Keep your Swords Sharp!

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

Some new Mind-Swords

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