A Samurai Warrior's Creed

A Samurai Warrior's Creed

I have no parents--I make the heavens and earth my parents.
I have no home--I make awareness my home.
I have no life or death--I make the tides of breathing my life and death.
I have no divine power--I make honesty my divine power.
I have no means--I make understanding my means.
I have no magic secrets--I make character my magic secret.
I have no body--I make endurance my body.
I have no eyes--I make the flash of lightening my eyes.
I have no ears--I make sensibility my ears.
I have no limbs--I make promptness my limbs.
I have no strategy--I make "unshadowed by thought" my strategy.
I have no designs--I make "seizing opportunity by the forelock" my design.
I have no miracles--I make right-action my miracles.
I have no principles--I make adaptability to all circumstances my principles.
I have no tactics--I make emptiness and fullness my tactics.
I have no talents--I make ready wit my talent.
I have no friends--I make my mind my friend.
I have no enemy--I make carelessness my enemy.
I have no armor--I make benevolence and righteousness my armor.
I have no castle--I make immovable-mind my castle.
I have no sword--I make absence of self my sword.

Anonymous Samurai, fourteenth century
Found in The Book of Runes. Ralph H. Blum, St. Martin's Press, NY, 1993 


Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Sahasrara Chakra & Gi: Equanimity reigns

Sahasrara or the Crown Chakra is located just at or above the crown of the head. It is associated with enlightenment and spiritual freedom. It is about living in the here of the eternal now. It is our connection to the spiritual nature of the cosmos.

The Samurai treasured Gi. It is associated with making right decisions from equanimity. Seeing deeply into the nature of all things removed any fear of death or dying. It has also been translated as rectitude. With recititude, death has no grip. Attachment to mind and body has been dropped. Entering into the battlefield took on new life.

Becoming free from fear was a big thing for the Samurai. This seventh principle was an ideal sought after and practiced through zen and other indigenous ascetic practices, such as Shinto. Being able to operate from this source made legends of many Samurai.

Well, that's all for now about the 7 chakras and their similarities to the Samurai Bushido 7 Virtues. I will, overtime, write more on these subjects as I explore them more intimately on an energetic level rather than just an intelletual one. If any readers have insights or suggestions...let me know.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Muladhara Chakra and Chuugi

The root chakra, or Muladhara Chakra, is located at the base of the spine. Its energy is concerned with survival and groundedness...especially to mother earth. When it is out of balance there is fear. Fear, in early development, is about being part of a group or tribe. In a lot of ways, this Chakra is our Tribal Loyalty Chakra.

Take a look at Mixed Martial Arts right now. These are young men and women who are extremely tribal. Check out the tattoos, the t-shirts, caps, etc. Their concern is how they fit into the tribe...and how the tribe helps care for them. Loyalty is key in tribal survival.

The Muladhara Chakra is also the seat of an energy called Kundalini. This is a life energy that begins at this Chakra and coils its way up your spine through all the chakras. It does this through three meridians, called inga, pingala and shushumna.. If your energy gets stuck here you will tend to operate your life from fear and having to be the baddest ass on the block.  Martial Artists who get stuck here are usually young and loud-mouthed, as well as surrounded by their tribe or gang. They rule through preying on fear...and loyalty to the gang or tribe becomes paramount for survival.

One of the basic virtues of the Samurai was Loyalty or Chuugi. Loyalty to their feudal lord and clan. It was also very important for a Samurai to have this affiliation. His survival depended on it. As a Samurai you were awarded land, food and relationships. Without a lord, the Ronin, who were Samurai with no clan or tribe, had no land, food and relationships were mostly mercenary at best. They lived a lonely, meager existence. Chuugi was needed for the basics of living. Food, Shelter, Clothing.

To awaken the Kundalini that will spin your root Chakra, or throw this Shuriken safely, meditation and training in various Kiko or Qigong were practiced. As this energy rises, it allows for awakening the next in line Chakras...and provide awakening to the other virtues. Keeping this chakra spinning in a healthy manner allows for growth from blind loyalty to the tribe to other wonderful virtues.

Well, that's all for now. Any feedback or comments are greatly appreciated...even if it is to say,'this makes sense' or 'I have no idea what the hell your talking about'...'or 'can you please expand on xyz'.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Chakras, Shuriken and Samurai...oh, my.

Many martial artist's today understand the concept of Ki or Qi. It is the energy that runs through us and gives us life. We can get Qi through the air we breath, the food we eat and the water we drink. It is in all and moves through all. In Traditional Chinese Medicine the meridians are the channels that Qi flow through. Each meridian is connected to an organ and has certain qualities pertaining to our physical and emotional makeup.

The Chakras, or Wheels of Energy, run up and down our spinal column, beginning in the coccyx and ending at the top of the head.  These Chakras are energy wheels that spin and also give us life...and contain certain qualities...many of which correlate to the seven virtues of a Samurai.(Loyalty, Honesty, Integrity, etc.)  Seven Chakras. Seven Virtues.

Sometimes I think of Chakras as Shuriken spinning inside of us. Shuriken come in many shapes, but the most common thought of form is a disc. The circular Shuriken were developed from old coins, sharpened at the edges....and thrown at an opponent. Not so much as to harm him, but to distract him for a moment so the Samurai or Ninja could use their long or short swords.

Shuriken take practice time to throw properly and if not trained in throwing, you will miss your target and possibly harm yourself. Thrown properly they will defend you and keep you safe.

Same with Chakras. They need to be spun correctly. They need to be handled with care and exercised so as to spin correctly to give us the right types of energy we need...as well as provide us with the virtues the Samurai treasured.

I'll get more into tying these divergent systems together in future posts...my wife wants to get out and go for a walk. I do need the exercise....walking helps the Chakras as well...and by walking with my wife I am practicing familial loyalty. Such a Samurai, eh. (I grew up in Northern Wisconsin, eh).  Oh...this is where I need your help as well.  This might be part of my next book and am looking for feedback and questions. Thank You.

Till later,
Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Let the opponent cut your skin...

This past Tuesday, the Broken Bokken Dojo was playing in the park once again, and we primarily free-sparred with weapons. One of my Yudansha, Mariah, cut my index finger at the middle knuckle with her bokken's tip. It was a clean cut. One I admired. She understands the concept of embracing the fight and moving inside.

Her actions reminded me of an old Samurai saying, "If you intend to capture the tiger's cub, go inside its den."  This means you never back up, charging forward regardless of where your opponent's blade is and staying a fraction of an inch away from the blade itself.  For Mariah, this is very important, as she is only about 4 foot 10 inches tall and weighs less than 100 pounds.  She has to live on the inside of a fight.

She moved inside my blade and got the finger with a real nice motion resulting in a slice. The sword is a slicing tool and she did it well...I stopped for safety purposes...because as she did a nice job cutting my skin, I have learned how to let the opponent cut my skin so I can cut their flesh...it's like taking a punch to give a punch.  Once you learn how to do this fear tends to diminish...at this point the samurai would also take a cut to the flesh in order to give a cut through the marrow of the bone. (I'm not ready for that yet)

This requires determination, perserverance and practice...and courage. Most of us do not like to be cut on the skin, let alone the flesh...but take this lesson and look at from a deeper psychological and spiritual way. What lessons can we learnd from this to help us grow. Let me know what you find.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Cutting through delusion

The Samurai's sword, or Katana, is known for its razor sharp edge. With it, the Samurai were lethal warriors, able to cut through muscle and bone. The first inch or so of the blade is the most dangerous of the blade as it coming at you with the greatest momentum and reach.

The Katana is a slicing weapon....not a chopping weapon and would leave an enemy slashed open, usually at the wrist, forearms or elbows. Samurai fights did not last long. So, what does this have to do with cutting through delusion?

Your mind also has powerful weapons as sharp as Samurai's katana. (warning: advertisement...I cover this in my book: Black Belt Healing)....Without getting into too much detail, your mind-swords also have a sharp razor's edge. It is called Gratitude.

When you find yourself worried about the future or regretting the past it is time to pull out your mind-swords and start slicing with the cutting edge called Gratitude. Be thankful for where you are right now, right here, with whatever situation you are involved in. Gratitude, when swung properly, will slice and cut through the delusion of your small ego-driven self and help you see the splendor of what it 'is'. Reality as it is 'issing' will be open to you and transform your life.

Gratitude is the razor's edge of now as it is nowing...is as it issing. It cut's open and bleeds out the delusion of separateness and incompleteness. You will be able to see as if your blinders were cut away.

Give it try....be thankful for everything that is right now, whether you are comfortable or uncomfortable with it. Swing that sword...train its use...and watch this sword give you life. This is Budo, the Way of the Warrior.

Hands palm to palm,

Shinzen

Bring Out Your Dead!

Remember in Monty Python's 'Search for the Holy Grail' the scene of 'Bring out your Dead'? Damn hilarious. First time I saw it I laughed so hard my ribs ached.

The scene also reminds me of the old Zen koan of "Who is it that is dragging this corpse?" This koan has stuck in my head for decades...and cause I associate it with Monty Python I laugh when I hear it swirling in my head.

So, Who is it that is really animating us? Who is this 'I' we say moves this corpse? Who is dragging this bag of bones and flesh around?

It is well documented that the the Samurai studied Zen to examine death. They feared death like most people. There are many stories of Samurai being referred to the local Zen priest to face this subject. So, as good warriors, let's do a Death Meditation....and maybe we can find out who is behind this dragging corpse stuff.

For some, when I speak of doing a death meditation, begin to think I am morbid. There is nothing morbid about it. In fact, it is most liberating and eye-opening when approached in the proper manner. *

So give this a go...

Get yourself relaxed, either sitting in a meditative pose or slightly reclined. (You can lie down, but you could drift off to sleep.) Once you feel relaxed imagine yourself in your final moments of life...whatever age you desire...imagine a peaceful death where you have said all of your goodbyes, perhaps even written a death poem capsulizing your life or current level of liberation.

Now, feeeeeel (extra e's intentional) the feelings of letting go and of peace, especially as you see your spirit or soul or consciousness rise above your body. It is important to feel the release and to feel the love and joy of this moment as you merge into oneness with the original source of creation...

Now, anchor this feeling with a physical gesture, ie, touching your thumb and middle finger together on your right hand. Continue to feel the liberation and love as you rediscover your original self. Hold this imagery and emotionalizing for a few moments, then open your eyes and give thanks.

This meditation is to help see how 'death' is not to be feared but to be accepted as an opportunity for liberation and 'knowing' who is dragging this corpse around. Now, the key behind this is to be able to recall the feelings of liberation during your normal waking state...to feeeeel the calmness and joy of being free. This can be done by simpling squeezing your thumb and middle finger together. It should trigger the feelings you desire through the training and association. Just think Pavlov's dogs.

As you do this form of meditation your life begins to unfold in a more peaceful manner as you begin to flow and harmonize more and more with the bouyant and creative force that lives within you. Your life will begin to feel lighter and above all, more joyous. You might even see yourself and the world differently. Your problems might even seem trivial and a smile might begin to radiate from deep within. Who knows.

So, bring out your dead. Perhaps you might even find out who is dragging this corpse around.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen





*my psychological/medical disclaimer...if you are experiencing severe depression with suicidal thoughts, please refrain from this meditation and seek professional help...this blog is for educational purposes only.

Embrace the Fight!

If you have ever sparred with Samurai Swords (padded ones) you will notice that the Samurai who manages the Gap in between typically wins. One key component of this is to have a mind set of no retreat. Never, ever back up. If you back up you will be receiving the strongest part of his attack and in the case of a real sword, the sharpest and deadliest portion...the tip.

If your opponent strikes at you, enter in or move to the side while entering...but do not back up. This takes practice, but once you get the hang of it, it becomes more natural...and easier to counter any attack. You learn to embrace the fight and you love the challenge.

Moving back in fear will get you hurt....heck, it is just like life. If you retreat from life and life's challenges your life will feel burdensome and unsafe. Your self-esteem will lag and life will feel like one big bag of crap dumped on your head. I speak from experience...as a young man in my late teens and early twenties, life sort of scared me. I was clueless and just wandering directionless.

When you adopt the mindset of moving forward...giving it your all...taking on challenges with passion and fervor, your life becomes more rewarding. Good things begin to happen. You find life becoming easier and more joyful. And again, I speak from my own experience. I had gone through a tough divorce many years ago and this challenge opened my eyes to how I was retreating and not entering in and embracing the challenge.

There is an old Zen saying that you should practice Zen as if your hair is on fire. What this means to me is that you should have single-minded focus and do it with a sense of urgency...after all your hair is on fire! I encourage you to take this mindset in your Kumite or other types of sparring. Be aware of the difference. Embrace the challenges in your life outside the dojo as well. Notice where you are retreating and vow to change it. See what happens...take on the challenge. Embrace it!

In Gassho...
Shinzen

Did you ever notice?

Did you ever notice how your mind cuts like a sword? Think about it for a moment. A Samurai sword's razor edge cuts. It cuts up stuff into separate pieces, cleaving whatever it touches into two sides...or more.

Your mind does the same thing. At least a part of your mind does. When you label, judge, sort or analyze whatever you encounter you are in essence 'cutting' up your experience into pieces. Now there is nothing inherently wrong with this unless you have not trained your sword...or in this case your mind.

Have you ever been around someone who is hyper-critical? They are always judging and 'cutting' someone or something down. The only thing that comes out of their mouth is full of criticism and severe judgements. It actually hurts, emotionally and physically, to be around such negative people. They are just swinging their mind-sword and cutting up everyone and everything in its place...they are 'taking life'. Their swordsmanship is undisciplined...they have not disciplined their mind.

On the other hand, how does it feel to be around someone who is open and non-judgemental, who accepts you as you are? Feels good doesn't it? A person who uses their mind-sword judiciously and 'cuts' only when necessary is actually more fun to be with and more 'life-giving'.

This person gives off a greater sense of confidence and you just want to be around them more. Their swordsmanship is trained and disciplined.

When you keep your mind from over-cutting and seeing the world as good/bad, black/white, up/down...life is actually more pleasant. You can see the world in its greater totality and organic wholeness. You get a sense of the interconnectedness of the universe. I know I am rambling a bit, but it is very important, at least in my mind (and here comes a cut) that Martial Artist's discipline their mind-swords as much as they discipline their samurai swords.

Can you see the world without cutting it? When you do cut...is it to give life or take it? Are you even aware of how you cut? Just some thoughts for the day...I hope they don't hurt.

In Gassho,

Shinzen

Monty Python Karate

Every summer the Broken Bokken Dojo moves to the great outdoors and we have a 'Samurai Summer'. We typically work on Bokken, but this summer focused on the Bo. As I have posted before, we are a relaxed dojo and have a lot of fun. Well, for some reason, however, when I looked at my students swinging wood one evening they reminded me of the movie, Monty Python and The Search for the Holy Grail.

During the summer we tend to not wear full gi's or wrap obi's around our waists. We usually just wear gi pants and/or shorts, depending on how hot it is. To me we look like a bunch of misfits and tend to get a look of bewilderment from passerbys.

I am not sure if I should be scared or proud, but when I asked my students, most of them in their late teens and early twenties, if they ever saw the above-mentioned Monty Python movie, you should have felt the buzz of excitement. Jennie (age 17) claimed it was her most favorite movie of all time...and then Ross (17) and Jake (13) run to their gi bag and pull out two coconut halves and begin using them for the horses hoof noise like in the movie.

It took all I could to contain myself. We then had to play Monty Python...swing our swords or bo's in the air and run across the park screaming like we were being chased by the killer rabbit. Staunch traditionalists would be shaking their heads in disgust, but for us, Karate is a Monty Python adventure. Surreal and Fun. Many of my students are very artistic and creative in many ways. Somehow I attracted these fun and wonderfully colorful people that make up the Broken Bokken.

They keep this old guy feeling pretty young...and I am really proud they love the classics and live their lives 'outside the box'. This will serve them well as they progress through the ranks of Karate. I encourage thinking outside of the norm and I am proud we practiced Monty Python Karate this summer...at least for a little while.

In Gassho...
Shinzen

A Martial Lesson from Zen Master Bankei

Bankei was a Zen Master in the early 1600's. As a son of Ronin, he was also fiercely independent and challenged the overly ceremonial Zen of his time. Bankei was well known for simply telling people to trust in their innate Unborn Buddha Mind.

Today's post I am going to put in a response to a letter he received from a Martial Artist regarding the art of combat. Some of this will make total sense to you...other stuff you might be scratching your head and wondering what he is really saying. This is the stuff you are to explore.

Here's Bankei:

"In performing a movement, if you act with no-mind, the action will spring forth of itself. When your ki changes your physical form changes along with it. When you are carried away by force, that is relying on "self." To have ulterior thoughts is not in accordance with the natural.

When you act upon deliberation, you are tied to thought. The opponent can then tell the direction of your ki. If you try to steady yourself by deliberate effort, you ki becomes diffuse, and you may grow careless. When you act deliberately, your intuitive response is blocked; and if your intuitive response is blocked, how can the mirror mind appear?

When without thinking and without acting deliberately, you manifest the Unborn (my insert: Unborn can mean Emptiness) you won't have any fixed form. When you are without fixed form, no opponent will exist for you in the whole land. Not holding on to anything, there is no "you" and no "enemy." Whatever comes, you just respond, with no traces left behind.

Heaven and earth are vast, but outside mind there is nothing to seek. Become deluded, however, and instead this mind becomes your opponent. Apart from mind, there is no art of combat."


In Gassho,
Shinzen

Musashi's Fifth Ring: Ku No Maki

In his book, The Book of Five Rings, Miyamoto Musashi lays out his treatise on warfare and life. His fifth Ring, or Scroll, is entitled "Ku No Maki" or "The Book of Emptiness". Why is the important to us in Karate? Because the word Ku, or Emptiness, is also pronounced Kara, as in Karate. Kara also means Empty or Emptiness.

If you have been following my other posts you will have learned that Gichin Funakoshi, the founder of Karate, named the art, "Karate or The Empty Hand" based on the Zen saying, "Form is Emptiness, Emptiness is Form". Musashi states in his Fifth Scroll. "The meaning of ku is emptiness; that which cannot be known is ku. Of course, ku is emptiness. By knowing form, one knows emptiness. This, in short, is ku."

Ku is what ties our Zen Goshindo together when we speak of Five Rings, Three Battles, One Path. Ku (Kara) is highly valued by Musashi, Funakoshi and Zen traditions. As I wrote earlier Ku is difficult to grasp conceptually, but it does not mean you can't understand it. I encourage you to read my earlier posts again.

Musashi speaks of ku as very important to a martial artist, or bushi. "For a bushi, knowing the path of Military Science with certainty, acquiring skill in the other martial arts, understanding clearly the road to be followed by the bushi, having no illusions in your heart, honing your wisdom and willpower, sharpening your intuitive sense and your powers of observation day and night; when the clouds of illusion have cleared away, this is to be understood as the true ku."

He also, like my Zen teacher would say, "Make your mind like the sky. Let the clouds come and go. Just watch and your illusions will vanish." This is also key to any martial artist, whether they practice Karate, Aikido or Kempo. Musashi also goes on to say, "...with a straighforward spirit as your foundation, and an honest heart as your path, practice your martial art broadly. It is important to judge life clearly and correctly. Make ku your path, and your path as ku. In ku there is good, and there is no evil. When there is wisdom, reason and the Way, there is ku."

Within our Karate, Swordsmanship and Zen practice is the opportunity to experience ku. It is not some other worldly concept, but the simple practice of being mindful of what you do. Form (what you do) is ku. Ku is form. Just watch. Just do.

Hands palm to palm,

Shinzen