Almost every Zendo has a stick. Although it is mostly ceremonial, there are still plenty of old school teachers who use it. Unlike Catholic nuns, the stick is not meant to strike the fear of God or Buddha into you. The stereotypical nun, with sadistic pleasure, will make you wait and squirm before administering the wrath of God. In the Zendo, you never see it coming.
The stick in Zen is more of a rude awakening than punishment. It is not painful (when done properly). A couple of good taps and the meditating daydreamer is shocked back into the reality of moment. To keep still and present, one needs all the help they can get.
The goal is to take the practice zazen (sitting meditation) into life. This, of course is much easier said than done. As a beginning student, I had no idea how to start. Then I realized that a Zen Master lives in my home.
Peaches has lived with us for 12 ½ years. He is a Goffins Cockatoo parrot. Like most children and animals, Peaches lives purely in the moment and has no need for koans, chants, or incense. Nature has give Peaches all the tools of a good teacher, intelligence (parrots are as smart as 5 year old children) and perseverance. Peaches believes if you squawk loud enough there is no need for a stick.
Whenever I drift away, (I prefer to think of it as being deep in thought) Peaches will let out a monster squawk that instantly brings me back to the present moment. Try to avoid or humor him and he turns up the volume. He is fully present and expects you to be the same. When you are fully engaged with Peaches, he rewards you with songs and games.
It is easy to be blissful when the conditions are perfect. The true Zen Master is blissful even when things have done to hell. Getting angry at traffic jams or endless meetings is non-acceptance of a current reality. These are the opportunities to let go of wants and be with what is. SQUAWK! Got to go, time for another lesson.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
A Little Bit of Something Is Better Than A Lot of Nothing
We all know diet and exercise are essential for good health. Yet, two out of three Americans are overweight. You don't have to be Einstein to figure out that most people have problems starting or staying on their fitness program. Research exercise and you will find these common recommendations: 20-30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise for four to five days a week, 20 to 30 minutes of strength training and 10 to 15 minutes of stretching. That is more exercise than some people have done in the last decade. No wonder more than half of those new to exercise drop out after a few weeks of training.
Instead of trying to do everything, how about doing a little bit of exercising (something). You will still have plenty of time for watching a lot TV or surfing the net (nothing- at least in terms of movement). Really, start by doing less than you can. If walking is too hard; use an exercise bike. If the upright bike is uncomfortable, use the recumbent one. If it's too hard to ride at level 1, then pedal it without turning it on. If ten minutes is too much, only do five. It really doesn't matter how much you do, just that you start. For the first few weeks, leave the gym with the feeling that you could have done more.
To be successful you have to survive the first month of training. In the beginning, your subconscious will try to sabotage your efforts. You will create a million excuses for skipping workouts. Making workouts easy and enjoyable will help you get through them. When you start a program, consistency is more important than effort. After 30 days your subconscious gets into the program and becomes your ally. You actually look forward to workouts and feel guilty if you miss one.
One of the simplest exercise programs is 10,000 steps per day. All you need is a pedometer to track your steps. 10,000 steps are about 5 miles of walking, which may be unrealistic for most beginners. So instead of scrapping the whole idea and doing nothing, begin with a little bit of walking. Here is how to do it:
1. Use your pedometer to track your total number of daily steps for 3 consecutive days (most people tend to walk between 900 and 3000 in normal daily activities). Add them together and divide by 3 to get your average steps per day. For example:
950 + 1050 + 1000 = 3000/3 = 1000
2. Add 10% of your average steps to your daily walking.
1000 + 100 = 1100
For the next two to three days, walk for 1100 steps.
3. If this feels easy add another hundred steps and do that for few days.
4. If you can walk without strain or discomfort, keep adding 100 steps every day or two.
5. In two to three weeks, you will have doubled the amount of steps on your daily walk. That is great improvement.
6. By taking your time and doing just a little bit more every few days, you will ultimately reach your goal. After the first month, you will be close to 5000 steps. After two months, you will be closing in on 10,000 steps.
The journey to better health can start with just a single step. Use this moment to take that first step. Be consistent and build on it. All those little somethings will add up to a better you.
Instead of trying to do everything, how about doing a little bit of exercising (something). You will still have plenty of time for watching a lot TV or surfing the net (nothing- at least in terms of movement). Really, start by doing less than you can. If walking is too hard; use an exercise bike. If the upright bike is uncomfortable, use the recumbent one. If it's too hard to ride at level 1, then pedal it without turning it on. If ten minutes is too much, only do five. It really doesn't matter how much you do, just that you start. For the first few weeks, leave the gym with the feeling that you could have done more.
To be successful you have to survive the first month of training. In the beginning, your subconscious will try to sabotage your efforts. You will create a million excuses for skipping workouts. Making workouts easy and enjoyable will help you get through them. When you start a program, consistency is more important than effort. After 30 days your subconscious gets into the program and becomes your ally. You actually look forward to workouts and feel guilty if you miss one.
One of the simplest exercise programs is 10,000 steps per day. All you need is a pedometer to track your steps. 10,000 steps are about 5 miles of walking, which may be unrealistic for most beginners. So instead of scrapping the whole idea and doing nothing, begin with a little bit of walking. Here is how to do it:
1. Use your pedometer to track your total number of daily steps for 3 consecutive days (most people tend to walk between 900 and 3000 in normal daily activities). Add them together and divide by 3 to get your average steps per day. For example:
950 + 1050 + 1000 = 3000/3 = 1000
2. Add 10% of your average steps to your daily walking.
1000 + 100 = 1100
For the next two to three days, walk for 1100 steps.
3. If this feels easy add another hundred steps and do that for few days.
4. If you can walk without strain or discomfort, keep adding 100 steps every day or two.
5. In two to three weeks, you will have doubled the amount of steps on your daily walk. That is great improvement.
6. By taking your time and doing just a little bit more every few days, you will ultimately reach your goal. After the first month, you will be close to 5000 steps. After two months, you will be closing in on 10,000 steps.
The journey to better health can start with just a single step. Use this moment to take that first step. Be consistent and build on it. All those little somethings will add up to a better you.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
What's In the Name
Moving into the moment. This name came immediately after I decided to write a blog. It is more of words to live by than a philosophy. Each word has special significance on its own and together they offer endless possibilities.
Moving is, of course, the process of movement. Movement is important to this blog because of its value for self improvement. Moshe Feldenkrais believed movement to be the most simple and direct method of enriching ourselves. His reasons were:
1. The nervous system is occupied mainly with movement- Movement occupies the nervous system more than anything else because we cannot sense, feel, or think without a many-sided and elaborate series of actions to maintain [our self against the pull of gravity]
2. It is easier to distinguish the quality of movement- We know more clearly and certainly about the organization of the body against the pull of gravity than we do about the other components [feelings, thoughts and sensations].
3. We have a richer experience of movement- We all have more experience with movement and more capacity for it, than of feelings and thoughts.
4. The ability to move is important to self-value- A person’s physical build and his ability to move are probably more important to his self-image than anything else.
5. All muscular activity is movement- Every action [seeing, talking hearing] originates in muscular activity.
6. Movements reflect the state of the nervous system- The muscles contract as a result of an unending series of impulses from the nervous system; for this reason the muscular pattern of the upright position, facial expression and voice reflect the condition of the nervous system.
7. Movement is the basis of awareness- We know what is happening with us as soon as the muscles of our face, heart or breathing apparatus organize themselves into patterns, known to us as fear, anxiety, laughter, or any other feeling.
8. Breathing is movement- Our breathing reflects every emotional or physical effort and every disturbance.
9. Hinges of habit- [When] habit has lost its chief support, that of the muscles; [it] becomes more amenable to change.”
Edited from Moshe Feldenkrais book, Awareness Through Movement pages 33-39
Movement is integrated into everything we do. As it says on my business cards, "Improve movement, improve life".
My use of "into" is important. Into implies awareness where in does not. I could move in this moment and have no idea what am doing (particularly if I am asleep). Therefore, into is being aware of one's actions in the moment. A Zen Master knows this as "being present" and athletes refer to it as "being in the zone".
According to the Soto Zen Buddhism tradition, there are 6,400,099,180 moments in a day. I don't know how they came up with the number, but it does give you a lot of time to get things done. I prefer to think of a moment as the here and now. Our power is in the moment; it is the only time in which we can act.
Moving into the moment is the process of being aware of how you live in each instant or more simply, "what's up". It is how we improve. It is where we find joy and happiness.
Moving is, of course, the process of movement. Movement is important to this blog because of its value for self improvement. Moshe Feldenkrais believed movement to be the most simple and direct method of enriching ourselves. His reasons were:
1. The nervous system is occupied mainly with movement- Movement occupies the nervous system more than anything else because we cannot sense, feel, or think without a many-sided and elaborate series of actions to maintain [our self against the pull of gravity]
2. It is easier to distinguish the quality of movement- We know more clearly and certainly about the organization of the body against the pull of gravity than we do about the other components [feelings, thoughts and sensations].
3. We have a richer experience of movement- We all have more experience with movement and more capacity for it, than of feelings and thoughts.
4. The ability to move is important to self-value- A person’s physical build and his ability to move are probably more important to his self-image than anything else.
5. All muscular activity is movement- Every action [seeing, talking hearing] originates in muscular activity.
6. Movements reflect the state of the nervous system- The muscles contract as a result of an unending series of impulses from the nervous system; for this reason the muscular pattern of the upright position, facial expression and voice reflect the condition of the nervous system.
7. Movement is the basis of awareness- We know what is happening with us as soon as the muscles of our face, heart or breathing apparatus organize themselves into patterns, known to us as fear, anxiety, laughter, or any other feeling.
8. Breathing is movement- Our breathing reflects every emotional or physical effort and every disturbance.
9. Hinges of habit- [When] habit has lost its chief support, that of the muscles; [it] becomes more amenable to change.”
Edited from Moshe Feldenkrais book, Awareness Through Movement pages 33-39
Movement is integrated into everything we do. As it says on my business cards, "Improve movement, improve life".
My use of "into" is important. Into implies awareness where in does not. I could move in this moment and have no idea what am doing (particularly if I am asleep). Therefore, into is being aware of one's actions in the moment. A Zen Master knows this as "being present" and athletes refer to it as "being in the zone".
According to the Soto Zen Buddhism tradition, there are 6,400,099,180 moments in a day. I don't know how they came up with the number, but it does give you a lot of time to get things done. I prefer to think of a moment as the here and now. Our power is in the moment; it is the only time in which we can act.
Moving into the moment is the process of being aware of how you live in each instant or more simply, "what's up". It is how we improve. It is where we find joy and happiness.
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