Zen And The Art Of Watching The Grass Grow

 Cha or Zen meditation as it is called in Japan involves concentrating on the breath, in the nose and out the mouth, and focusing on a Mantra or Kaon, either a repeated short phrase in which to focus the mental energies, or a paradoxical riddle to prove the inadequacy of logical reasoning and promote enlightenment.  The actual definition of enlightenment is fluid as is the actual understanding of Zen.  

There is an old song about, "Watching the Grass Grow", by an obscure British band from the 80's called, "Hawkwind".  The lyrics of the song are very Zen like, however the bands performance of their music isn't up to my standards, they suck.  Here are the lyrics of the first stanza:  

We are the survivors

The eternal survivors

Androgynous energies 

Traveling through time...

Zen Meditation involves focusing on the breath, and giving your mind a puzzle or question to ponder as you breath.  The combination of the breathing and the riddle can lead the meditator to an enlightened state freeing the mind from the body allowing the practitioner to separate the delusion from reality.  

The old adage about moving slow enough to watch the grass grow is itself a riddle and gives the Zen kaon purpose.  Sitting and Breathing in the nose, out the mouth, deeply and rhythmically, while pondering the Mantra, "We are the survivors, The eternal survivors, Androgynous energies, Traveling through time, while gazing about 45 degrees downwardly at the lawn with the intention of actually watching the grass grow.  Breath, repeat, and Gaze, do you see it moving?

Peace and Balance,

John

Kung Fu Master

 

Some of you may already know that I am a practitioner of Taiji Quan, (Tai Chi Chuan) and other Kung Fooey things.  After a little more that 50 years of practice I can comfortably say that I am fairly proficient.  Some might even say just a tad deadly, but I don't trust those guys.   

I have learned some important lessons about keeping the bod healthy and happy, and keeping the mind just as healthy and happy.  The first mistake is to over practice.  Physically over practicing causes excessive wear on the structure of the body.  By pushing your personal limits beyond the boundaries of your physical limitations there are three major areas that begin breaking down:

1. The muscle and tendon structure breaks down and you have sever muscle pulls and tendon tears that require extended time to heal, if at all. 

2. The joints break down.  When joints break down the knees, elbows, shoulders, ankles, neck, hips, and the hands and feet, all start to wear, and worse case scenario, eventually need to be replaced with some of our modern bionic technologies.  Remember the "Six Million Dollar Man?"  Pocket change. 

3. Finely, practicing beyond the physical boundaries of the body and ignoring certain warning signs are some of the main causes of internal damage for all athletes beyond a certain age.  This breakdown can lead to heart attacks, high blood pressure (the silent killer), the break down of other internal processes, and certain kinds of cancers.  

Then there are the psychological effects of over working your boundaries.  Martial Artists are especially prone to emotional and mental disorders when they forget that what they are practicing is intended to be a life long health or holistic health process, and that in today's world most of us aren't training to go to war and kill other people.  That is a whole different set of perimeters. Most of us will practice an entire lifetime without having to actually use the art we've so intently focused on for such a long period of time.  Many practitioners will believe anything that is said or taught to them to the point where myth becomes fact.  If not put in check, this can lead to psychosis needing  treatment from a Mental Health Practitioner.  

Of course there is the We being Human thing.  This puts us at odds with our own Ego's.  The battle of the Ego has become the stuff of Eastern Religions, and Western Psychology.  Without getting to much into a philosophical discussion over Ego, it's fairly simple.   There is the danger of believing you are better at something than you really are.  There is the danger in believing that you are the smartest person in the room.  This belief can get out of hand and leak out.  When it does you usually say the wrong things to the wrong people at the wrong time.  A good martial artist will first ignore your ignorance believing you are just going through a learning thing, a growth thing, but if you persist you are wandering into the dangerous area of being called out by someone much more competent than yourself who will be very willing to teach you the error of your ways.  Hospital bills are expensive, and can ruin a good martial career.  My advise, Never try to tell an individual with severe cauliflower ear, or obviously many time broken nose how to practice, teach, or perform his own art.  These gentlemen, and ladies should be respected if not feared.  

I've been practicing a long time.  I wake every morning reminded of some of the lessons I should have paid more attention to.  I am in constant struggle with the self.  Jacob wrestled Gabriel for the right of way along the road to Damascus and was given the gift of insight for his success and became know as Israel.  

Learn the lessons of those who've come before you, heed the warnings of those who have failed, and strive to be a better person.  If you can manage these three things, you may learn to master yourself.

Peace and Balance,

John

 

From Chan to Zen

 Cha or Chan Buddhism traveled from China to Japan somewhere in the neighborhood of 500 years before the current era (BCE).  Chan Buddhism, also called Mahayana Buddhism traveled from India to China on the shoulders of Bodidharma, student of Gautama, and eventually landed in the Temple of Hunan, the home of Shaolin.  The monks of the Small Forest. 

The Japanese transformed Chan meditation into Zen meditation by adding the practice of the Koan.  Koans are riddles that a Zen Master gives the student to focus the mind and quiet the thoughts during the meditative practice.  Chan mediation doesn't focus on a single thought as much.  In Chan Meditation it is more important to sit quietly and let the thoughts flow through the mind eventually leading to a quieting of the thoughts approaching emptiness allowing enlightenment to enter the mind.  The Koans of Zen allow the student to focus on one thought or series of thought in order to achieve a state of emptiness allowing enlightenment to enter. 

Other than the addition of a Koan and the Quiet sitting of Chan, the practices are very similar and both are versions of Mahayana as taught by Bodidharma, who the Shaolin called Tamo.  Tamo has many meanings in the various languages of China, we will stick to Venerated One.  

Emptiness is a statement that is greatly misunderstood by those who read, but don't practice.  Emptiness is not the state of being absent or empty headed.  That would be a dangerous path to follow.  Emptiness in the realm of Zen or Chan meditation is actively participating in the quieting process of the mind.  It is the intentional focusing on a small part of the mind and calling it empty.  The ability to focus on one spot at any given moment takes much concentrated effort, and when achieved lasts for moments before the concentration process must start over again.  The more practice that is put into it the longer the quiet moments.  This is where Enlightenment is hidden.  Within the quiet moments of meditation.  

What then is Enlightenment?  It is not all knowing, nor is it the tell all state of being.  However, enlightenment is different for every seeker of truth.  The word Truth and Enlightenment are interchangeable.  How we get there is purely a unique process for every individual on the path, We are all Buddha.  

Peace and Balance,

John