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

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

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

From my Zen Calendar for May 1st. A quote from Shunryu Suzuki:

"Life without zazen is like winding your clock without setting it. It runs perfectly well, but doesn't tell time."

I like this one. For myself it is so true. Zazen keeps me in the right time. Without it I am lost. With zazen I may still wander around, but I am not lost.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

After May 10th, if any of my readers would like an autographed copy of Black Belt Healing let me know. It retails at $16.95...I would just have to add shipping and handling charges.

I have a book signing on May 8th and if there are any books left over (I am hoping I sell out) I will have a limited supply to sell on-line.  If the demand is more than what I have I can always order more books.

Also, if any Budoka out there would like to have me come in for a workshop on healing and martial arts, also give me a buzz. Send me an email or just a comment with contact info and I will get back to you...and thank you for reading.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

One neat thing about the martial arts is that it has ways of teaching us many lessons that carry over into other areas of life. For myself, Yoko Geri was the teacher. And by the way, Yoko Geri is not the sister of Yoko Ono, but means 'Side Kick.'

Going through the ranks of Karate, Yoko Geri was a thorn in my side. Not only did my training partners break a few of my ribs with it, I had a hell of time throwing a good one. For years it seemed my physical structure was not appropriate for a good side kick. Yet, I persevered...and here is where I learned Gyoji.

Gyoji is a term that has a few meanings, mostly based on it context. For Karate, it means 'continuous practice'. I would frustrate myself in trying to throw a perfect yoko geri and the harder I tried the worse I made it. So, I finally told myself to do just a little bit every day. Gyoji.

I would work on my flexibility, not only with basic leg stretches, but I bought a pulley and some rope and tied my ankle to one end of the rope, looped it through the pulley and pulled my leg up. I would try and go just a bit further higher every time. Even though we were not high kickers, Sensei Dean emphasized some high kicking, because if you can throw a good high side kick, the lower ones are more powerful.

Over the course of a few years and applying Gyoji, my Yoko Geri looked like the one you see in the photo. That is me 32 years ago. I came across the photo a few weeks ago...and surprised myself as to the height and form I had. This from Gyoji...a little bit every day.

Now, I apply this to my other arts, ie, zazen, qigong and, of course, Karate. One of my favorite sayings is "You can't swallow the ocean in one gulp". Same with Karate and other arts. It has also served me in my educational and writing pursuits. They take time, continuous practice and perserverance. The results will show up. Just have faith and enjoy the journey of Gyoji.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Dr. Yozan (Dirk) Mosig, a Shuri-te practitioner and Zen priest, often would remind us that Karate was 95% mental and 5% physical. This saying has always stuck with me...and as I have my own sitting practice I am becoming more and more aware of how correct his statement is.

As I have mentioned before, Buddha spoke about how all we are is a result of our thoughts...with our thoughts we create our world and shape our reality. This is so true...and is even backed up by Quantum Physics, but I am not going to go into that right now.

What I am referencing today is Ground Zero....bringing your mind to that still point of just before you inhale and just before you have your next thought. Ground Zero is the place you have to decide upon how you are going to shape your world. Buddha spoke of being mindful of mind. Be aware of your thoughts as if they are a cobra ready to strike...bring your awareness to that level on and off your zafu.

I call that point of total awareness or stillness of mind Ground Zero...just like sitting on your Zafu...on the ground...this is Ground Zero....stay there and when your mind does wander be aware of the wandering....be curious about the wandering and then gently return to Ground Zero.

This is also the mindset when doing Kata. Kata is also a place for Ground Zero...be aware of your thoughts before, during and after Kata. Are you 'in' the kata or wandering around in your mind. Stay at Ground Zero....Did you know Kata also means 'how you behave'? So a Kata is also how you brush your teeth, do your job, take a piss, and talk to your children or friends. Are you at Ground Zero? Are you aware or are you running on Autopilot?

Ground Zero...being Here and Now...being with the events of life as they unfold moment by moment, but also being with your thoughts and judgements about the events of life as they unfold. If you do not like your thoughts or judgements, again, just be curious about them and gently return to Ground Zero...here you have the chance to change your world.

This is part of our Budo training...95% mental.

Hope my morning rambling has made sense...

In Gassho,
Shinzen

During one of Nonin's Dharma talks at a Sesshin he said, "If you wish to understand your past, look at your present: If you wish to understand your future, look at your present."

For some reason this stuck in my head as it had a ring of truth to it. I did not give it much thought until just recently. I was thinking about what Buddha had said about how all we are is a result of our thinking. All that we are arises with our thoughts. So, I inserted 'thinking' into Nonin's quote and it reads like this:

"If you wish to understand your past, look at your present thinking: If you wish to understand your future, look at your present thinking."

As a mental health professional many of the people I see are lost and confused and want to know why their life 'sucks' and what they can do about it. They want to explore the past and find a cause or an excuse or someone to blame for their problems. Now, this does have some therapeutic value, however, if you really examine why life sucks now, take a look at what you are thinking now.

If your thinking is full of negativity, bias, jealousy, aversion, greed your life will be full of negativity, bias, jealousy, etc. Everything in your life right now is a result of your thoughts. Your life right now is a total culmination and manifestation of all that you have thought! When you examine your present thoughts you are seeing your past...as well as your future.

So, if you want to have a better future, start thinking better thoughts. Notice how all great spiritual traditions and teachers focus on positivity, joy, love, compassion. Why? Because we become what we think about and we get what we think about. In therapy, I have my clients begin with counting their blessings and see how there life does have some great things going on...and to focus on gratitude moment by moment. For some clients, I teach them how to Gassho with thanksgiving to everything in their lives...and you know what? Their lives do begin to change.

Entering into a Dojo and recieving formal training in a traditional martial art has lots of bowing and showing signs of respect. This is why a Dojo and your martial art is also a healing art. You are healing yourself (and others) just by coming in and following the martial way. You become transformed through these actions of respect and gratitude. Notice how a Dojo usually has lots of smiling and laughing going on? It is really a happy place.

Buddha spoke of three things really. A summation of his teachings boils down to this:
1. Do good things.
2. Avoid bad things.
3. Discipline your mind.

This third thing, when it happens, helps you manage the first two. The process of disciplining the mind involves Zazen. This is the perfect vehicle for examining the self. Dogen-zenji, the founder of Soto Zen in Japan, spoke of how Zen is the process of examining the self...and is enlightenment itself.

Well, this post is getting long...maybe I will continue again on this subject. It was just running through my head so now you can have it.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

In my last post I spoke of pit bulls and guns...and the ability to bring out the toughness in ourselves to handle a life and death struggle. As most of you are aware this is the most base of self-defense strategies and the easiest for our minds to grasp. When most people think of self-defense they think of having to do violent activity to survive...and at times they are correct.

However, most of us, and I am thankful for this, live in a fairly peaceful society. And here in lies the One Secret to Self-defense. Why do you think in the practice of Budo we bow in and out, have rules of etiquette for respect and politeness and most importantly meditate before and after each Karate class? What does this have to do with defending ourselves? Everything.

Buddha spoke of how important our thoughts are...he spoke of how we create the world with our thought. All that is and will be has arisen with our thinking, manifested through our thoughts. Look around you right now. You are most likely sitting in a chair...and reading this on a computer, which is either on your lap or on a desk. Your chair, desk and computer...and yes your lap too, are manifestations of a thought. Everything around you right now is created from thinking...from thoughts placed out into the vast realm of Ku: Our friend Emptiness.

As I have written in previous posts, Ku is Pure Raw Potential waiting to materialize. All it needs is a thought. Remember Ku and Kara have the same root. An Empty Hand (Karate) when given the thought of 'fist' shapes into a fist. Think or intend 'knife hand' it takes the shape of a knife hand and so on. It takes the shape of your intentions or thought.

Well, your life is like this as well. A Dojo is a place where we practice our Martial Art, but it is sandwiched and infused with politeness and respect. This is to counterbalance any negative energy put out into Ku. Classes begin and end with Zazen to cultivate Peace...and to send out those 'vibes' so peace will reign in our lives and we never have to use the techniques of violence. These positive vibes are stronger than any of the 'violent vibes' created during class.

Zazen is the cultivation, practice and manifestation of Peace. The ultimate in self-defense! The Ultimate Kata!!!

An important concept to understand when working with thoughts is that a thought placed out into Ku, whether it is something you want or don't want...will manifest. Even if you don't want to be attacked, if this is on your mind all the time, you will eventually invite an attack....you have manifested it into your life.

So, when all you focus on is self-defense you are manifesting a need to defend yourself. You are invoking violence, although inadvertently. The opposite of self-defense, I guess, would be 'other offense'. The best defense is a good offense. This is why Zazen is so important. Zazen is such an offense. It sends out the vibe of peace to the whole world. Nonin often told us that when we sit zen we sit with the whole world and the whole world benefits.

This is why I conduct a Zen and Healing Arts Seminar every year. This year (Sept 19th) we are raising money for our local Domestic Violence Shelter...Safe Haven. We sit Zen to create peace. The women at the shelter have been violently abused and lives turned upside down. As martial artists, sitting zen, is the best way we can help them...we are also raising money as well...but this is not so important as the manifestation of peace.

This is again the One Secret every martial artist should know. The practice of Zazen and the cultivation of peace via our practices of respect, politeness, integrity, loyalty, honor create the ultimate in self-defense. A society where hopefully we will no longer need Safe Havens or even Police. A big thought...but I put it out there.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Here's a little twist on Zazen if you are interested in trying it. Rather than focus on your inhale and exhale, place your focus on the 'feeling' or 'impulse' just before you inhale...and exhale. Simply notice the difference in the energy and quality of your sitting.

My recommendation, as always, is to make a daily regimen of Zazen, even if for only five minutes a day. Daily practice, no matter how little, is a good thing. If you can extend it to 30 - 40 minutes a day this is good too. Also to re-iterate, when the mind wanders away from the spot before and after each breath, simply return to it. Be gentle with yourself...it is normal for the mind to wander. Do not worry about perfection...just practice as you are.

Plus, I just had to post this comic strip one more time. I found it on the Tao Wow blog...which is good reading by the way.

Take Care,
Shinzen

Zazen involves the simple, but not so simple, focus of your attention to your breathing. Inhaling and exhaling, inhaling and exhaling, inhaling and exhaling. This goes on typically for a 40 minute period. What also goes on is a lot of monkey mind chatter and the mind losing focus of the breath.

One method I use to help my focus and keep my zazen practice as pure as I can is to remember that each breath is a new breath. Each one is unique. I tell myself there is life and death in each inhale and exhale, respectively.

Inhaling I breath in new life, exhaling I let go and die. I imagine that I am reincarnated with each breath...and in many ways I am. I know I am alive when I inhale, because if after an exhale, if there is no inhale, well this body has decided to relinquish my life-giving force. So, I am also thankful for each inhale...and exhale. Life and death are contained in it...they make up one breath. They make up life.

So, when you find yourself struggling upon your zafu, hopefully this tip might help you stay with your practice.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen