Kumite Tips #1/Kumite Tips #2/Kumite Tips #3/Kumite Tips #4/Kumite Tips #5/Kumite Tips #6/Kumite Tips #7/Kumite Tips #8/Kumite Tips #9
The question I ask myself is, how can I become both physically strong and mentally wise?
The answer I keep coming back to is the practicing of martial arts or Budo, and some kind of zen way of meditating.
The martial arts part, through Karate, I'm working on...the zen part...well... it needs a lot of work.
First of all, there is no way in hell my 48 year old, stiff bag of bones, is ever going to come close to sitting in the traditional zazen posture
while meditating...nope...not gonna happen.
...fortunately there is still hope.
Zazen can be practiced while sitting in a chair, or cross legged, and while walking, standing, and through correct breathing...
The benefit of zazen, according to the zen Buddhists, is an attitude of mind called hishiryo: which is a state of thought without thinking, of consciousness beyond thought.
My second problem, is motivating myself for the sitting meditation...fitting it into my day would mean getting up earlier in the mornings...and of course I like to sleep until the very last minute before getting up.
Third problem is remembering to practice correct breathing
during my daily activities.
The world is filled with objects, people and environments that are constantly pulling my attention away from me, and I have to struggle to bring my awareness back...believe me it's not easy.
What makes zen a mystery, is that it's so easy to practice, yet so hard to understand.
And what's required of me is simply to continue practicing, no matter what...
There is no goal...
...but it does take a great deal of effort, and through perseverance alone, one day I hope to understand the buddha's nature...
RJF
