A day in the life…MLK day, this and that.

I had spent way too much time in front of the computer the day before, which was Sunday. I was determined not to do that today. I needed balance even at the cost of being behind on some plans/project/works. Sometimes one has to say Moutakusan (enough). I started the day as usual 6:30am. Checked my email and then did my Zazen. I like the mornings, quiet and peaceful.

I will like it even more when it is not dark and cold when I get up.  After Zazen a light breakfast, a protein shake with banana and fresh bee pollen, oishii. From there it was some computer time. I wasted a couple of hours looking , searching on Facebook to see if there were any of my old childhood buds out there on Facebook. That was a total waste. Even relatives are not there. Well one brother is but he does not even answer me. Either he does not respond to stuff from there, or … whatever. My family is on the weird side anyway. I know I am, but in a different way , so they must be as well, because I am, but so is everyone. Is that a circular argument? I have asked a few of them about if they know of or use Skype and got no answer, not even a no, just no answer. That really bugs me. Ok fine. Did I say this before…So much for that. Anyway I digress.

After spending time on the Facebook search I turned my attention to checking on my website and blogs. I am surprised at the amount of hits I’m getting and also sites that are linked to me.  Some martial art sites, which is  to be expected, but I am also linked to some as a Buddhist site, which I found surprising since I do not list myself as a Buddhist site. I do speak of the Zen/Chan thing, ideas, but I do not say this is a Buddhist site, I guess that is not needed. People like to label stuff. Chan is not about being a Buddhist or anything. Oh wait, there is the Buddhist tag, and Buddhist images, and words, maybe because I’m using tags now on the wordpress. Ah that may explain it. The old walks like a duck, sounds…etc.I guess Buddhist & Taoist relate more to this here as well. Then there are the Unity church type Christians, who view truth as truth no matter what language God is speaking in and dogma as limiting  the God /Universal experience, I like them. I can relate, when  go to church I go to one of those. No matter, It is just me talking about my life and to me does not need a label. So it can be called whatever. A rose by any nane…

It was my intention to have this as a on-line journal so my Kids and Grand-kids who live on the other side of the world can know what, how the old man’s weird mind sort of works. Some sort of track back since I’m so out there. More so once we make the move to Japan. Something in the future that says, hey I was here and this is what I did , thought and why. Something to say, show there is another side of life, other than what the main stream or the media and their one sided limited view of things tell how one is suppose to live and think. When I was a kid one of my favorite teachers said to the class, “do not be afraid to be different”; I took that to heart and ran with it. Anyway, people get what they need out of this and speaks to the individual, which is what matters. That is a good thing, ne! It is also for interesting for me to look back and see where i’ve been and thought. If I’ve gone off my track or how far or what. One needs to adapt. Like sailing a boat you need to adjust your sails with the conditions to get where you want to go and stay in harmony with the flow.

After some time on the puter, it was time for a change. I wanted to get out and enjoy the day. I went down to the condo club-house to practice. I went through my Chen Tai Chi. That is one of my favorites. The smoothness, the peace of the flow yet the explosions of power. It feels very Yin and Yang. All Tai Chi is that way, but with Chen is is more in your face and not so subtle and internal as with the Yang and Chu style. Next up was Chu Tai Chi Sword. My only Tai Chi weapon, it needs work. Sometimes I get a good feel for it, others times…not so much. But everything is like that ne?! Somedays are cloudy some days are not. Some days you are the windshield , some days the bug.

Next on practice pallet is my favorite Mantis set, at least what I can recall of it. I am re-learning from it for Shixiong ( elder brother). When things got crazy for a while I did not get a chance to practice and forgot some of it. Now I am re-learning it and this it a little bit different from what Shifu had showed me.  His teacher showed him the Hong Kong Style, my Shifu showed me the Viet Nam Style. Overall the same, but a few little neat moves that add a little more effective flare. The set is called Lan Ji. It is one of the original 4 from Wang Long I have learned. Bum Bu, Lan Ji, and Upper and Lower Eight elbows. Lan Ji and Upper 8 elbows are my favorite. Bumbu ( Bun bo ) is the first set learned by student so it is the one I teach the most and get the most review on. That one is pretty ingrained mow.

Moving on… After some lunch and a short nap I head to the Marina. I had heard that President Elect Obama, has asked for people to volunteer in their area some type of community service in honor of MLK day. I figured since I was not part of any organized plan I would make up my own. Also since I am part of the EcoFlag group and team leader for my area I would do something on that path.

Once I arrived at the marina after hooking up the battery charger to my boat since it was in need of charging having sat so long. I then walked around the marina. When I saw trash I picked it up and put it in a receptacle. In Yoga and Buddhist thought there is a name for that kind of work. I do not recall it, something like Work Karma. Ohhh ok, now there is the Buddhist mind showing itself. I think, it would be called Charity under the Christian flag, but not really. Now that I’m thinking of it I think that Buddhist tend to have more a sense of connection to the earth and environment as part of the oneness non-duality awareness than the Christian mind does. Fundamentalist Christians see the earth and it’s other life forms as beneath them, I think. They are it’s Lords. Hmm it does say something like that in the Bible. However I believe is it more stated as we are the “caretakers”; which is different from we are the “Lords”, Hmm anyway I digress.

Anyway, the day was perfect to be out and it gave my spirit pleasure feeling like I was making a difference and giving back. Making good karma, giving good Chi to the world. Feeling like a “Shepard” or “caretaker”.

It would have been a beautiful day for a sail. The wind, which I had not felt there in weeks was just right for a peaceful afternoon on the water.

However…my boat. s/v Zen was almost sitting in mud and the tide was still falling. It was not the time to sail. If I had gotten there early in the morning I could have been out there, but I was otherwise occupied and it was not meant to be that day. Never the less I enjoyed being there at the marina, feeling that water Chi, and the warmth of the sun.  Even though I had done my Zazen practice earlier that day, I sat again on the boat and tuned into the world and felt the glory of the universe, or put another way, felt the glory of God’s abundant works. Simple pleasures can bring big joy.

One of the things I flashed on whilst there is the Energy of this week. Today was MLK day, all that he stood and died for, now to have a holiday for him.  How long and what a struggle it was to get here. Now here it was MLK day , and the day before Obama the first man of color to hold this nation’s highest office. Wow! To add to that this week was the beginning of year of the Ox a new lunar New Year. This usually happens in Feb, but this year, it is early the same week as  these other events. To my weird way of thinking this was profound.