The Dojo

Importance

“Importance is not measured by time, and change is a symptom of the presence of life.”

The morning glory blooms for an hour,
Yet it differs not at heart
From the giant pine which lives a thousand years.

From: “Become What You Are” by Alan Watts

Haiku

Who just discovered the words are not important “relaxed concentration is ...

Going With The Flow

“Be soft in your practice. Think of the method as a fine silvery stream, not a raging waterfall. Follow the stream, have faith in its course ... Just follow it. Never let it out of your sight. It will take you.” — Sheng-yen

The Ant and Grasshopper: An Aesop Fable

The Ants and the Grasshopper (Version One)
The Ants were spending a fine winter’s day drying grain collected in the summertime. A Grasshopper, perishing with famine, passed by and earnestly begged for a little food. The Ants inquired of him, “Why did you not treasure up food during the summer?” He replied, “I had not leisure enough. I passed the days in singing.” They then said in derision: “If you were foolish enough to sing all the summer, you must dance supperless to bed in the winter.”

Translation: George Fyler Townsend

The Ant and the Grasshopper (Version Two)
In a field one summer’s day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to its heart’s content. An Ant passed by, bearing along with great toil an ear of corn he was taking to the nest.

“Why not come and chat with me,” said the Grasshopper, “instead of toiling and moiling in that way?”

“I am helping to lay up food for the winter,” said the Ant, “and recommend you to do the same.”

“Why bother about winter?” said the Grasshopper; we have got plenty of food at present.” But the Ant went on its way and continued its toil. When the winter came the Grasshopper had no food and found itself dying of hunger, while it saw the ants distributing every day corn and grain from the stores they had collected in the summer. Then the Grasshopper knew:

It is best to prepare for the days of necessity.

Translated by: Joseph Jacobs

King Solomon also had something to say on the subject — Book of Proverbs 6:6-9:

“Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, which having no captain, overseer or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest. How long will you slumber, O sluggard!”

What I find interesting is that this is aimed at people who didn’t want to work diligently; but in our current financial debacle people could be hard workers and still drown from excessive spending. I guess the difference between then and now is that back then it wasn’t easy to get credit.

Things To Think About

Admiring the eddyline between nitty-gritty practicality and poetic ecstasy.‘Context ‘is essential in communicating with people. ‘Texture’ is essential in letting the garden communicate with you. Just reconnected with a cherished friend from the past via Facebook after 25 years. What a wonderful feeling! Regarding learning: Without the Teacher you have nothing; without the Teacher you have everything. Chi Kung helps you regain youthful energy: now that you’re old enough to appreciate it. A warrior can wield a ‘weapon’ not to fight with others, but to repel ignorance and arrogance in oneself. Reflecting on what my friend said: “The purpose of life is to feel fulfilled.” Tai Chi - a form - of self-organization. Recessions point us back to the basics: Start with your ‘stance.’ The samurai used to say: “If you don’t practice regularly, then don’t face the enemy.” But what if Pogo was right when he said: “We have met the enemy, and he is us.”? “We will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.” Barack Obama

A Chi Kung Experience

Begin to experience the pleasure and benefits of Chi Kung right now ...

Bring Your Awareness Into Your Body ...
Take your hands off the keyboard ... let them rest comfortably in your lap or hang loosely at your sides ... sit up straight in your chair with your feet on the floor ... relax your shoulders and neck ... feel your spine lengthen then slowly and gently twist your upper body from side to side ... three, four, or five times ...

Life Cycle of a Martial Artist

A white belt / years of sweat and grit / becomes black ... A black belt / years of sweat and grit / white again

Tips for Female Travelers

And although the awarenesses and techniques described in Tips for female travelers will enable you to ‘enter in’ and ‘blend’ with whatever you’re doing, if one needed to ‘redirect’ a threatening situation into a safe one ... basic self-defense ‘skills’ come into play.

Considering this, my suggestion is to take a basic self-defense course so your ‘body’ and ‘mind’ know what to do if the need arises.

Banking on Trust

Banks used to be known as ‘Trust’ companies, and then we had to create ‘anti-Trust’ laws to constrain their rapacious behavior. It’s time to get very clear about the difference between trust and corruption.

Military Doctors Embrace Acupuncture

The U.S military is using acupuncture for combat emergency care in Iraq and Afghanistan. >> Read the full article.