power. Makoto is truthfulness to yourself, to your values and to your inner self and vows. It is about total sincerity in being true to yourself. This entails personal power and the ability to have a well-adjusted attitude and perspective with your 'tribe' or 'group'. This is also about self-esteem....and so is Manipura Chakra.

Manipura is about the development of good self-esteem, self-respect and self-discipline. It is the seat of creativity as well that served the Samurai in crisis. Manipura and Makoto is about the ability to generate the personal power for courage, action and strength of character..

When not in order fears of rejection, criticism and a general lack of confidence exists. The Samurai here could have a major fear of not keeping his responsibilites to his lord. It was important to generate the energy for Makoto. This is all about honoring yourself.

To develop Makoto via a healthy Manipura. Get plenty of sunshine. Spend time in nature soaking in the sun and the warmth that nature provides. Practice some simple rooting Qigong with the trees...while opening yourself to the vitality of the sun. I have heard that the practice of Karma Yoga is also a wonderful way to strengthen this chakra and its virtue. A simple chakra meditation is to place your hands over the chakra and visualize its color. Do this over each chakra for a few minutes or until you feel like your done.

The first chakra is red. The second is orange...and the third is yellow. Yes, the seven chakras follow the rainbow. So, be true to yourself. Practice integrity and truthfulness.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Svadhisthana Chakra & Meiyo

2010-08-17T06:55:00.001-05:00

Meiyo. Honor. The Samurai believed in honor within society. This is ruled by awakening your second Chakra, the Svadhisthana. This second chakra oversees your energy for relationships, sexual energy and the need to manage the dynamics of your place in society.

A second chakra out of balance brings about a fear of losing control. I see this in men and women who are domestic abusers. They rule over their partner with power and control tactics that are physically, mentally, economically abusive. They have no honor for another. Ever have a toxic boss? Second Chakra out of a balance.

Honoring others in relationships and your place in society was crucial for maintaining the feudal system in Japan...and other cultures as well. In the dojo, this honoring each other with a simple bow is so important. Examine for a moment when you do a standing bow. Where do you bend? At the second chakra! This bowing motion seems to exercise this second chakra...and bowing is a symbol of enacting the virtue of honor to one another.

A healthy second chakra helps build faith and is a source of wonderful creativity as well.

Hands palm to palm,

Shinzen

Muladhara Chakra and Chuugi

2010-08-08T14:54:00.000-05:00

The root chakra, or Muladhara Chakra, is located at the base of the spine. Its energy is concerned with survival and groundedness...especially to mother earth. When it is out of balance there is fear. Fear, in early development, is about being part of a group or tribe. In a lot of ways, this Chakra is our Tribal Loyalty Chakra.

Take a look at Mixed Martial Arts right now. These are young men and women who are extremely tribal. Check out the tattoos, the t-shirts, caps, etc. Their concern is how they fit into the tribe...and how the tribe helps care for them. Loyalty is key in tribal survival.

The Muladhara Chakra is also the seat of an energy called Kundalini. This is a life energy that begins at this Chakra and coils its way up your spine through all the chakras. It does this through three meridians, called inga, pingala and shushumna.. If your energy gets stuck here you will tend to operate your life from fear and having to be the baddest ass on the block. Martial Artists who get stuck here are usually young and loud-mouthed, as well as surrounded by their tribe or gang. They rule through preying on fear...and loyalty to the gang or tribe becomes paramount for survival.

One of the basic virtues of the Samurai was Loyalty or Chuugi. Loyalty to their feudal lord and clan. It was also very important for a Samurai to have this affiliation. His survival depended on it. As a Samurai you were awarded land, food and relationships. Without a lord, the Ronin, who were Samurai with no clan or tribe, had no land, food and relationships were mostly mercenary at best. They lived a lonely, meager existence. Chuugi was needed for the basics of living. Food, Shelter, Clothing.

To awaken the Kundalini that will spin your root Chakra, or throw this Shuriken safely, meditation and training in various Kiko or Qigong were practiced. As this energy rises, it allows for awakening the next in line Chakras...and provide awakening to the other virtues. Keeping this chakra spinning in a healthy manner allows for growth from blind loyalty to the tribe to other wonderful virtues.

Well, that's all for now. Any feedback or comments are greatly appreciated...even if it is to say,'this makes sense' or 'I have no idea what the hell your talking about'...'or 'can you please expand on xyz'.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Chakras, Shuriken and Samurai...oh, my.

2010-08-06T20:38:00.000-05:00

Many martial artist's today understand the concept of Ki or Qi. It is the energy that runs through us and gives us life. We can get Qi through the air we breath, the food we eat and the water we drink. It is in all and moves through all. In Traditional Chinese Medicine the meridians are the channels that Qi flow through. Each meridian is connected to an organ and has certain qualities pertaining to our physical and emotional makeup.

The Chakras, or Wheels of Energy, run up and down our spinal column, beginning in the coccyx and ending at the top of the head. These Chakras are energy wheels that spin and also give us life...and contain certain qualities...many of which correlate to the seven virtues of a Samurai.(Loyalty, Honesty, Integrity, etc.) Seven Chakras. Seven Virtues.

Sometimes I think of Chakras as Shuriken spinning inside of us. Shuriken come in many shapes, but the most common thought of form is a disc. The circular Shuriken were developed from old coins, sharpened at the edges....and thrown at an opponent. Not so much as to harm him, but to distract him for a moment so the Samurai or Ninja could use their long or short swords.

Shuriken take practice time to throw properly and if not trained in throwing, you will miss your target and possibly harm yourself. Thrown properly they will defend you and keep you safe.

Same with Chakras. They need to be spun correctly. They need to be handled with care and exercised so as to spin correctly to give us the right types of energy we need...as well as provide us with the virtues the Samurai treasured.

I'll get more into tying these divergent systems together in future posts...my wife wants to get out and go for a walk. I do need the exercise....walking helps the Chakras as well...and by walking with my wife I am practicing familial loyalty. Such a Samurai, eh. (I grew up in Northern Wisconsin, eh). Oh...this is where I need your help as well. This might be part of my next book and am looking for feedback and questions. Thank You.

Till later,
Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Go Internal

2010-07-30T08:43:00.000-05:00

Chakras & Subtle Energy

As martial artists we do a lot of physical training. We hone our punching, kicking, throwing and weapon skills with sweat and precision. This physical training is essential as it does exercise our vital energy or Ki/Qi. However, the focus of physical training is still what we call 'external' training and to get the most out of your workout, and yourself, it is important to practice 'internal' training.

Internal training, such as meditation (zazen) and various forms of Yoga and Qigong, are excellent for this. Getting in touch with your subtle energies will enhance your martial skills as well as your health overall. It is this energy that supports your life. It is just as important as breathing. Without Ki/Qi you're dead. To keep it flowing with proper exercise, nutrition and meditation is life itself.

So, don't neglect 'internal' training. As you learn more about energy and its impact on your overall health you will wonder why we don't emphasis it in our educational systems. In future posts I will discuss more about our chakra system and its role in martial arts.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Nothing left to do? Laugh!

2010-07-26T15:10:00.000-05:00

My Zen calendar today, "Nothing is left to you at this moment but to have a good laugh!"

Good advice. Grouch Marx was known to have said, "A clown is like an aspirin, only he works twice as fast."

So...A man went to his doctor complaining of painful headaches. After concluding his tests, the doctor said, "There's only one solution, but it's extreme: castration." The patient said he could never resort to that and he walked out.

As the weeks went on, his headaches go so painful he couldn't take it any longer. He went back to the doctor and agreed to the castration. The operation was a big success, and the patient couldn't believe that his headaches were finally gone. He felt like a new man. He was so excited about his new life that he went to a tailor and bought a whole new set of clothes---suits, socks, shirts, even underwear.

In jotting down all the appropriate information, the tailor finally asked, "What size underwear do you wear?"
"Forty" replied the man.
"Oh, no," said the tailor. "You're a 44 if I ever saw one. If you wear underwear that tight, you'll get terrible headaches!"

Oh, well...nothing left to do but laugh.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Train like you mean it...for life.

2010-07-25T19:35:00.000-05:00

What the ???

In my last post I discussed martial art training and the necessity to train hard, pay attention and give it your best effort. Training like you are on the street prepares you mentally and physically for a street attack/defense situation than being too lax and just srewing around.

But what about basic living? How do you train for your everyday activities? Do you give it your best or do you do it half-assed? But what are the basics? How do you train for everyday? Well, pay attention to what you are doing first of all.

What is the most basic aspect of daily life that we must train? Hmmm...I am going to say Breathing. Yes, breathing. Without it you're considered dead. Do you practice any formal breathing exercises, rituals or mindful activities that connects you with your breathe? In the martial arts, if I an take your breathe...I have your mind...I have you. We study how the body moves during relaxed breathing and anxious breathing...what your body looks like exhaling and inhaling. Did you know you are weak when you inhale? This is when I can attack you. Studying my breathing and others breathing gives me insights into the mind of myself and another.

Just the basics. What other basics of life are you not training? Think about it. Eating is a big one. Not to be too crass, but pissing and shitting is another. Are you managing these areas of your life well? If not, your health is gonna stink!

I suggest you make a list of what you consider basics of life...pay attention to them and take some time to train in them like you mean it....after all...your life could depend on it. Just some thoughts. I gotta go pee..so,
Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Train like you mean it.

2010-07-23T22:18:00.001-05:00

Ernie Paulson & Rob Shepard/Goshindo Karate

When you are in the dojo are you training or jawing?

I tend to see, yes, even in my dojo, too much talking and not enough training. I am all for having fun during the workout, but it must also be vigorous and have adrenalin pumping intensity. It must simulate real life as much as possible while ensuring safety. Why?

If you have sloppy habits in the dojo...you will have sloppy habits on the street. Sloppy on the street gets you hurt, if not killed. Train vigorously in the dojo with intensity of mind, body and spirit helps you shape yourself for the rigors of a street defense situations.

Injuries will happen in the dojo, but those will heal. Injuries on the street could be crippling if not death inducing. Endure the dojo dings and your mind and body will have a better chance of street survival if need be. Facing your fears of injury in the dojo will help you face the fears of injury on the street...but only if the practice in the dojo pushes you to your limits and makes you question what the hell you are doing.

So, get ready Broken Bokken Dojo....especially the Yudansha...you've only just begun. Get the ice packs,jow and bandaids ready.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

How do you eat?

2010-07-23T11:11:00.000-05:00

How you eat is as important as was what you eat.

Your thoughts and attitude towards your food determines its impact on your body, mind and spirit as much as the bio-chemistry of the food itself. Think about it. Food eaten in thanksgiving, joy and mindfulness versus food eaten in distraction, anxiety and non-caring.

Do you eat watching tv or do you eat watching the meal?

Experiment for yourself...notice the difference in your day when you eat your breakfast with mindfulness and thanksgiving versus the day you watch the early morning news and scanning your facebook account.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

2010-07-22T19:23:00.000-05:00

Have you ever noticed that nature has a pace and a rythm? It is neither fast nor slow, hurried or dawdling, anxious or calm. It is always 'moving' (this from a human perspective who is stuck on a fixed self).

How can we harmonize with this pace, this rythmic beat of wind, sun, moon, stars, water, fire, rain, tornadoes, floods, droughts, etc? Not really sure....all I know is that when it is hot, I sweat. when it is cold, I shake...when it tornadoes, I go to my basement....when my butt itches, I scratch it (hey, I am part of nature too!)

Nature is neat. We've been having lots of rain this summer. Last year hardly a drop. I wonder what the fall will bring...I know my garden is thriving, except for the corn being flattened by 60 mph winds a few nights ago...and shattering my glass topped patio table by lifting it and shoving into the rails of my deck. Ah..nature. She is so gentle :)

Nose tickles...

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

No Sh*t

2010-07-20T21:15:00.001-05:00

No shit. You are perfect just as you are. Right now. Right here. All you need is here, sitting in the place you are, reading these words. Nothing is lacking. Nothing to seek. All is well. No shit.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Amnesia for Discomfort & my next book

2010-07-15T06:05:00.001-05:00

For the past week I have been experiencing some rather intense discomfort in the metatarsal region of my right foot. I figured it was from wearing some new sandals while on vacation, but the darn thing won't go away...in fact, it has progressed in its discomfort. Two evenings ago I dreamt I was walking on a gravel road in my barefeet and when I awoke the bottom of my feet felt as if they were burning. To get them to stop burning I used some visualization techniques to cool the sensation and fell asleep. (you can read more stuff like this in my book by the way).

Well, just this past evening my right foot woke me up with once again a severe burning sensation across the pad of my foot but also shooting into my toes. I tried a new technique using hypnotic amnesia. I simply told myself to remember to forget the discomfort and then focused my breathing into my hara (remember the red rubber ball technique?). That's all I did and I feel back asleep and had a good night's rest. I had to do this twice during the evening and it worked both times to get me back to sleep.

I know I am improving and will get better soon...I have a martial art seminar/camping retreat this weekend and will be on my feet all day. I bought some special shoe inserts so I hope this can give me the support I need to facilitate comfort. I am curious to see how it works.

Also, for those who are interested, I have started writing my next book and will have a co-author, Teri Nehring. If you remember back in November of 09 I had asked the 'creative spirit' for seeds for my next book. This led me into the world of shamanic studies and meeting Teri, a healer trained in Andean Shamanism. Well, the seeds have finally sprouted. It involves warriorship, healing, sacred swords of the samurai, shamanic journeys and wherever inspiration leads us. I will keep you posted.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Let the opponent cut your skin...

2010-07-10T10:11:00.000-05:00

This past Tuesday, the Broken Bokken Dojo was playing in the park once again, and we primarily free-sparred with weapons. One of my Yudansha, Mariah, cut my index finger at the middle knuckle with her bokken's tip. It was a clean cut. One I admired. She understands the concept of embracing the fight and moving inside.

Her actions reminded me of an old Samurai saying, "If you intend to capture the tiger's cub, go inside its den." This means you never back up, charging forward regardless of where your opponent's blade is and staying a fraction of an inch away from the blade itself. For Mariah, this is very important, as she is only about 4 foot 10 inches tall and weighs less than 100 pounds. She has to live on the inside of a fight.

She moved inside my blade and got the finger with a real nice motion resulting in a slice. The sword is a slicing tool and she did it well...I stopped for safety purposes...because as she did a nice job cutting my skin, I have learned how to let the opponent cut my skin so I can cut their flesh...it's like taking a punch to give a punch. Once you learn how to do this fear tends to diminish...at this point the samurai would also take a cut to the flesh in order to give a cut through the marrow of the bone. (I'm not ready for that yet)

This requires determination, perserverance and practice...and courage. Most of us do not like to be cut on the skin, let alone the flesh...but take this lesson and look at from a deeper psychological and spiritual way. What lessons can we learnd from this to help us grow. Let me know what you find.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

A Lesson from my Weeds

2010-07-09T06:40:00.000-05:00

A lesson from my weeds in the garden.

Life isn't to be measured by time or money...in fact it isn't to be measured at all...it is meant to be lived...embracing both the comfortable and uncomfortable with a big shit-eatin grin.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

How many lives...

2010-07-07T16:11:00.000-05:00

"There's a stream, and there's bamboo,
there's mulberry and hemp.
Mist-hid, clouded hamlet,
a mild, tranquil place.
Just a few tilled acres.
Just a few tiled roofs.
How many lives would I have to live,
to get that simple."

Yuan Wei

Jiyu Kumite

2010-07-01T07:57:00.000-05:00

Jiyu Kumite, for my non-martial art readers, is free sparring. No prearranged techniques like kata or one or two step Kumite. It is mostly for us an exercise in adapting our 'eye' and mind to fight speed. Fists and feet come at you very fast and you have to act upon the action swiftly or get a good thumping. There are rules we use for safety purposes, but you will walk away with bumps, bruises, scrapes and tears.

Jiyu Kumite also has much to teach us, not only in the martial arts, but outside it as well...mostly in the realm of present moment awareness and dealing with life's difficulties. For instance, when you get your ribs bruised by a side kick it is not a pleasant experience. Even when kicked hard and out of breath, Shihan Dean would yell at us to keep moving...don't stop....even in the midst of pain...be here! Stay in the moment of engagement...you ain't dead yet.

Life will always throw unpleasant experiences at us that we don't like. Life is beyond our likes and dislikes. It is indifferent...just like a side kick. When you get hurt, either physically or emotionally, stay here and now and keep moving. Stay in the game, stay in the Now of what is going on cause, just like your opponent in Kumite, Life is gonna keep on coming. After it kicks you, it could be following up with a flurry of strikes...or running away. You don't know. You have to stay alert even though you hurt.

The hurt will go away. Kumite gets us in touch with Transiency of phenomena. Every thing changes. This too shall pass. Staying in the game, eyes open, alert and mindful, your pain diminishes and you realize you are okay and can keep moving. You begin to feel empowered and soon realize that the hurt and pain is a wonderful teacher...if you let it be.

Kumite also teaches us how to keep the mind calm in the midst of all this turmoil but always having to stay now. When your thoughts race into the future with fear or past with regret you have to bring it back to the action...or once again pain will wake you up to now, whether you want it or not.

As you go about your daily life, maintain this Kumite mind of being in the game, in the now. Know your intentions, but stay focused with what is at hand, neither projecting too far into the future or visiting the past. These are just ghosts in your mind.

Kumite teaches us how life can come at us fast and furious. But, if we maintain our calm mind, our now mind and trust our training, it becomes a fun event. Most students love to Kumite. It becomes a joyful experience despite the discomfort. And so is life. As you stay connected to now of now...the flux and flow of life as it arrives, your life becomes more joyful, more fun and inspirational....even when it side kicks your ribs.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Red Rubber Ball

2010-06-26T07:08:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite meditative/mindful techniques I use, especially when I find myself getting bored or overly excited, is the Red Rubber Ball. I learned this from an Aikido-ka about 22 years ago and I love it.

All you have to do is imagine you have a red rubber ball in your hara. This is three inches below your navel and three inches in, approximately. If you find yourself bored or nervous, like what can happen to me, just bring your focus to the red rubber ball.

Sometimes I breath into it and when I inhale I make it expand and when I exhale I make it contract. Now, if you want you can use different colors. Sometimes for a cooling, calm feeling I will pick green or blue and breath into it or let its energy bath me in calmness. You are only limited by your imagination.

Over the years I discovered I could also 'magnetize' the ball and make it attract a healing, insight into a problem or even money. However you picture magnetization, imagine it and see it attracting what you want and how great it feels! The feeling of the healing or insight or money already being here is very important. It is the attractor factor inside the ball.

Well, off for a week of vacation.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Sacred Swords of Zen Goshin-do Karate

2010-06-25T08:24:00.001-05:00

Zen Goshin-do is the style of Karate that we practice at the Broken Bokken Dojo. We love all things Samurai and in Zen Goshin-do there are three swords that represent our soul and practice of the Way. These three swords are Zazen, Kata and Kumite.

Now, many styles practice these three, however, as usual we take a view that might or might not be classical or traditional. It is just how these three swords have 'spoken' to me over the years. Swords are the soul of the Samurai...and these three swords are our Sacred Swords.

Zazen is the sword that teaches us how to be here and now. It is the practice of seeing directly into our true nature without words and a bunch of b.s. We practice Zazen to practice Zazen...and allow the benefits of calmness, centeredness, self-knowledge and healing to flow.

Kata is the sword that puts zen into motion and teaches us how to be here and now while in the midst of the principles of Karate. In terms of life, it shows us how everyday activity, like brushing teeth, driving to work, making love...are Kata...how we behave. Parts of Karate...and everyday life...have certain ritualistic features that we can pay attention to and reveals our true nature, when we pay attention to what is going on. It helps us develop the skills we need in Karate and to support our life.

Kumite, or Jiyu Kumite, is Free Sparring. It is the sword of action and flow. No pre-arranged structure. Here you must be in the flow of activity with discursive thought in the background. Being here and now is paramount or you get a fist or foot in the face or a bokken across the knucles....heck, even being here and now these things can happen, but at least you are dealing with it directly and not with a bunch of bruha. You keep moving despite comfort or discomfort. It is the flow of life, unstructured, unscripted and at times extremely chaotic...yet you remain unmoved and centered like the bodhisattva, Fudo.

All three swords are intertwined and give us the skills to master the art of karate...and of living. To be an artist of life direct knowledge of yourself is important. Paying attention to our routines, rituals and practices of everyday living allows us to enter into a place of deep mindfulness. This serves us well when we need to flow with life when it is unscripted.

Let's say you have a job interview. Prior to it you have to prepare a resume and cover letter describing who you are and your skills...sort of some self knowledge and introspection needed...prior to meeting a prospective boss you have practiced in your mind questions she might ask...and how you would answer...then there are the unscripted questions you need to be able to respond with fluidity...and the answers come easily because you have prepared yourself and practice in the basics.

I will let you sort out the elements of zazen, kata and kumite in this job interview...mostly cause I gotta get to work.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

The Middle Way

2010-06-23T14:04:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, while sitting at my desk, I drew a line down the middle of a legal size piece of paper. I was working on a solution to a personal dilemna I was facing. Well, I drew the line down the paper and in the left hand column I wrote the worst case scenario of my situation. On the right side I wrote the best case scenario. I am sure you have done something like this in the past, as I have.

I stared at the piece of paper and hit me like a kick in the nuts...but only better!

Both case scenarios are only in my imagination....and not real! The only 'reality' was the thin line I drew down the middle. The Middle Way...of being here and now...staring at this piece of paper. Of being with the flow of reality as it unfolds. The pen, my chair, desk, sound of air conditioning, etc. All represented by a narrow line...a narrow path.

No decision needed to be made. Life will unfold as it is.

Now, I can influence it, but this just 'ego' getting in the way. Why muck it up with my fears and hopes. Both need to go by the wayside and abandoned...forever. Then, and only then, can the reality of this moment's joy break forth.

This was validated last evening while doing some bokken free-sparring. Being in the moment was more important than worrying about getting hit (which I did....bloody knuckles) or 'winning'. Thought either way takes me away from Now...the only place I can be. All else is an illusion...notions...thoughts...phantoms and hungry ghosts.

Well, gotta go.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Awaken Your Inner Healer

2010-06-20T21:40:00.000-05:00

Deep within yourself you have an inner healer.From time to time we all experience a bout of pain, whether it is a headache, overused muscles or experiencing general discomfort....even emotional discomfort.

To connect with yourself and your innate healing abilities here is a guided visualization you can practice. Feel free to play with it and make it your own:

Get yourself in a comfortable position and allow yourself to relax...perhaps taking in a deep breath, holding it for a few seconds and make the exhale long and slow. Repeat this about three to five times until you feel a bit more comfortable.

Then take yourself to a happy or sacred place, preferably in nature and allow yourself to soak in the sights and sounds. Really feel yourself in this place. Make it as real as possible.

Then, while in your sacred space, find yourself a place to sit down in a comfortable position or a meditative pose. While sitting ask for your inner healer to come out of you to perform or conduct a healing of your choice. Then see your inner healer rising or stepping out of your body...could come out of your back, your third eye or top of head...your butt if you are so inclined. Whatever works for you.

See your inner healer begining a healing session...perhaps laying hands on the hurt parts or sending you powerful energy...whatever you need. See and feel colors entering your body, healing you and comforting you...converting discomfort to comfort to joy. You could even see your inner healer calling other healers or spirit guides to assist...again, whatever works for you.

Really see and feel the healing. Feel the energy flowing through you....see a smile across your face.

When done, thank your inner healer and request him/her to rejoin you...maintaining the wonderful feelings you are enjoying.

Then open your eyes and go about your day.

This visualization can take five minutes or fifty minutes. Whatever you need....just remember, lots of repetition is needed. Try and do this daily and see how your life changes. You can even rate your discomfort prior to the session and then after. Use the unit of distress scale from 0-10 with 10 being the most discomfort. Keeping a record can help you notice how much better you are getting.

Give it a go.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

photo: latitudezen.com

Death is our Guide

2010-06-16T08:51:00.000-05:00

Did you know death can be very inspiring? In fact, death can be your guide to leading a very peaceful life here and now. In previous posts I wrote about a death meditation that I practice. In this post I am going to briefly show you how to use this death experience to manifest a life that is full of peacefulness, calmness and equanimity.

My death meditation is a simple one. For myself, the best death is to be sitting in zazen on an ocean beach. The sun shining, waves lapping on the shore, seagulls swirling and talking. I am in between the ages of 85 -95 and then see my 'spirit' leaving my body...feeling peaceful, smiling, all is good. My life's journey is complete and all is well. Nothing left to do. One big 'aaahh' of relief and tranquility takes over.

That's my meditation.

Now, using what is called the Law of Attraction, I use this to co-create my life experiences to be able to experience this form of death. This peaceful death experience is my emotional GPS in going about my daily business. I simply enter into this meditative state and allow it to be with me throughout the day. I also can anchor this experience with a touch of my thumb and ring finger together along with a key word of 'aah'. As I go about my day, when this 'aah' has left or my calmness/tranquility has left, I simply thank the uncomfortable experience and re-trigger my death experience. It brings me back to now and 'aahh'.

As I practice this meditation, the Law of Attraction will begin to make this death meditation a reality. Having faith this is my end...and beginning...it makes this life, this moment, more peaceful and okay. The struggle ceases. This is the faith of zen.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Celebrate

2010-06-13T21:12:00.000-05:00

C.Om posted on facebook a few day ago about celebrating life. So true. I love this photo of this child. Wow.

I have noticed that at times I have been way too serious about life...playing it safe. I can use the excuse that I have been raising a family (and still am) and that I need to make sure their safety and security is intact. I accept this as the role of Dad...but I am also to show my family how to truly live!

Sometimes, playing it safe is just too dull. I want to make sure my kids now it is okay to laugh, roll in the mud and just have a good time without having to worry about what others think. Now, I am not advocating anarchy or a total free for all, but a time of pure jubiliation about being alive. That life is a celebration of just being here...and it goes by in a flash, like lightening in the sky. You gotta live it up.

So...the next time you feel like playing it safe, mostly because you are worried about what the neighbors might think...stop...remember what it was like when you were 8 or 10 or 13. Then smile, fart, and let out a laugh that will make your neighbors think you have gone insane. Mine already know I am. I play in the backyard with swords, nunchakus, bokken and at times just do my kata....I must truly look nuts to them. I also yell a bit...just enough to feel good...and not enough for the cops to show up. (One of neighbors is a bit nuts and calls the cops if you look at her wrong.)

My neighborhood is full of little kids now, with my kids being the older ones. When I watch them play they play with abandon! Now that's fun. That's a celebration.

On a parting note: As Martial Artists we should do our kata as a celebration. A celebration of our art...let it rip!

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Exploring Unexplained Phenomena

2010-06-12T16:26:00.000-05:00

I had the pleasure today of being a guest on the radio program, "Exploring Unexplained Phenomena" out of Lincoln, Nebraska. The host is Scott Colborn and his show is celebrating its 27th year of existence. We discussed my book, "Black Belt Healing", and its most important points.

If you want to listen you can go to http://www.e-u-p.org/ and go to the Archives. Simply go to today's date of 6/12/10 and you can listen. I do not appear on the show until about a half hour into it...so if you want you can skip right to it if you desire. The show is 2 hours long and I'm in for an hour and a half.

The fun part is Scott is a former student of mine and former owner of The Way Home bookstore. I mentioned this is the last chapter of the book. Scott has a lot of great guests on the show and has quite a few followers. If you are so inclined feel free to meander over to EUP website and take a listen.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Geek 1...MMA fighter 0.

2010-06-11T19:22:00.000-05:00

A tough mixed martial artist was surfing the internet and his computer slowed down, froze and became irratic. Frustrated after trying to fix the problem, he relunctantly called his 12 year old next door neighbor...the computer geek.

The 12 year old came over and took one look at the computer, hit a few buttons, and in two minutes the computer was up and running once again.

The MMA fighter asked what was wrong. The kid said, "It was an ID ten t error." The MMA fighter looked at him with a quizzical 'what'. The kid said, "Yes, an ID ten t error." The fighter, still not getting it, asked once again, "what's an ID ten t error?"

The kid walked over to the fighter's desk, took out a pen and piece of paper and wrote: "Id10t"....then left.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen