Planting your garden

Today is the day I am planting my garden. As I was eating breakfast and sipping on my cup of coffee my mind  wandered into the mind as garden story we so often hear about.  Our mind is a garden. Did you know there is always something growing in it?

Yesterday, I tilled the soil and broke new sod as I expanded my garden as well. Over night, I am sure whatever seeds of weeds, old plants, flowers reside in that soil  the wonderful process of creation is taking shape.

The same with our mind. It is the soil of consciousness and there are many seeds planted in it, consciously and unconsciouly. All of these seeds are just waiting for the right conditions to sprout and grow. While enjoying the  aroma of my coffee, I began to notice the seeds I was planting into my mind and wondering what type of plants will sprout from this....well what you are reading is part of it.

Mindfulness of our thoughts, our mind-seeds, is paramount in having a good garden. After all, what do you want to grow in your garden? I am planting, tomatoes, beans, peas, corn, lettuse, etc. in my backyard garden. I hope they mature into a full harvest of wonderful food I can share with my family and neighbors.

In my mind-garden, I wish to plant seeds of compassion, patience, love, blessings, etc...and hope they too grow and can feed my family and share with my neighbors. It is important to know exactly what you are planting. Pay attention to it.

I am hoping my expanded garden will expand my mind-garden as welll....well maybe if I planted a certain type of mushroom. (lol shhh..don't tell.)  Actually just working in the garden expands my mind and my heart. It feels good to be close to the earth, even though my hands hurt and there is a lot of work ahead.

As I am a conscious co-creator of my garden I also wish to be a conscious co-creator of the universe. How about you?

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Gardening is Budo

Karate, as you know, originated in Okinawa and spread to Japan. Both countries noted for their farms and beautiful gardens. We can learn a lot from gardening just like we can from Budo, or the Martial Way.

In fact, there is an old saying on how Farming is Budo. Many of the old karate-ka were farmers and knew the earth well. I don't have a farm, but I do like to garden. This time of year I miss being out in the dirt, pulling weeds, watering and, yes, I even talk to my vegetables. Once, I swore a tomato talked to me...but that was back in the 70's.

Well, to stay on track. Gardening is Budo. It is about discovery, calming the spirit and seeing directly into our true nature. Our mind is like a garden. Stuff grows in it...even when we aren't trying. If you just dug up the earth and left it, in a few days the grass and weeds will begin to grow. When you plant vegetables or flowers, they begin to grow.

No matter what, stuff grows in your garden. Just like your mind. Whether you pay attention to it or not, stuff grows. Thoughts are always growing in the mind. Some are intentional, some are just random. Some are vegetables and flowers...some are weeds. Regardless, your mind is always growing thoughts....and just like a real garden it needs to be tended.

As I mentioned earlier, an untended garden grows weeds and grass. An untended mind grows suffering, delusion, ignorance and anger. Tend your garden by pulling the weeds and your vegetables will grow strong and tall. Tend your mind by pulling the suffering at its root and your bliss will grow. It is a matter of taking care of your garden and your mind.

For myself, tending the mind is accomplished via Zazen and mindfulness of everyday activity. Just being here. Zazen is the weeding of the garden of my mind so my vegies (bliss, happiness, compassion) can grow and give me food and life. Yes, we can learn a lot from gardening. In many ways, Gardening is Budo. I miss my garden...It's there, just waiting till the snow melts and the ground thaws.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Farming and Budo

Farming and Budo go hand in hand. From the gardens of Shaolin to the rice fields of Okinawa and Japan, farming has been intricately linked to Budo. Many of the early Budo-ka were Farmers...hence the classical Okinawan weapons of Kama, Sai, Bo and Tonfa. These are farm tools transformed into tools of self-defense.

I am not a farmer, but I do have a garden. There is nothing like going and playing in the dirt...and it's amazing how the neighborhood kids (ages 2-13) love to come and watch the garden and tour the garden as it grows. They also like to tour by picking peas, beans and an occasional cherry tomato. This is as close to farming as I am going to get, besides marrying a farmer's daughter (yep, I did).

Farming and Budo have a lot in common. In farming the soil needs tilling and preparation before the seeds can be planted. In the dojo this is our learning of the exercises and kihon waza to prepare our mind and body for the rigors that lie ahead. Without preparing the soil properly, the seeds will have difficulty growing once planted. The same goes for Budo. Without a proper foundation of physical conditioning, the seeds from Kata, Kumite, Meditation will have difficulty sprouting.

Yes, the planting of the seeds must also be done correctly. Not too close...not too far. Kata or Waza must be taught...not too fast, not too slow.

Then comes the watering and the praying for adequate sunshine and rainfall. In Budo, this is the encouragement to continue. The comraderie we feel from being with others who love the way of the warrior. Then we practice and wait as we grow.

Weeding is also necessary or the plants can get choked out and hinder their growth. This is when Sensei corrects your form or technique...or tells you to be quiet or pay attention when you are goofing off too much. Weeding is very important or the plants will not grow tall and strong. This is especially crucial when the plant flowers and is getting ready to produce their fruit.

And, then comes the harvesting. The plant is in full bloom and the cucumbers, zuchinni, tomatoes, peas and beans all arrive for the enjoyment of the gardener (and the neighborhood kids) For the Budoka this is the culmination of your training when you become free from the mother plant and begin to produce your own 'seeds'. You become the teacher...the Sensei.

I love gardening.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen