Reruns or New Releases

Most of us like to watch some television and go see a movie from time to time. Some shows are so good we like to watch them again, but only a few do we really want to watch over and over, otherwise they tend to get boring.

This can happen with our Kata or interest in Karate as well. Learning a new Kata is like watching a new release at the movies. It is exciting and keeps us entranced for hours on end. It is so good when it comes out in DVD you go and buy it...then watch it over and over...until at some point you get bored with it and put it on the shelf to gather dust. Our Kata practice can take the same path. We practice it over and over but eventually it seems to get boring and we just want to quit.

The real problem is not that the Kata or Karate practice is boring...it is your state of mind that is boring. It needs readjusting. Boring happens when you think you know it all or when you are not really seeing the Kata for itself each and every time you practice. You see, every time you practice, let's say Sanchin, you are actually doing a brand new Sanchin. It is different from the one you just did, but your mind is still watching a rerun from the past and saying I know this. This is not the Zen way. This is not a beginner's mind that is open and empty.

The Zen way of looking at Kata is to see each practice time as the first time...to see it as a new release each and everytime you do it. This takes effort at times to see each time you practice Sanchin as the first time. If you are bored it is your mind that has gone sour or stale. You are looking not at Sanchin, but at your feelings and thoughts about Sanchin. Your ego mind likes excitement and will create boring so you move on to something else. This is delusion. Each moment is new and fresh, just like your breath. Each breath you take is new and refreshing. How can it be any different? It is just the ego mind that gets bored with what it considers reruns.

You see there are really no reruns except in your mind. The mind that is mindful of activity moment to moment sees life as new and fresh. It sees only New Releases. This is the Zen way.

Take Care,
Shinzen