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See Japanese Translation Below.
WE ARE THE RED SKY AT DAWN, AWAKENING TO A NEW DAY
AFTER YOU HAVE VIEWED THE PAINTING AND LISTENED TO
THE POEM MEDITATION AND TRANSITIONED FROM THE
EVERYDAY TO THE SPIRITUAL MINDSET, WE CAN START THE
LESSON IN A RECEPTIVE MOOD.
OBSERVE THE WOMEN; THEY ARE READY FOR A SEQUENCE OF
MOVEMENTS WE SHALL STUDY IN GREAT DETAIL
THIS IS LESSON 1 BASIC MOVEMENTS/ PLANTING THE SELF IN THE
EARTH
THESE STUDENTS, LOREN ON THE RIGHT, CHRISTINA ON THE
LEFT, ARE HERE TO AWAKEN THEIR INNER ENERGY, REFINE, REALIGN, AND ADJUST BODY AND MIND FOR ANY ACTION.
HANDS PRESSED LIGHTLY TOGETHER IS THE SET POSITION
THEY WILL RETURN TO OVER AND OVER AGAIN. IT IS RELAXED
YET PURPOSEFUL AS YOU CAN SEE IN THEIR FACIAL EXPRESSIONS.
NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES THIS SEQUENCE OF MOVEMENTS IS
DONE, EACH TIME IS A NEW BEGINNING.
WE LEARN BY DOING.
LOWER YOUR HANDS TO POSITION 2. : AT YOUR SIDES, IN FRONT,
AND CUPPED UPWARD.
NOW YOU ARE DIRECTING YOUR HANDS, BUT AT THE END OF THIS
LESSON, THE ACCOMPLISHMENT WILL BE THAT YOUR HANDS WILL
GUIDE YOUR BODY WITHOUT MENTAL ATTENTION.
IN POSITION 3, HANDS ARE TURNED OVER AND ELBOWS ARE
DRAWN BACK.
FROM THE REAR VIEW, NOTICE HOW WIDE APART THE FEET ARE
SPREAD. LOREN STARTS BENT FORWARD, HER ELBOWS TIGHT.
CHRISTINA IS A STEP AHEAD OF HER.
YOUR NEXT MOVE IS TO BRING ELBOWS UP AND STRAIGHTEN
THE BACK.
LOOK AT THE WOMEN FROM THE SIDE. THEY ARE IN PERFECT
SYNCH. THE SMALL OF THE BACK IS ARCHED--THE BUTT PRESSED
BACK--HANDS READY TO MOVE FORWARD ACROSS A DRAWN IN
BELLY.
LOREN'S KNEES ARE BENT MORE THAN CHRISTINA'S, WHICH
IS PROPER BEFORE THE HANDS TURN OVER AND COME FORWARD.
AS THE HANDS MOVE, THE EXAGGERATED ARCH OF THE SPINE
DIMINISHES ENOUGH TO BRING THE BUTT EVEN WITH THE
ELBOWS. --HANDS COMING FORWARD, THEREFORE CONTROL THE
POSTURE.
IN THE NEXT FRAME, ELBOWS AND HANDS HAVE COME FORWARD.
(WE SHALL WATCH THE TURNING OF THE HANDS IN A MOMENT.)
AS THE HANDS ARE RAISED, THE MIDDLE BACK CREASES-BECAUSE YOUR SHOULDERS ARE DRAWING THE NECK BACK EVEN
THOUGH THE PELVIC TILT REMAINS FORWARD. THE ADVANTAGE
OF THIS WILL BECOME CLEARER.
BUT LET'S TAKE A FRONTAL VIEW… AS THE HANDS COME
FORWARD THE BELLY SHOULD BE PUSHED OUT AND ALLOWED TO
DRIFT DOWNWARD/ AS IF HANDS PUSHED FROM WITHIN.
THE WOMEN ARE RETURNING TO THE SET POSITION--THIS
TIME IN A TOTALLY CHANGED MODE DUE TO THE STRETCHING OF
THE BACK AND ROTATING PELVIS.
BEFORE JOINING HANDS, CHRISTINA EXTENDS HER FINGERS.
LOREN IS IN THE PROCESS OF DOING SO. NOTE HOW THE THUMB
EXTENDS AWAY FROM THE OTHER FINGERS. THIS IS A VIGOROUS
STRETCHING OUT OF THE HAND, ONE FILLED WITH THE FORCE OF
THE STRETCHED POSTURE.
DURING THE FINGER EXTENSION, SHOULDERS, WHICH WERE
BACK, ROUND DOWNWARD, PRESSING THE CHEST DOWN. RED
ARROWS DIRECT THE ACTION. THE HEAD DOES NOT TILT, AND
THE CHIN IS LEVEL AND JUTTING FORWARD.
WE ARE GOING TO REPEAT THE BASIC MOVEMENT, STARTING
FROM THE REAR P O V.
ONCE WE SHIFT TO THE SIDE VIEW, THE WAY THE HANDS
TURN OVER IS SEEN CLEARLY.
IN REAL TIME, THE BELLY PROTRUDES TO STABILIZE THE SET
POSITION. THE CENTER OF THE POSTURE IS IN THE BELLY.
COPYING THE women WITH YOUR MIND BEGS THE QUESTION:
CAN YOUR HANDS ALONE DICTATE ACTION. TO ANSWER REPEAT
LESSON 1 BY BRINGING ELBOWS BACK AND TURNING HANDS OVER.
SET
DROP HANDS.
OPEN HANDS WITH BACK ARCHING
TURN HANDS OVER, BRING FORWARD, STRAIGHTEN SPINE
PUSH OUT HANDS AND BELLY
PRESS DOWN SHOULDERS
NOW, HAVE SOMEONE TRY TO PUSH YOU OFF BALANCE.
IT CANNOT BE DONE.
*****
我々は、新しい日に目覚める、赤い暁の空である。
絵を眺め、詩の黙想録（？）を聴き終え、日常的な思考から精神的な思考
に切り替わったところで、レッスンに向かう心得の準備が整います。
彼女たちを観察してください。これから、彼女たちの動作を密に勉強して
いきます。
これからレッスン１です。基本的動作、地に自分を「植える」動きを学び
ます。
右の女性がローレン、左の女性がクリスティーナです。彼女たちは、自ら
の内的エネルギーを目覚めさせ、 どんな動作にも対応出来るよう、自らの身体
と精神を精製します。
掌を軽く合わせる動作、このポーズに何度も戻ります。彼女たちの表情か
ら分かるように、このポーズは安定性があると同時に意図をも持ちます。何度も
このポーズに戻りますが、ポーズを取る度に新しい心得になります。
自ら動作を取りつつ学びます。
手をポーズ２に下げてください。手は軽く丸め掌を上に向け、身体の横斜め前に
。
現時点では自ら手を指導していますが、レッスンの終盤では、無意識に手が身体
を導くようになります。
ポーズ３では、掌を下に向け、肘を引きます。
後ろから伺うと、足が開かれているのが分かります。ローレンは前屈みのポーズ
になり、肘を引いています。クリスティーナは一歩先のポーズです。
次は、肘を上げ、背中を真っすぐにします。
彼女たちを横から見てみます。お互い同じタイミングで動いています。背中は反
れ、お尻は後ろに引かれ、手はしっかりと吸い込まれたお腹の前を移動する前の
ポーズです。
手を返し、その手を前に差し出す準備をしているため、ローレンの膝はク
リスティーナの膝より深く曲がっています。手を移動し始めると背中の反りが緩
み、お尻が肘と平行になります。このように、手の動きが身体の姿勢を操作して
います。
次のシーンでは、肘と手が身体の前に移動し終えています。
（手を返す動きは次に観察します）
手を上げることによって、背中の中心に皺がよります。これは、腰が突き
出された状態のまま、肩が首を後ろに引いているためです。なぜこれが利点なの
かは後に分かります。
さて、前から見てみましょう。手が前に差し出される際、お腹は前に突き出され
、まるで中から手で押されているかのように、下がってゆきます。
彼女たちは最初のポーズに戻ります。ただし、背中が伸びていることと腰
が回転しているため、前回とは違った状態になります。
クリスティーナは手を合わせる前に、指を伸ばしています。ローレンも同じ動作
を開始しています。親指は、他の指から離れるように伸ばします。これは、伸び
のポーズから生まれる力を使った、力強い手の伸びです。
指を伸ばしている間、肩が丸まり、胸を下に押します。赤い矢印が動作の
方向を示しています。頭は傾かず、顎は平行に前に出ます。
さて、同じ動作を今度は後ろから観察します。
そして、横からの視点に切り替わると、手の返りがはっきりと見えるようになり
ます。
お腹が押し出されることによって、ポーズが安定します。お腹が姿勢の中心にな
ります。
彼女たちの真似をする際、手のみが動作を操作しているのか、と疑問に思うかも
知れません。答えは、レッスン１を繰り返し、探ります。肘を引き、手を返しま
す。
手を降ろします。
背中を反り、手を開きます。
手を返し、前に持って行き、背筋を伸ばします。
手とお腹を押し出します。
肩を降ろします。
さあ、バランスを崩すよう、誰かに押してもらいます。
バランスが崩れることはありません。
*****
LET YOUR MIND DWELL ON THE CELLULAR NECKLACE.
LESSON 2 IS STRUCTURAL INTEGRATION ADJUSTING TO GRAVITY
ONCE STEADY AS A ROCK, ROOTED LIKE A TREE, MORE MIND-BODY
INTEGRATIONS ARE NEEDED TO BEND LIKE A WILLOW IN ANY
DIRECTION, MOVING QUICKLY AND GRACEFULLY, FROM A FIXED
POSITION. RETURN TO THE SET POSITION/ADJUSTING YOURSELF
WHILE OBSERVING CHRISTINA. MAKE SURE TO SPREAD YOUR FEET
AND BEND THE KNEES. GET A FEELING, A FIX ON THE POINT IN THE
LOWER BACK WHERE THEARROW POINTS, ADJUST AT THE SPOT
THAT IS THE CENTER OF THE CURVATURE IN THE SPINE. DRAW
ELBOWS BACK. IN THIS MANNER YOU ARE COILING LIKE A SNAKE
READY TO STRIKE, READY TO JUMP OUT OF YOUR SKIN. PLEASE
DO NOT STAND FLAT-FOOTED. TAKE THE WEIGHT OFF THE SOLES
OF YOUR FEET BY INDENTING YOUR ARCHES, CURVING THEM LIKE
THE BACK. CURL YOUR TOES IN AND PLACE THE BACK OF THE HEEL
SQUARELY ON THE GROUND.
LIFT YOUR HEAD SO YOU ARE NOT LOOKING AT YOUR FEET.
LEVEL YOUR FOREHEAD WHILE ENVISIONING A LINE FROM THE
CENTER POINT BETWEEN YOUR FEET, UP THROUGH YOUR
TAILBONE, THROUGH THE SPINE, AND OUT THE TOP OF THE HEAD,
STRETCHING INTO THE SKY. TRUST YOUR HANDS MOVING BACK
AND FORTH AS YOU RAISE YOUR BODY AND ROTATE ONTO A
PELVIC PLATFORM TO GENERATE THE LINE UPWARD.
AS THE BELLY COMES OUT AND DROPS, THE LUNGS WILL FALL
INTO THE WIDER AREA OF THE RIBCAGE AND WILL EXPAND MORE,
ALLOWING YOU TO INHALE DEEPLY THEN EXHALE FOR MANY
SECONDS.
THE SIDE VIEW OF YOUR ALIGNMENT SHOWS THAT THE BELLY
IS FULLY EXTENDED 3/4 OF THE WAY THROUGH THE EXHALE.
INHALING BEGINS IN THE SET POSITION. AND ALL ACTION
FORWARD TAKES PLACE ON THE EXHALE. THIS MEANS THE
BREATH IS EXPELLED SLOWLY.
WHAT HAVE YOU ACCOMPLISHED WITH THIS SHORT MANEUVER?
YOU SHOULD FEEL LIGHTER, IN TUNE WITH GRAVITY. IF YOU JUMP
FROM THE COILED SNAKE POSITION, YOU WILL PROVE THIS TO
YOURSELF. MOST IMPORTANTLY, WITHOUT STRENUOUS ACTION
YOU HAVETAKEN CONTROL OF YOUR STANCE, AND IT IS ONE THAT
ALLOWS YOU TO MOVE WITH GRAVITY FROM THE CORE BODY, NEITHER
TOP NOR BOTTOM HEAVY. POTENTIAL ENERGY QUICKLY TURNS
INTO KINETIC.
_________
THE ARTIST SHOWS THAT EVEN THE SKY IS BREATHING. NOTHING
IS STILL.
HOW HIGH YOU JUMP
HOW QUICK YOU STRIKE
HOW YOUR CARDIO-VASCULAR SYSTEM FUNCTIONS, DEPENDS ON
HOW WELL YOU CONTROL YOUR BREATHING. MUSCLES DEPEND
ON A BALANCE OF OXYGEN AND CO2. LESSON 3 DESCRIBES HOW
EXPANDING YOUR BREATH FREES THE MIND OF TENSION AND
EVEN FEAR. BY LOOKING AT THE WOMEN YOU REALIZE THIS
TEACHING IS DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED TO THE WESTERN IDEAL
OF THE MILITARY POSTURE. AND YET, IT IS THE BASIS OF ALL EAST
ASIAN MARTIAL ARTS. {THE REASON WHY HAS TO DO WITH THE
WAY SMALL HORSES ARE RIDDEN; A LINK FORM ANCIENT HORSE
CULTURES}
ACCORDING TO MY TEACHER'S FAMOUS ESSAY, (SEE IT
BELOW) THIS BASIS OF THE MARTIAL ARTS IS THE SAME
TECHNIQUE AS USED IN ZAZEN, THE TRADITIONAL SITTING
MEDITATION.
FOR THIS TO BE TRUE, WE MUST CONCENTRATE ON BREATHING
FROM THE EXPANDED BELLY.
COME TO THE SET POSTION
RESET YOUR BODY BY FOLLOWING THE WOMEN AS YOU DID
BEFORE.
REMEMBER TO SPREAD YOUR LEGS SO THAT FEET ARE AT LEAST
EVEN WITH THE SHOULDERS.TURN YOUR ATTENTION TO THE WAY
THE HANDS WORK THE BELLY'S POSITION. HANDS CONTROL THE
MOTION OF THE MUSCULATURE 3 FINGERS BELOW THE BELLY
BUTTON, THE SPOT CALLED THE TANDEN.
IN THIS FRAME CHRISTINA IS AT THE MIDDLE OF AN 18 SECOND
EXHALE, HER MOUTH IS IN A WIDE RATHER THAN PURSED LIP
POSITION. HER HANDS ARE READY TO COME FORWARD AND THE
INTENSITY OF EFFORT IS OBVIOUS FROM HER FACIAL EXPRESSION.
FROM THE SIDE VIEW, LOREN HAS INDENTED HER BACK TO FORCE
HER BELLY INTO A CONCAVE SHAPE.
AS THE WOMEN STRAIGHTEN UP (ABOUT 15 SECONDS INTO THEIR
EXHALE) THEIR BELLIES DROP DOWN FOR THE SHIFTED,
RESHAPED SET POSITION.
WHEN YOU MOVE INTO A SECOND ROUND FROM THE
DROPPED STOMACH SET POSITION, YOUR INHALE SHOULD BE
DEEPER THAN BEFORE.
TO REVIEW AND PRACTICE, USE SHORT QUICK BREATHS AND
SLIDE YOUR HANDS BACK AND FORTH, SHIFTING YOUR PELVIS
WITH THEM. BEND FORWARD. BECOME MORE AWARE OF HOW
YOUR BELLY GOES IN AND OUT.
RETURN TO THE DROPPED BELLY, INHALE, AND NOTE THAT
LOREN'S LIPS ARE PARTED SLIGHTLY TO YIELD A SLOW YET
FORCEFUL EXHALE. HEAD IS UP, CHIN FORWARD.
CHRISTINA IS READY TO DO THE MOST CRITICAL PART OF CORRECT
BREATHING.
MOST TEACHERS, AWARE THAT THIS IS THE HARD PART, DO
NOT REVEAL THE EXERCISE OF ROLLING THE OUTER STOMACH
MUSCLES DOWN AND OVER THE INNER ONES. FOLLOW THE
RED ARROW AND NOTE THE SUBTLE MOVEMENT OF LOREN'S
UPPER BELLY.
IF YOU LEAN BACK MORE FROM THE SHOULDERS YOU LIFT
THIS RIDGE OF MUSCLE.
NEXT, COME FORWARD, HANDS GUIDING THE BELLY OUT AND
THEN ROUND THE SHOULDERS AND PRESS DOWN, KEEP
EXHALING UNTIL YOU FEEL AN OVERLAYING OF THE
MUSCULATURE ABOVE THE BELLY BUTTON. DON'T TRY THIS
TOO SOON AFTER EATING.
WATCH THE WOMEN'S BELLIES CLOSELY. THE EXTENSION
OF THE MUSCLES IS A RESULT OF LINKING THE EXHALE TO
THE FULLEST EXPANSION OF THE BELLY. THE INCREASE IN
THE CONCAVE SHAPE IS ALSO GUIDED BY THE PELVIC
ROTATION FORWARD.
PRACTICE UNTIL YOU FEEL WHAT IS SHOWN.
"WHY BOTHER?" YOU ASK.
THIS MOVEMENT COMPLETELY STOPS THE MIND'S CHATTER,
GIVING YOU THE PEACE TO ENTER INTO LESSON4.
***
IMAGINE ALL THE JOINTS MOVING LIKE THE BALLS IN THE
PAINTING. FLEX AND LOOSEN UP WITH YOUR MIND BEFORE
MOVING TO LESSON 4, THE RULE OF WATER/ OR FLUID
MOTION.
ODDLY ENOUGH, TO BECOME FLUID REQUIRES ONE TO
UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF OUR INNER AND OUTER FIXED
SHAPE IN A NEW WAY.
WE BEGIN BY TAKING ANOTHER LOOK AT OUR NORMAL SELF.
LOREN IS STANDING THE WAY SHE NORMALLY DOES BEFORE
EXERCISING.
WE SHALL ENHANCE HER THINKING BY PLACING A RED X
ALONG HER BODY WITH THE MIDPOINT AT THE TANDEN.
I BET YOU DID NOT PAY MUCH ATTENTION TO THE EMPTY
SPACE BETWEEN HER LEGS. DO SO NOW. WITHOUT THIS
SPACE HAVING A TANGIBLE FEELING WITHIN YOUR ACTIONS,
YOU WILL NEVER KNOW YOUR INNER SELF.
MENTALLY TURN THE X INTO AN HOUR GLASS. THIS IS THE
PRIMAL SHAPE. TAKE A CAREFUL LOOK AT THE WAY KOBUN
HAS SET HIMSELF TO PRACTICE 'THE WAY OF THE BOW.'
IF WE SUPERIMPOSE ONE ON THE OTHER, WE SEE A NEW
LOREN.
THAT IS, IF SHE SHAPES HERSELF AROUND THE YELLOW DOTS,
WHICH ARE BOTH HINGE POINTS AND PRESSURE POINTS.
REMOVING LOREN ENTIRELY, SHOWS HER INNER BEING
STANDING ON THE SPACE BETWEEN HER LEGS.
YOU ALREADY KNOW HOW TO ACTIVATE THIS INNER BEING.
COME TO THE SET POSITION AND LET YOUR HANDS MOVE
YOUR BODY AS THE WOMEN DO.
WHEN ONE BOWS, ONE COMPRESSES THE INNER BEING.
THIS IS HUMILITY
WHEN ONE SHOOTS A BOW, ONE OPENS THE INNER BEING.
RAISING THE BOW TO SHOOT THE ARROW COMPLETED THE
HOUR-GLASS IMAGE ON THE PHYSICAL PLANE.
CLOSING THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE LEGS COLLAPSES THE
HOURGLASS, THROWING ONE OFF-BALANCE.
WITHOUT THE HOURGLASS MINDSET YOU ARE YOUR NORMAL
SELF. WHILE YOUR ZEN SELF MAY LOOK PECULIAR, IT IS YOUR
NATURAL SELF BEFORE YOU WERE COMPRESSED BY BAD
HABITS.
B.
THE MIND IS ALSO SUBJECT TO BAD HABITS. LIKE
CEASELESSLY TALKING TO ITSELF. WE STOPPED MOST OF THE
CHATTER BY ROLLING THE BELLY MUSCLES. BUT THE EYES
FEED THE MIND WITH CONSTANT IMAGES. FEW REALIZE HOW
THE EYES GENERATE TENSIONS BY FIXING ON THINGS. TENSE
PEOPLE STARE. TO FREE UP THE MIND WE CAN USE THE NOFIXED POINT MEDITATION.
TAKE A LOOK AT THE women IN THE SET POSITION. THEY ARE
NOT LOOKING AT THEIR HANDS. IN FACT, USING THEIR
PERIPHERAL VISION TO ITS FULLEST EXTENT, THEY KEEP
THEMSELVES FROM FIXING ON ANY POINT. THEIR EYES
ANTICIPATE THE MOVEMENT OF THE HANDS THAT WILL
SWING THEM INTO A PANORAMIC VIEW.
ONCE MORE INTO THE SWAY OF THE HANDS. BACK AND THEN
FORWARD, ADJUSTING THE HIPS. WHEN THE WOMEN COME
TO REST, THE FOREHEAD IS TOO HIGH TO SEE THE GROUND
AND TOO LOW TO SEE THE SKY. USING WRAP AROUND VISION
THEY MOVE IN HARMONY EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE BACK TO
BACK.
DOING THE PELVIC POWER SHIFT WHILE LOOKING AT YOUR
HANDS WILL INVITE YOUR MIND TO BECOME INVOLVED.
WHAT SHOULD BE A FLUID MOTION WILL TURN INTO AN
AWKWARD ONE.
TO BE FLUID ONE NEEDS TO SWING INTO THE MOTIONS
MINDLESSLY--THE CONTINUITY OF MOTION TIMED TO THE
RHYTHM OF BREATHING.
AS ONE EXHALES THE SENSES' ACUITY INCREASES. THE
INHALE SHUTS OFF THE BACKGROUND NOISE.
THE EXERCISE FOR THOSE WHO RIDE HORSES IS TO BE
AWARE OF WHERE EACH HOOF IS AT ANY GIVEN TIME--4
HOOVES HAVE NO FIXED POINT ON A RUNNING HORSE. TO
SHIFT YOUR WEIGHT, PELVIS SWAYING INTO THE MOTION
LEAVES YOU IN A FLUID STATE. HORSE AND RIDER ARE ONE.
TO REINFORCE THE NOTION OF THE NO-FIXED-POINT
CONCEPT, I OFFER YOU A PAINTING BY KOBUN CHINO SENSEI.
IT IS A LANDSCAPE WATERFALL. WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, IT'S
HARD TO PUT YOUR EYED INTO THE CENTER OF IT WITHOUT
NOTICING THAT WHILE IT IS A WATERFALL--IT ALSO SEEMS TO
BE A WOMAN. AND THEN YOU GO BACK TO THE LANDSCAPE
THAT SEEMS TO BE FLOWING AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE
TO PUT YOUR EYES. UNLESS YOU TAKE IT ALL IN, IT DOES NOT
DEVELOP.
*****
O, THE CLOUDS BURSTING WITH LIGHT, FUMES OF ENERGY.
CAN WE NOT BE THE SAME?
IN LESSON 5, SENSING ENERGY, WE LOOK TO THE WAY WE
HARMONIZE WITH THE PHYSICS OF THE WORLD.
WE HAVE A BLURRED VISION OF LOREN AS THOUGH SHE WAS
PAINTED WITH PASTELS/ OR VIBRATING.
SHE HOLDS HER HANDS UP TO CATCH THE SKIES ENERGY
FALLING INTO HER LAP. THIS ATTITUDE IS CRUCIAL TO
LEARNING WHY, WHAT KOBUN DOES BENEATH HIS ROBES, HAS
SUCH VALUE FOR THE HEALTH AND WELL BEING OF ANY
INDIVIDUAL.
WHEN LOREN OPENS HER PALMS, SHE TOUCHES THE TIP OF
HER TONGUE TO THE ROOF OF HER MOUTH A LITTLE BEHIND
THE GUMS. HER MOUTH IS MOSTLY CLOSED, FORCING HER TO
EXHALE SLOWLY. YES, COUNTER-INTUITIVELY, THE ENERGY IS
GAINED ON THE EXHALE, NOT INHALED FROM WITHOUT. THE
POSITION OF THE TONGUE SEEMS TO MAKE EXHALING EVENLY
RATHER HARD. IN FACT, IT IS OUT OF THE WAY THINK OF HOW
THE WIND MOVES THE CLOUDS AS FILLING THE BELLY WITH
ENERGY. GUSTS ARE HAPHAZARD, HOWEVER, THE TONGUE
RESTRICTING THE BREATH INSURES A SLOW, STEADY
PRESSURE. THE BELLY RESPONDS AS IF IT WERE A BALLOON
FILLING WITH AIR WHEN THE UPWARD TONGUE IS NOT NEAR
THE LIPS.
IN THE NEXT FRAME LOREN GATHERS HER STRENGTH--SHE
IS A PERSONAL TRAINER. INSTEAD OF LIFTING A BARBELL, SHE
TURNS HER HANDS OVER AS IF TO STOP A BOUNCING BALL.
I ASK HER TO IMAGINE A BALL OF ENERGY THAT SHE CAN
HOLD ONTO. I DON'T SAY IT IS REAL OR NOT REAL. IF YOU
IMAGINE YOUR HANDS HOLDING A BALL OF STATIC
ELECTRICITY YOU CAN SENSE YOURSELF HOLDING ONTO IT.
YOU CAN LIFT THIS BALL.
OR, YOU CAN PLACE THE BALL OVER YOUR BELLY WHILE YOU
EXPAND IT. LET THE BELLY ENVELOP THE BALL. THE LINES OF
FORCE FROM WITHIN WILL RADIATE OUTWARD FROM THE
TANDEN. IT IS AN ERRATIC, JAGGED FEELING.
AS YOU STAND STRAIGHT TO SHIFT INTO THE HOURGLASS
SHAPE, LIFT YOUR HANDS INTO THE SET POSITION. THE BALL
OF ENERGY MOVES UP. THE CENTER OF IT IS OVER THE
BREASTBONE. THE CIRCUMFERENCE GOES FROM THE INDENT
IN THE KNEES TO THE CENTER OF THE FOREHEAD.
STEP INTO THIS CIRCLE OF SELF-ENERGY AS IF YOU WERE
GOING THROUGH A WINDOW.
IF YOU EXTENDED YOUR FINGERS WITH ENOUGH THRUST
WHEN YOU FIRST CAUGHT THE BALL AND ALLOWED THE TAUT
PALM TO GRASP THE CURVED SURFACE, YOU CAN STEP BACK
THROUGH THE WINDOW AND PLAY WITH THE ENERGY.
HOLD THE CENTER VORTEX AND SPIN THE OUTER RIM.
THE WAY THIS IS DONE IS TO TOUCH THUMB TO THUMB,
MIDDLE FINGER TO MIDDLE FINGER.
RAPIDLY OPEN AND CLOSE YOUR EXTENDED HANDS AT 6 TO 8
INCH INTERVALS. THE VORTEX COMPRESSES AND EXPANDS
CAUSING THE RIM TO SPIN.
THERE MAY BE A WEIGHT HANGING AROUND YOUR HANDS
AFTER YOU COME TO A STOP. IF SO, SHAKE YOUR HANDS. THE
WEIGHT GROWS HEAVIER AFTER EACH YEAR OF PRACTICE.
----WHEN WE BEGAN CHRISTINA AND LOREN USED THEIR
HANDS TO RESHAPE THEIR POSTURE.
TAUT FINGERS TINGLED
THE
TANDEN BULGED
SIDES RIPPLED
SHOULDERS ROUNDED
---WHEN THEY DREW IN THEIR BELLIES ON THE INHALE AND
PUSHED THEIR BUTTS BACK WITH THEIR ELBOWS, THEY
UNWITTINGLY GENERATED A BALL OF KI SUBSTANCE, THEIR
CHI.
AFTER SOMEONE REACHES THE 5TH LEVEL OF MASTERY THEY
FEEL THEIR EXHALE EXPANDING THE SPACE THE BODY TAKES
UP. ( ESPECIALLY AROUND THE HEAD) THE BALL OF KI THAT
WE DEVELOPED WITH RAPIDLY PULSATING HANDS IS
CONSTANTLY BEING PUSHED OUT AND DRAWN BACK IN WITH
THE BREATHING TECHNIQUE.
THE RESULT IS THAT WE ARE NOT OUT OF BALANCE. THE
HARMONY COMES WHEN THE CALM SELF ALIGNS WITH THE
ENVIRONMENT. WHATEVER IT IS, KI IS A FUNCTION OF THE
MESH. IT IS BARELY SUBSTANTIVE, YET OUR SENSES REGISTER
A FULL BLAST OF IT.
THERE IS THE GRUNT OF EXERTION-BUT THE EXPRESSION ON THE FACE,
THE LOOK OF THE MASTER,
DETERMINES THE OUTCOME.
KOBUN'S STATEMENT:
It is not necessary at this point to
see the bow as a weapon. By now we
have gone beyond such a state so I
can talk of how the mind’s arrow
goes in daily life. The mind’s arrow
functions the same in speed and
exactness everyday. Thoughts are
like arrows. You don’t miss. You don’t
miss the target. Do you notice that?
(Roshi looks around questioningly)
You don’t.
All those years, even when I wasn’t
holding the bow and arrow, my mind
was always in the archery way.
Those years there was a real
dilemma in me. The dilemma was
whether the archery way was
different
from
zazen
(sitting
meditation) practice. There is no
difference. Although I’ve devoted
most of my life to this strange thing
(zazen), my own root master has
never taught me zazen. I began
doing zazen while studying Buddhism
and committed to it. I decided I
would do nothing else but zazen in
this life. Actually, the dilemma
between archery and zazen ends
when choose one. The bow and
arrow disappear when I do zazen and
when I am actually doing archery
alone I do not have any sense of
sitting at that time. I forget zazen, so
to speak. Hmmm…you see how there
could be a dilemma. But what I was
learning from the zazen master was
not zazen. He doesn’t even do zazen
anymore, but I do zazen and he
always says, “Oh! Are you still
sitting?” (Laughter) and I say, “Yes,
I’m still sitting.”
This Zen master lives in Japan and he
is a real teacher of mind. In terms of
teaching and being a teacher
constantly he is the one. When I see
you individually like this, he always
stands behind you. It‘s a big
problem. (Roshi laughs). It is a very
odd and awful situation. Believe it or
not, he is very ordinary. He never
wanted to be in public. Maybe you
might feel he is sort of a yogin. He
lives so simply and quietly. Nobody
notices he is a Zen master. When I
think of him in terms of shahin of
what I learned and observed from
him, it is only this: hin
Kuden? Mysterious. I have always
been interested in this thing, kuden.
Do you know kuden? It’s all oral
transmission, not written, and usually
it is only given once, and only to one
person, not like this in public.
There is the question of the content
of kuden. Again, if you look back into
your life and see your deepest
interest and what you felt and put
most of your energy into up to today,
there is something you have learned
from what you have been doing.
Also, someone may have spoken
something to you about what you
were doing. For example, maybe you
are a cook and had many teaches
previously. There was one who
taught you physically and one who
let you see the cooking and one who
gave you a lot of find recipes.
Teaches appear like that. But the
root teacher, when he has absolute
confidence in you, is the only one
who can transmit and confirm you.