収穫不問 Shukaku wo towazu Do not concern yourself with how much you will yield. 常楽耕耘 Tsuneni koun wo tanoshimuFind joy in the process of cultivation. It's hard to tell in text like this, whether he was telling his apprentices or speaking to himself. I suppose both. He...
一動作、一注意 Our bodies are much less static, and more fluid. This is my relatively recent, surprising and delightful discovery. The discovery was made during my morning stretch. I discovered that my body could bend further forward with something as subtle as a breath. At...
I was soaking in a lukewarm natural hot spring at Tenzan. It was late afternoon on a weekday. Although the place was almost packed for that time of day, the atmosphere felt relaxed. I saw a group of tourists gazing at the misty mountains surrounding us, in admiration....
"Weaving comes down to the weaver,And the weaver is determined by his/her heart." Why? Because... "As long as the firm foundation is there, any skills or techniques, no matter how extreme or other-worldly, can be built upon it." He also said, "One's technique or skill...
“Why can’t you be happy when you’re meant to be?” The idea of suppressing emotions repelled me: it felt as though taking away all the juice of life, leaving boring and dry pulps.
Mastering Life Unsui（雲水） is a monk in training; he goes around one temple to the other, in search of his master, or he stays in Sodo, a temple space dedicated to their training. After a certain period, they become supermen. This is a little sneaky peek into how...
朝七時 五畳にて 三人の女 GARARI! is the sound of opening a sliding door…an outdated one. Garari! I opened a glass sliding door, into the five tatami-mat space. Sulfur-infused steam rushed through the opening and enveloped me in an instant. A large bathtub was built against one...
A message came from a friend in the UK:“Bear attacks are on NHK World!”Even here in Ashigara, where Kintaro riding a bear is our local mascot (see below), I could feel the tension in the air since the sightings have been reported. Morning and evening walks now come...
Can I do that today? Can I be driven so much that I’ll forget my ego?