Mel, I practiced Tai Chi for many years. I still do once in a while, but not on any regular basis. I adopted it as a way to bring my zazen 'up off the cushion' and into movement. It served me well for doing that.
Good luck with it...Bill! --- In [email protected], Mel <gunnar19632000@...> wrote: > > I started Taichi last night. Karate was my first love and will always be, > but it has become too destructive for me over the years. However, I have been > fortunate not to have suffered the sort of horrid injuries that I have > witnessed from others over the years > > Anyway, I went there. Despite the difference in martial style, my head was > pretty clear. I was tired but it was amazing that my head was well and clear > throughout the entire period. I saw everything, and I didn't miss a thing. > What has this to do with Zen? Well, it's all about the experience. As I said, > tired as I was after a day's work..well..my head was pretty clear. I > constantly repeated the same basic movements and listened to all the > instructions..... > > (especially with the so-called flow...as opposed to the hard and explosive > movements of the Shotokan school of Karate) > > ....and I was not bored at all > > (Shunryu)Suzuki-sensei spoke of doing everything in such a manner of if > burning oneself to ashes. The mind-heart is concentrated for one purpose. > There were no other thoughts lingering about as if shadows. When there are > such shadows, then the mind-heart has lost its purity. At work and other > places, they usually refer to this rubbish as..well...multi-tasking..hmmmm.... > > Deshimaru-sensei had also mentioned something similar about doing things in > such a way as if your hair is on fire. No shadows...no lingering thoughts. > Purity in thought..this moment..and the next...and the next...and so on... > > Ladies and gents, NO concepts here as you can see. It's all about experience > of daily life. No mention of.... > - noble virtues(or something like that) > - the endless cycle of karma > - special Buddhist terms such as Vipassana, Theravada...and so on > > ...and so on. No mysteries, no secrets..and nothing overwhelming at all. In > fact, just daily life. Wasn't that exactly which interested the old fella > back then? I also yet have to find historical/archaelogical proof that he... > - wished for his words/teachings to be recorded by scribes in some special > temple/place of worship somewhere > - taught special rituals, or ceremonies that makes one officially a Buddhist > > I bought a second-hand copy of a book calledTHE BUDDHA AND HIS TEACHINGS > earlier this evening. Judging from what I had seen of the work so far, it > seemed to be quite a huge body of knowledge to acquire. So, how do I handle > this? Simple...I just read the material. I'm not going to be tested on it by > some temple representative, or similar. I'll sink into my whole being what I > can, but the important thing is not scripture. Life's experiences. That's > what counts > > Buddha be praised > Mel > ------------------------------------ Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! Talk about it today!Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
