New Age, old teachings

I was quite surprised when I was over at Ling  Sisuks the other day when he asked me about Aikido or Judo and what did they teach or say along the lines of Chan. I said I never did those, but I do Kyudo. After I explained what that word was he says yes, them also. I went into it a small bit, before much  he says, please write it down, simply. I did so. He read it and replied. Hmm yea, we have this in Chinese also, but the Chinese do not speak as much about it. I want that to change! I am writing Chaung Sibak ( his elder) about this now. We have a lot of things to offer in our style but too much is spent with the forms. The students always looking for the next form. The the old days, there were no forms. you spent time working on one or two techniques and understood it in and out, mentally and physically.

Fong Sisuk was saying at my last meeting with him how the old Shifu’s never had more than  2 or 3 students. They, the student lived with the Shifu and learned many things before learning fighting. part of their training was leaning about healing and body anatomy, herbs, setting bones. It was not just come to class to learn a form or to fight.  Now they just want to get a bunch of forms and think they know Kung Fu.

Eng Shifu another time was saying, in today’s world you are not going out to fight everyday like Sigong did working as a security guard for gold shipments. What one is fighting for now is one’s health. That is the most important treasure we have to guard, other than one’s family. Training these days needs to have more health awareness, beyond doing forms and fighting. Our fighting is learning to deal with today’s society and keeping our mental and physical health. That is was we fight for now.

Ling Sisuk, was also speaking the same day I was there about how we need to stress more of the combination of the Body Mind and Spirit in our teaching and not leaning so much to just the physical. That is what will keep the student interested and understanding why they need to stand there and hold a sword for an hour in one stance not just do it,.

Three master’s, one style,  different , but the same. It is an interesting path to travel and learn. Everyday the value of Motion and Sitting Chan shows. Our training like our life needs to be multi-leveled. It’s a New Age , but the old way stil have value.

Ling Sisuk, wants me to change my morning training. 45 min Qi Gong, 45 min Tai Chi, 45 silk reeling. I should stop doing Chu Tai Chi Palm, and work on my Chen Style Tai Chi. He says at my age I need the power and it will help my blood pressure. That should be my workout, and do my Sitting Ch’an at night. Well that is not going to happen, the night only Ch’an part, I was with him up to there.  I like morning sitting. Of course to Sisuk, Kung fu / Chan is not about having fun, it is training and training is work. If Yang contains Yin, and Yin contains Yang, Softness with in hard, and Hard within soft, why can’t training be fun. It is just a mind set anyway. Just becuase you are being mindful and fully in the moment does not mean you can not enjoy the moment. It is the same moment wither you like it or not. In fact that is also Chan. Even elders’ still need to learn…
Old teaching, New Age.

Berkeley Chan Retreat 09

My Heart Chan ( Shaolin Chan) Berkeley group had our second 1 day retreat on Sunday.  There were some 25 people in attendance. Our senior brother from LA came up. He is 1 of 3 the senior students directed by our Shifu in Taiwan to represent the group here in the states.

He was my first contact with the Heart Chan Group. He opened the retreat with a talk on being like a baby again. Not Phyically of course but in our attitude towards life and others, and opening our hearts and minds. Connecting to the world, the universe via our hearts. Not to sectionlize our life like pieces of a pie but to be more like a tree where all sections, parts flow from us like branch’s. Also he spoke on how our practice , our lives are composed of three elements, Body, Mind Spirit. Does this sound familiar or what!?!  remember Sanmai-Ittai…

After that we had a 45 min meditation period. That was my first, it was not too bad. It would have been even easier if I had not been having knee pain for the last few days. However I persevered…Yosh!

After lunch was my turn, I had been asked to do a section on Motion Chan and Tai Chi. In our Meditation centers n Taiwan there are monks from Shaolin temple who teach Tai Chi and Kung Fu. Being as our Shifu is Asst. Director of Shaolin it is part of the exchange that has been worked out.  I had been thinking how to approach this for the last month, in the time given. I had 45 min now, instead of 15 min. I gave a short lecture on the nature of Chan, Motion and sitting. same coin different faces. or in another form, the Yin and Yang of meditation. We in order to be in balance in life we need to do both in order to keep the harmony of Body, Mind, Spirit, and Yin meditation and a Yang meditation. I also touched on in another form ( point of view) the earth is our body,  man is the mind, chi is the spirit. we need to treat our earth as it is our body, we are the mind of the Universe, chi is our spirit. I do not think I as as clear as I wanted to be, because I was winging it with the lecture. However everyone sad they got it…Yokatta!

Next I went to the practical part and introduced Tai Chi walk. explained the benefits, the state of mindfulness and mechanics of it. Some got it right off, others struggled with it. I had them do it in a line around the room and back to their starting point. I thought it went well.

Next up was some Tai Chi movements. The opening of Yang 24 and through to grasping birds tail. I did a demo, then had the group follow three or four times with me leading. For the most part they got it. I was surprised in that short amount of time. Afterward many said they were very please with the instruction and some who never thought of doing Tai Chi were now open to the possibility of learning it. All said they felt calmer and more relaxed afterward. Yatta, mission accomplished.

After our next break and mediation session I got to speak with JM shxiong about a few varid topics. He gave me some tips on things I could expect as I practiced Chan more. Also some warnings about doing Feng Shui or astrology readings as a job without knowing the proper way to release the negative chi, or karma I would be taking on. We spoke of Merit. TaMo ( Bodhidharma) told the Emperor his acts of buiding temples as such gave him no merit. Yet I heard talk of gaining merit to becoming a Buddha or Bodhisattva.  He explained that helping raise a soul from suffering , taking on their Karma, helping them with their karma, was a way to gain merit. Doing something from the heart purely to help another soul with their suffering. Not from building temples and the like. In the Bible it is said about a rich-man not entering in the kingdom of heaven…

There was a lot more things shared and expressed, that I will not put or try to put here. Other than one question that was put to him by another about religion and our Chan practice.

The answer given, was we use Buddhist terms to explain concepts, these could also be explained in Christian or Taoist terms. Our practice does not carry the dogma, rules, restriction, worship, formalities that a religion does. Ours is just a practice to enhance of living. One can have any faith and practice Chan, there is no conflict or competition.

Fri Fu w/Shifu…June 09

Tonight was my first class in 2 mos I thought. However a classmate said it was three, I think that was since I saw him.  I have been almost all about Kyudo lately, it was good to get back to my roots. Kyudo is great but it is still just one slice of the pie.  It has though helped me with my understanding of Chan and Motion Chan. Even though the book Zen in the Art of Archery is not the moon, it is a finger pointing to the moon. Interesting enough I have been ask to lecture on the connection of Chan and Martial Art in an upcoming Chan retreat and give a brief class on Tai Chi with the Chan principals. However for now I digress…

Anyway I was surprised to see Fong, Sisuk there again. I am also always surprised how he makes a point of greeting me, like I’m somebody. It is nice. One day I need to sit and talk Feng Shui with him. I wonder if he is also a Chan student.

Tonight he was working with those there again on the wooden man set. I got to see the full version tonight. That is so powerful and such a great training ad. So many traps, locks, even throws, take downs, kicks. It s pretty amazing to see the full array of technique covered in the set. Most differently something I need to finish and take with me to Japan for my own training. I will not need much space for it and it really works the applications.

The Tai Chi Mantis system contains many ways of fighting and ending a fight, beside the obvious punching and kicking. Fong Sisuks, speciality is grappling and seizure. He demo’s a few pressure points and applications and explained in a fight his main objective it to take the opponent to the ground and pin him. Only do as much damage as needed to control and end the fight. It is he says more of a challenge to use grappling and seizure over punches and kicks and he enjoys the challenge of raising his skill level in order to make it work.

He also spent a great deal of time explaining and pressing the point of understanding the philosophy behind a technique, that is the real key not only to our system but any system. When you have that, you do not need forms, and not to get stuck on forms because. In the moment you do not have time to think, nor will things happen as setup in form practice. The moment is alive and changing, you need to change with it. By understanding the philosophy behind the technique you can adapt to whatever input.Ths is very much what Bruce Lee book on Jeet Kun Do is about, the philosophy behind technique and combat.

After we ate Shixiong helped me with some stance corrections and fill in some blanks I had forgotten since the last time. He also gave me a couple more moves, so I am making progress. I am glad I have Sigong’s Manual on this to reference when I am on my own. It will be helpful. Nihon will be a new training ground on many levels…and I still have much to prepare…Yosh!

The missing Buddha…pt II

Sadly I believe the Ojizou-san is gone for good. How sad. I noticed there are a few stick of incense there and a couple of  misc items, pine cones, candy, some coins. I decided to add something. The Buddhist will know what it is about, but not the haters. I placed three stones balanced on top of each other. The  Zen Buddhist Symbol of Balance.

A day later I noticed there were another two stones places on top.  someone got it…

Tripping with the youngest…

With #2 son visiting I have been extra busy, good stuff though to expose him to other thoughts, ways, paths. He is getting mature now and can start to appreciate and expanded view on things. He is still argumentative, but that is his nature and it is not in a bad way, always light hearted.

Since he has been here this week, we saw Star Trek. OMG what a cool movie!! We saw it in a renovated 1930’s movie house. It was said  over 10 million bucks was spent in renovation. Wow! The movie was outstanding. #2 thought it was good, but Transformers was better. WHat!!!!??? Kid Please! That was the discussion for the next couple of days.

I also got him started with Kyudo. He seems to like it. He mostly says it is more complex than he imagined. So many small details. He seems to like it.

It is pleasing to find something we can share as Father and Son. I think it adds a different level to the relationship. Most common for the father son bond is Baseball or Football. I do not care for either. He did Martial Arts, Kung Fu and Karate for a while, but did not want to stick with it.  Maybe this will keep his interest. Along with Kyudo goes the meditation, I got him started with that as well and exposure to Zen thought. Even if things do not stick now, maybe at some point he will draw it out of the back of his mind.

Another item that he, LZ and I did was sailing. I had taught him a little of the formalities of sailing his last visit. He still remembered them  and did well while we were out. I let him handle the helm more this time.

Next time I’ll let him handle some command stuff on tacking. LZ thinks that he will pursue sailing more as he gets older. I do not want to push him in any direction , just give him the exposure to things beyond, the everyday Jock stuff as well as touching and exposure to cultural things from all his ethinic backgrounds, Japanese,  Nubien, & American. Yet be a true person of the world and not enslaved by a label.

Good things in small packages…loving day 09

There were a few friends that able to share some time in celebration of Loving Day. The few were enough to share some food, smiles, stories and energy. LZ’s food efforts drew second and third helpings and in some cases fourths. There were a couple of surprises none of which were unpleasant. The only sadness were the faces we missed, maybe next year.  I will not waste space with a lot of words instead I will just post a few pictures, which they say speak more.

Happy Loving month to all the “blended couples”.

Zen Garden…

I had lunch on the lanai today. It was partly cloudy but other wise a nice day.  I looked around at the garden’s development.

Early tomatoes are coming out. The bell peppers are also well on the way to being ready in another month or so.

I have Harvested some of the Basil already. I made some killer Pesto.  I have frozen some of that for our 4 ( I think)  guests coming this Sat. for the Loving Day Housewarming.

The Rosemary is also tall enough now to cut back to have a good supply for some Rosemary bread, yummmmm.

We have a fair supply of Green Onions that are not fully grown but we have been using some of the tops anyway. They are oiishii.

There is nothing like the taste of fresh grown organic veggies. Even just a a few is a treat. It is nice to have a patio with some sun for a change.

Our parsley and cilantro have been gracing our dishes for several weeks now. I do not have a large enough space to do it to really save a great deal money , but it helps with the garnishes, and the freshness is worth it. Plus there is that connection with the earth vibe , growing Zen thing. That makes it cool. LZ has her own plants that have been coming along. She grew hers from seeds, Most of mine have been from starter plants, but we have been taking care of them as a family. although she is not a big gardening person , because of the dirt and bugs, she has been getting in to it and is surprised to see how things really grow. eg: the Peppers and tomatoes , right from the flowers. The passing of the flowers give forth the fruit.

The changes/circle of life, one thing ends ( changes and gives forth) another begins. Winter to springs, etc. When one thinks, sees things that way, there really must be more to us than, birth, life,  death. Even in the garden when the plants die, they can be cut up and used as soil, fertilizer for the next crop. So even if we are just that, there is a purpose.  Grow, flower, fruit, nourish… Our fruit and nourishing can be multifaced, as we are interdependent.

Genjo-ji Zen/Kyudo…day 4 – Fog on the Mountain

Another day I slept well for the most part. We had another foggy morning so up the top of the mountain where the Redwoods and the Zendo are there was rain. Still a weird effect to have it in just one spot…totally weird, like Sci Fi. Walk under the trees and it is raining…

This morning’s Zazen was pretty calm and once again the rain beat on the roof. Last night must have been something special because other than the regular stuff, we had bells, horns, gongs and a Taiko drum along with some chants I had not heard before and all that was being filmed. Something was up.

This morning’s breakfast was French Toast, fruit and Oatmeal. I passed on the Oatmeal, yuk! I sat across from someone who smacks when they eat. I really find that annoying, not sure why. My own hangup I need to work out.

Work practice, we are back to weeding.  We, I believe are now taking pride in how the space looks, it is our space now after three days of cleaning. We needed to do some adjustments to the shade structure due to the high winds of the night before. So we pitched in and pulled ropes and reset things.

I got into the yard work  today, I got the good shovel again and had at it. After awhile I tried to make the Zen Rock garden water patterns, but that did not work out to well, the rocks were not small enough. I gave it a good try though. I also found a thick rake/pitchfork with no handle that may have worked, but by the time I got worked up about it, work time was over and it was time for practice. I considered going back later and giving it a try but, I let it go.

Today is the last full day of practice. On Sunday we have 1 hours of practice then there is a closing ceremony for the residents to view.

I found practice today extra special with the feel of the fog around , yet hearing the birds, watching the wind blow the reeds, trees and bamboo.

Quiet of the morning Fog

filtering through the trees

Birds breaking the silence

As the arrow flys.

I felt really connected. I even shot one bulls eye. Which was really luck because I could not do it again. However it was still very cool for that one moment!

During our break I went for a walk into the woods. I went over to the cemetery where there are shrines for the founders of the Zen center.

I had been there years before but did not know what they were.

One had very very strong vibes, the main one. I think that must have been the one for Suzuki-sama.

I received more corrections today. Don’t lean ( I’m standing on a hillside), Bring to the Bow to you, raise my elbow more, do not open all my fingers on the right hand when I  release. Still thinking to much, let your body tell you when to let go once you hit your balance spot. Twist the Tiger’s mouth when you pre-load on the Yumi. It took me a few tries with the finger not open thing, but once I found the focus I could hear the sound change when the arrow hit the target, more power went with the Ya. Towards the end of the session I could feel it coming together better, and a couple of the Onii-san also noticed and remarked om my progress.

Lunch was excellent as usual.

I had acquired somewhat of a follower. There was a young lady there as a resident studying Buddhism. She was soon to go back to Poland to be part of a Zen Center there. at the table she asked me what was my spiritual practice. I told her Shaolin Chan. I was surprised she knew what it was. She wanted to know more about it.

As I explained about using Chi in our meditation, she because more interested and had many questions. I was glad there was a mandatory quiet period during meals, so I could eat in peace, at least partial. She was satisfied when I reached a point when I said, I do not know, I have not advance that far to have all the answers. Strangely enough that pleased her.

It was hard to believe that it was already Sat and the next day it would be over. So much a difference from last year when I was counting the time to leave the oven. I was baked well done. This time my sense of connecting was great and profound whilst on the platform shooting.

Almost surreal watching the wind move the grass and wild flowers, while the birds talked to each other, in the partial fog. It was almost like a movie. Sunday is the final chapter.

Genjo-ji, Zen/Kyudo…Day 3 – Rain no Rain

I am doing way better this morning. A good nights sleep will do that. I slept most of the night except for the old man’s Loo breaks. The fog rolled in last night like a dragon through the forest and valley. Everything was in a mist this morning.

It was actually pretty cool , as in a hip way and cold as in samuii. Zazen was pleasant today because of this energy, even though chilly because of the temperature. There was what I thought so much much water in the air it was rolling off the trees like rain. hitting the Zendo roof, but there was no rain. so I thought. Because, coming up the mountain from the valley there was no rain, but once one reached the Redwoods near the top of the it was wet wet wet.

I found out there is a micro climate effect on the Mtn top under the Redwood, but in the valley it is normal. So once one reached the Redwoods, it was rain rain rain, but right at the edge of the Forest it was dry, foggy but dry. It made for some weird effects.

However interesting at the same time. It reminded me of Hawaii with rain on one side of the street and none on the other.

We did a different chant today during the meditation session. It was a chant of the Buddhist linage. I had a hard time with it. My difficulty came from it was a catchy rhythm and I was having to really work at not doing a harmony part to it. It was kind of a funky groove and I could really hear a higher harmony to the low drone. I did not think it would go over well, so I had to be cool and Ganbaru to stay with in the format.

This morning was up until lunch break a morning of silent practice. We were not to speak until the signal at lunch time.

Did I say it was cold?

Generally we eat in silence until the , hmm I’m not sure what her title is, assistant to the Roshi, gives the ok. Today it goes from the time we rise until the signal at lunch. So our work period and our practice is done in silence. Not a big deal for me. It was nice to have the quiet, we could have gone all day for all I cared.

In the afternoon, I learned to today that the two direction punch/push principal in Kung Fu and Tai Chi has it’s counter part in Kyudo in the Kai & Release. The Physic thing of every action has a equal counter action, or something like that.  SiSuk often told me when punching I have to understand it is a two direction action. The left helps the right, the right helps the left. The power comes from the left when punching right , and visa versa. When pulling the Yumi, one pushes with the left and pulls with the right. This happens not just through Kai, the full draw but afterwards , on the release as well. Yet another one of those cross over things from one art to another.

I was also scolded today by my Sanpai, not in a bad way, for saying his bow was named Big Bertha, oops sorry . It is really called Big Bear, Oki Kuma in Japanese. Gomenasai Onii-san.

“The target is a mirror of ourselves” I read this somewhere, and another Onii-san said that to me today. I asked him if he was ok. He was sitting off to himself looking very very down. He said his shots were all falling shots falling short of the target and that is how is life fells right now. He feels like giving up, his shots are giving up. He did work his way through the dropping arrows later over the next couple of days. I hope he does so with his other part of life. I was not having that issue with my shots, they were not hitting the target all the time, but that I felt was in my aim. Hmmm on the other hand, I had not been getting any calls for interviews…makes me wonder…

I forgot to take a picture of dinner that night. We had Japanese cold noodles and baked tofu.

left overs

I had a big helping of the noodles and seconds on the Tofu. all the days walking up the mountain and weeding had made me hungry. I was running late for dinner and also ran up the mountain…almost. My lateness was due to helping someone learn walking Tai Chi. I told him it would help with his grounding and balance in doing Kyudo. It is something that he could practice when the group does the walking meditation in the Zendo. He was all for that because he felt that time was like a black hole. I told him there were other things from Tai Chi and Shaolin that would help him with his Kyudo practice. He wants to become a student of mine now.

The event is just about half over. I am filled with gratitude to my Onii-sans for this gift. It has been a night and day different experience from last year. The fog cleared up in the afternoon and it turned into a beautiful yet chilly day.

I am sooooo glad I brought extra warm clothes just in case…

Genjo-ji, Zen/Kyudo 09…day 2 – Ashibumi

It took me awhile to get fully functional on Thurs morning. I had a terrible time trying to sleep. I knew that would happen so it was not a surprise and just one of those things I had to deal with. My own little personal challenge for the day. I envied those that fell asleep quickly last night…sigh

Morning Zazen was now easier than last year. I knew what to expect and having my own sitting practice everyday now for a few years I am beyond leg pain for a 30 min sitting. Here we do sitting, walking meditation, then more sitting, chanting, bowing, more chanting. It is much more formal than my Shaolin Chan lay practice, which is the Japanese way. Anyway, as much as I dislike getting up a 4:45 am, the morning stillness, and Chi is great! Hearing the roosters crow and feeling the world wake up is very cool.

After morning Zazen and breakfast there is a short break before my work practice. The assignment for most of the group is to weed the lower parking lot.

Perfect that is where we are setup and it will make the place look nice for the closing demo on Sunday. Thankfully it is not beyond hot this year. People choose what tool they want to use. My weapon of choice was a shovel over a Hoe or rake. I used Shaolin principles with it use. Understanding what I wanted to do, and the nature of how it worked. Several others were using it like digging, with lots of back and arms. they use a lot of energy and dug up a lot of dirt for nothing. I saw it as a bladed weapon rather than used for digging, I used it for cutting. Not going deep just sliding across deep enough to cut or chop off the roots, but not waste effort on getting extra dirt.

I used my foot for power when needed on the hard stuff and arms as a guide. I thought I got more results with less energy. I noticed after a while several others started using the same method. The Shaolin way is not just about fighting it is about being in Harmony with what you do and your environment.

Kyudo practice officially started today. After a talk from Don the leader, Lucy the other senior instructor did a formal opening first shot.

Afterward the group started with Makiwara shooting. We did 2 sets of three shots each.

My corrections were, I was over drawing for the Ya I was using, tilting my head and needed to raise my right elbow more. Not to bad. However the tricky part came after the corrections, was not to think to much about them. Because that was causing me to go past my “balance” point, and lose the smoothness and power of my shot. So make the correction, then let it go,  and just shoot…very Zen. Easy to say ,  hard to do.

Lunch time, vegetarian lasagna. It was a bit salty but good!! Again I keep to the Ch’an way and did not over eat.

I was a bit more than 70%  but I did not over do it. After lunch a break were I wrote some note for this blog. I was falling asleep while writing but did not dare to take a nap otherwise another sleepless night!…yosh!

PM:

Zazen was difficult tonight. I could not get into it. My back was hurting, I kept nodding off ( falling asleep), Yuk. It was a struggle, but I made it through of course.

The fog is coming in and the wind had pickedup while we were in the Zendo. It was nice listening to the wind blowing through the Redwoods. I should be able to sleep to night I thought . It was getting colder so I turned on the heater in the Yurt, big change from last year when we wanted to just pass out in the refrigerator. Now it was turn on some heat and zip up the sleeping bag! I did not even try to stay up past lights out at 9:30 I went right to bed and slept pretty well. The late night restroom breaks are a drag, as there is no restroom in the Yurt…