Throwback Thursday
From Furuya Sensei’s 2001 interview on KCET.
Although I am just a human being. I want to model myself after the sword; always straight, always true, and very decisive. Something that doesn’t have an outer obvious strength that we look for today but something that has an inner strength which is hard to see unless you really know it and can appreciate it.
Warriors don’t stare. As a general rule, we aren’t supposed to stare into our opponent’s eyes. Long ago, it was thought that if we stared into our opponent’s eyes too long then they could hypnotize us, put us into some sort of trance and then attack us. Today, we realize that this hypnotic trance was really just physiology. When we stare, our eyes become fixed and we consciously try to not blink, but blinking is how we re-wet the lens of our eyes. So, when we consciously stare, we unconsciously blink. The unconscious blink is actually a mixture of eye roll and blink. When that happens our minds also reset, and we are in a momentary entranced which our opponent reads and capitalizes upon. Generally, we are supposed to narrow our eyes and look across the shoulder line. Another method to counteract the mental pause is to slightly turn our heads which exposes the rods/cones in the outer eye which are supposedly better at picking up movement which can help us to increase our reaction times. Miyamoto Musashi said, “Adopt a stance with the head erect, neither hanging down, nor looking up, nor twisted. Your forehead and the space between your eyes should not be wrinkled. Do not roll your eyes nor allow them to blink, but slightly narrow them.” Regardless of what method we adopt, we should not stare too long into our opponent’s eye. Our teachers have advocated against staring and likewise our parents told us that it is not polite to stare. The only time we should look directly into someone’s eyes is when we need to show our courage or our intent. Looking directly into the eyes of adversity allows us to be powerful and show adversity that we are ready for whatever is to come. Staring can be rude, but it can also accidentally lead to our downfall and so warriors don’t stare.
Today’s goal: Don’t be afraid to look adversity directly in the eyes, but don’t stare.
The best warriors have the best manners - yaiba ni tsukimono wa rei ni suguru (刃に強き者は礼にすぐる). A true warrior is supposed to be a mirror which reflects back on others a better version of themselves. Long ago, a warrior was someone that others respected and aspired to be. Japanese warriors were supposed to be the pinnacle of nobility and grace and we see this in the aforementioned proverb. Japanese warriors of old were not just killing machines; they were people who conducted themselves with dignity and grace despite the fact that they were engaged in the business of warfare. This decorum was necessary to create a sense of balance in their lives. A warrior’s conduct, good and bad, could unknowingly reflect back upon their family or clan and even the smallest transgression in one’s behavior could set in motion dire consequences. Rules, manners and etiquette were put into place not to oppress, but for safety reasons. This still holds true in a dojo where the rules are there to keep the students safe. If we bump into someone, we always say, “excuse me” so as to not create a problem where there isn’t one. An interesting old samurai rule was that one would never touch another person’s weapon without permission. So, ronin or “master-less samurai” used to go around bumping other people’s sword scabbards to initiate duels. A warrior always had to be vigilant and mindful so that they didn’t get drawn into a needless conflict. Conducting themselves with dignity enables the warrior to keep their poise and balance in the face of adversity. A warrior knows that their manners reflect who they are on the inside and thus the best warriors always have the best manners.
Today’s goal: Be mindful of what you not only say and do, but also of what you think because what you think about, you bring about and your actions reflect who you are.
Watch the video below, but don’t forget to add in the subtitles in the closed caption.
“It takes more courage to examine the dark corners of your own soul than it does for a soldier to fight on a battlefield.” William Butler Yeats
What is a warrior? Today, not many go off to war and so the way of the warrior has transformed into something that is no longer just a physical pursuit designed to fell an opponent, but rather a pathway towards inner peace. Any person can be considered a warrior as long as they take the inner journey to do battle with themselves as they search for inner peace. With training, a warrior realizes that the true opponent is no longer outside of us but exists within us. Understanding that budo is really an inner battle O’Sensei advocated for masakatsu agatsu or “the truest victory is the victory over the self.” Any person can toil at war, but it takes great deal of courage to overcome one’s self. William Butler Yeats said, “It takes more courage to examine the dark corners of your own soul than it does for a soldier to fight on a battlefield.” Furuya Sensei once wrote, “In our training, we are looking to transform ourselves into something we hold as an ideal about ourselves. We should become wiser, more profound and more caring human beings. We come to understand our selves better and more deeply. We become more ‘humane’ human beings. In our own practice we should see how we can develop ourselves and transform ourselves into our ‘true’ selves.” Therefore, a warrior is any person who is engaged in the battle to gain victory over themselves – masakatsu agatsu.
It can be difficult to understand that every person is a warrior who is at war with ourselves and that they are just at a different place on the path. Every person is suffering is a primary understanding in Aikido. When I’m suffering, I hope for kindness, compassion and forgiveness. To receive it, I must also be willing to see that others are also suffering and in need of kindness, compassion and forgiveness.
Today’s goal: Be strong enough to give people what it is that you need because if you are truly a warrior then you realize that others suffer just like you.
“Some things seem like they are beyond our means or out of our control. With a strong enough will and a decisive spirit, we can decide our own fate and fulfill any of our impossible dreams.” Rev. Kensho Furuya
A warrior always chooses. Free choice is the martial artist’s superpower. When we choose to do something then we are taking ownership of our actions. Fighting can be a very unsavory business to find one’s self engaged in and any violence, no matter how small, can lead to someone’s death. Understanding the graveness of our choice and the regrettable nature of violence, then it is better if a warrior chooses that path to follow. I am not talking about choosing to become a killer. What I am talking about is taking ownership of our choices which is in a sense taking ownership of our lives. When we mindfully choose, then the decision is ours and therefore the outcome, whatever it may be, is easier to accept. To mindlessly choose is to blindly follow and succumb to “have to,” “should,” or “must” which is in essence giving up control of our lives. A true warrior is resolute and to truly be resolute is to exercise our free choice. We choose to do it and therefore it is our choice to give or take life. On a certain level in budo training, this choice can be thought of as satsujinken, katsujinto (殺人剣 活人剣) or the “sword which takes life and the sword which gives life.” The techniques in martial arts training can be used to hurt or kill but they can also be used to save and heal – the choice is ours. As a warrior, we choose to do whatever it is we do. Nobody will do it for us and nobody can make us do it and so the consequences are ours to enjoy or shoulder. Thus, whatever it is we do, we choose to do it – even if we didn’t consciously choose. Free choice is a power that everyone has, but few of us take ownership of and exercise. Take care of your choices because they reflect who you are. A warrior owns their life and so they always choose.
Today’s goal: Whenever you find yourself begrudging something, remember that it was your choice.
Throwback Thursday
Furuya Sensei posted this to his Daily Message on September 12, 2002.
Whenever we have a problem, we always think, "them" and "us!" By making "them" our enemies and opponents, we take no responsibility for them and we don't even care what happens to them. But if we think that we are all "one family" and they are our fellow human being and friend, then we have to think and consider the problem very seriously and deeply. This is what we always fail to do. It is simply easier to make everyone our enemy and be done with it!
“When things are tough, you fight one more round.” Gentleman Jim Corbett, professional boxer
The warrior spirit is to never give up. Warriors are supposed to develop isshinni (一心に) or “singlemindedness” or “wholeheartedness.” This singlemindedness is supposed to be a resoluteness whereas a warrior will stay focused and do whatever it takes to get the job done. Supposedly, a samurai was supposed to have such a strong spirit or isshinni that they would be able to attack one more time even if their head were cut off. We cannot be taught this determined spirit, but it is something we can learn. We must learn it for ourselves and it begins in training as we learn to gaman (我慢) or “to persevere.” In training, we are constantly presented with hurdles and as we surmount these obstacles, we learn perseverance. The Japanese proverb which typifies this behavior is nana korobi yaoki (七転び八起き) which means “Fall down seven times, get up eight.” Anyone can be defeated, but what defines us is our ability to get up and try again. We only really fail when we give up. The more we preserve, the stronger we become and with that strength comes success. Obviously, nobody can hold out indefinitely, but by building a tolerance for perseverance, we can call upon our inner strength in the difficult times when our character is challenged the most. Archilochus stated, “We don't rise to the level of our expectations; we fall to the level of our training.” Today, more and more we are buffeted by forces and situations which seem out of our control, but they are simply a test of our isshinni and we are getting the opportunity to show who we really are. The true spirit of the warrior is to never give up, especially when times are the toughest.
Today’s goal: Today, make a list all of the times when you give up, big and small. Tomorrow, choose one that you won’t give in to.
“The more you know who you are and what you want, the less you let things upset you.” Bill Murray in Lost in Translation
The best warriors never lose their temperament. A warrior is neither heated nor cold and thus they don’t allow things to upset them. Too much anger, sadness or even joy is a sign that a person too easily influenced. A warrior is supposed to be a person of character who prides themselves on their self-discipline and willpower. A warrior’s temperament can be likened to temperature. We want to cool down when we are too hot and we want to warm up when we are too cold. Each of us has an internal thermostat which enables us to tolerate different temperatures. We also have an internal thermostat which controls our temperament. If we allow our temperature or our temperament to be overly influenced, then we run the risk of doing something impetuous which could negatively affect us. The entire basis of the tale of the 47 Ronin is based upon a person losing their temper at the wrong time. The highest teaching in budo is that of equanimity. One translation of equanimity in Japanese is annonbuji (安穏無事). “Equanimity teaches us to observe mindfully so that we may act appropriately. Martial arts training doesn’t necessarily teach the art of war, but rather the art of peace because it teaches us how to control ourselves so that we can make good decisions. O’Sensei once wrote, “The Way of the Warrior has been misunderstood. It is not a means to kill and destroy others. Those who seek to compete and better one another are making a terrible mistake. To smash, injure, or destroy is the worst thing a human being can do. The real Way of a Warrior is to prevent such slaughter — it is the Art of Peace, the power of love.” Thus, it is imperative that a warrior not allow things to upset them. Don’t allow the temperature of the situation to affect your temperament. Thus, a warrior is neither heated nor cold.
Today’s goal: If you notice that you are becoming too heated, turn down your thermostat, breathe and cool down.
Furuya Sensei originally posted this to his Daily Message on April 21, 2002.
If we appreciate ourselves and all of our blessings, we will not mind at all the time and effort it takes to nourish, cultivate and develop ourselves internally. People who think they know everything or are too arrogant are only covering up a lack of self-worth. This is not healthy for us. This is why they don't spend time on themselves - as in training. Please continue to develop yourselves through Aikido. Finally, one last word about learning: the easiest person to fool is yourself!
The bravest warrior strives to be perfectly imperfect. Every person who has ever accomplished anything did so not by being perfect but by embracing their imperfections. Perfect is defined as, “conforming absolutely to a description or definition of an ideal.” The lethal culture of budo is one that strives for perfection and that necessitates order and conformity and sometimes the lack thereof can be frowned upon. We want to fit in and the easiest way to do this is to become “perfect.” Fitting in and striving for perfection are good, but they can also be pathological as we lose our sense of identity or if we become obsessed with the ideal of being perfect. Perfection is not a destination, but a state of mind. Imperfection is actually a higher state of being than perfection. To accept one’s own imperfection is to acknowledge our own individuality because the journey of life is to eventually learn to accept ourselves and that means accepting and even loving our imperfections. In Japanese culture, there is an abstract concept called wabi-sabi (侘寂) which might be loosely defined as “embracing or loving imperfections.” Furuya Sensei put an ancient incantation on his video series that read, Rin (臨), Pyō (兵), Tō (闘), Sha (者), Kai (皆), Jin (陣), Retsu (列), Zai (在), Zen (前) or “The bravest warriors surpasses all others at the front of the battlefield.” We cannot excel at the front of the battlefield if we are staying back with the pack. Striving for perfection teaches us the value of hard work and the definition of quality while imperfections enable us to stand up and to ultimately succeed. The normal person files in, but only a true warrior can stand up or stand out. Our imperfections make us who we are. Embrace your imperfections because they make you who you are and they make you unique. The bravest warrior can only excel at the front of the battlefield because they have strived to be perfectly imperfect.
Today’s goal: Notice the times when you are not perfect. Smile and embrace it.
“Cry in the dojo, laugh on the battlefield.” – Japanese proverb
A real warrior cries. Yesterday, I watched the 1958 version of the 47 ronin story called the Loyal 47 Ronin (Chushingura). One of the things which struck me the most was how many times Oishi, the supposedly strong samurai commander, showed emotion and even cried. This is in stark contrast to the hero in the west who is usually the “strong silent type” and never shows any emotion other than passionate anger. In Japanese culture, a warrior strives to create balance in the moment. We see this balance in the aphorism, “Cry in the dojo, laugh on the battlefield.” One interpretation is that the suffering of harsh training is balanced out with crying and the killing on the battlefield is balanced out with laughing. Furuya Sensei referred to the warrior balance as “The elegant apricot flower and the strong plum blossom. To focus too much on war makes us rough and crude while the emphasis on too much beauty makes us weak. Both ideals must be harmonized together.” Crying enables the warrior, who must kill, to show their humanity. We often think that “living” means to enjoy and be happy. As we can see with Sensei’s assertion, joy and happiness are but one side of humanity. True humanity is a balance of happiness and sadness, good and bad and war and beauty. Thus, when we create this balance of true humanity it enables us to be present in the moment and truly live. Today, we are faced with many different challenges and it is easy for us to suppress the pain, frustration, or discomfort. In suppressing our feelings, we are denying our sense of humanity. Warriors of old weren’t killing machines who feel no emotion. On the contrary, they knew that the key to becoming a strong warrior was in their humanity. Therefore, to create true humanity within ourselves, we need to strike a balance in all things in our lives and that is why real warriors cry.
Today’s goal: When something happens, notice if you are suppressing your emotions. Are you suppressing your humanity?
Throwback Thursday
Furuya Sensei posted this to his Daily Message blog on September 23, 2002.
All of life’s hardships, problems, and obstacles are all a part of our training. They are there for us to meet and overcome. Sometimes we have to go forward, sometimes we have to retreat. Right now, practice Patience! Practice Understanding! As hard and difficult as it must be, try to understand the problem and this problem from inside of ourselves and use our Spiritual self to solve it. This problem, our desire to understand it, and understanding itself is all a delusion in our minds. From the beginning, there is no problem, only our attachment to an idea of a problem! What are we are fighting and what is stopping us? It is our own selves. Do not fight or cultivate anger at someone else, only fight against your own delusion!
All good warriors must have backbone. Having backbone can be thought of as fighting spirit. In Japanese, when someone has the will or determination to standup for something, they are referred to as, kikotsu (氣骨) or “powerful spine” or a person with a “backbone.” In the old days, warriors were supposed to be develop the ability to kill with one cut. This wasn’t because they were trying to become killing machines. The reason why was because it was thought to be merciful to kill one’s opponent with one stroke rather than hack away at them causing them more suffering, but it was also thought that a true warrior, despite being mortally wounded, was supposed to have the backbone to muster all their will and deliver one last cut before they died. Today, we normally think that only people with backbone are people who can get things done, but it is more than that. However, every person has a backbone otherwise they wouldn’t be able to stand up. When we “stand up,” we choose to live our lives with grace, dignity and power. Therefore, every person has the potential to be determined and stand up for something. The difference is where we choose to put our power as we all inherently have the power to equally do great good or great evil and that potential is therefore merely separated by choice. The eight virtues of the samurai are supposedly: compassion, honor, respect, righteousness, honesty, courage, loyalty and self-discipline. The samurai virtues aren’t necessarily difficult, but they are mere words unless they are backed up by backbone. Thus, the power to be successful only requires that we have conviction and determination or in other words have backbone. In life, there is always a choice. We all have the backbone to stand up for what is we want or what it is we believe in and thus the warrior chooses to have backbone.
Today’s goal: Stand up straight and hold your head up high because you have backbone.
“Whether you think you can, or you think you can't - you're right.” - Henry Ford
A good warrior never succumbs to the story. At every moment throughout our day we are telling ourselves a “story.” Most of the time the story is only based in reality but is disproportionally fictional. The story can be so powerful that we believe it’s real. Every story begins with “I am…”and so the story is who we tell ourselves who we are. The story can change or be situationally specific. Most of the time, the story is the first thing that comes to mind when something happens and it is not a thought, but rather a feeling that is usually based upon a prior experience. Generally, the story makes us feel bad about ourselves. For instance, if we order dessert and someone casually comments, it takes us back to some unpleasant situation and then we feel guilty and don’t enjoy the dessert. The same thing happens in training. Nobody likes being confronted physically. So, when our opponent strikes at us, in seemingly a flash, we feel the story and react in kind. One great thing about budo training is that we get to confront some of these stories and then we get a blueprint as to how to manage our stories. The first thing to do is realize that it is just a story and that stories are largely embellished. Next ask, “Is this completely true?” and if it’s not completely true it enables us to begin to free ourselves from what is holding us down. Another thing we can do is add a conjunction to the story. If we say, “I am not good enough” and then add “but today I will be better.” Doing this enables us to change the story, change the feeling and take control of our paradigm. A warrior understands that our inner demons and/or our egos whisper stories to us but that stories aren’t necessarily all truth. Shakespeare wrote, “nothing is right or wrong but thinking makes it so.” Thus, by examining the stories and challenging the stories, we get to re-write them and defeat them and that’s why good warriors never succumb to them.
Today’s goal: Pause and feel what’s going on. Ask yourself, “Am I succumbing to the story?” Then re-write the story.
A good warrior always works smarter, not harder. “Do nothing which is of no use” was one of the Dokkodo or the 21 precepts that Miyamoto Musashi lived his life by. As we reach out toward our goals, it’s not uncommon for us to think that all we need to do is work as hard as we can, and we will succeed. After all, William James said, “Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action.” However, it is possible to work one’s self to death which is referred to as “karoishi” (過労死) in Japanese. In budo training, more isn’t necessarily better despite teachers throughout the ages admonishing us to, “Work harder, work harder” but I think what they really meant was that we need to work smarter. Working smarter means knowing the difference between what is right and what is right now. Furuya Sensei once said, “You don’t need to dig holes in every place, just in the right places.” Thus, it is possible to prepare ourselves for battle, but not be ready to fight because we put in so much unnecessary work that it overworked us. True martial arts training is the journey towards finding peace, balance, and centeredness. Overworking, like overtraining does not come from a place of balance and so the ramifications can be stress, burnout, and maybe even death. The journey of life is about learning to let go. We let go of those things which don’t technically serve us even if we think that they do or in other words we “do nothing which is of no use.” Being smart means know what do and what not to do, what to hold on to and when to let it go and also knowing when it is time to work hard and when it’s time to back off. When we are calm and centered, everything will fall into place and so a warrior knows the difference between right and right now. True warriors are always seeking balance and centeredness, and thus they always work smarter, not harder.
Today’s goal: What are you holding on to? Pause, take a breath and let it go. Do nothing which is of no use.
A warrior’s true inner strength lies in restraint. The amount of restraint we have is equal to the amount of character we have developed in our training. In martial arts training it is often mistakenly thought to be solely about the acquisition of physical skill and strength. However, this is true only in the beginning. The actual path of training lies in the development of one’s character. Therefore, Voltaire explained it best when he said, “With great power comes great responsibility.” Thus, with the acquisition of strength and ability comes the responsibility of restraint which is the ability control one’s self. When confronted, it is easy to lose one’s temperament and do things which we regret later. Training teaches us to have restraint by building up our tolerances so that we may have restraint when it matters most – life and death situations. Years ago, the Lays potato chips ad slogan was, “Betcha, can’t eat just one!” This ad campaign is based upon something called hedonic hunger or our desire for pleasure or positive incentive. Eating like hurting others are desires that originate in mind and our overindulgence shows our true weakness. Because the desire to seek pleasure or satisfaction are constructs of our minds, they can be trained and thus the goal of training is to develop one’s character. In Japanese, one word for restraint is “yokushi” and interestingly, yokushi can also mean “checkmate.” With these understandings, we can surmise that restraint is the key to winning. We can destroy or hurt others, but that just shows our lack of restraint and is the window into our weakness. We can also show kindness, compassion, forgiveness and the ability to put the welfare of others before our own and that shows the level of restraint we’ve developed in training. Furuya Sensei once wrote, “Strength is nothing without serenity and nobility of character.” Strength then needs to be balanced out and that is why it comes with great responsibility. Demonstrating restraint is more difficult than defeating the strongest foe and that is why a warrior’s true inner strength lies in restraint.
Today’s goal: Do your best to show restraint in even the littlest of things because they all add up.
Throwback Thursday
Furuya Sensei posted this to his Daily Message on July 3, 2003.
Ju Yoku Go Wo Sei Shi, Jaku Yoku Kyo Wo Sei Suru
"Softness conquers hardness, pliability conquers strength."
Today, we are too obsessed with strength and power. I feel this exhibits an inherent fear of our own human weakness without realizing that our weakness is a part of human nature and our humanity. We try to overcome Nature and everything in this world and then we feel so weak and helpless because there is not much we can do about it. We should try to be in harmony with Nature and flow with it. The ancients understood this, but we have lost this wisdom.
In Zen practice or in an old-time dojo, the teacher might say, Sunao ni nare! or “To become more weak!" Or, in other words, lose our own concept of strength and goodness about ourselves because it is all a false mental attachment.
For some in practice, I would like to say, "Become more weak!" But when I do this, everyone gives me a funny expression like, "Why? I am practicing to become strong, not weak!" Yes, that is right - you do not know true strength or true weakness at all! So, Sunao ni nare!
“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” - Seneca
The best warriors do not rely on luck. Luck is defined as, “Success or failure apparently brought by chance rather than through one's own actions.” Thus, in battle and in life a warrior cannot rely on chance and so they can only rely on their own skills. Success can sometimes seem non-linear or that it just seems to happen and so we think that a person’s success must be a function of luck. However, success is actually linear in that it only comes about as a function of one’s effort and that is why warriors of budo often say, “We reap what we sow.” It is easy to think of success as non-linear because we don’t “see” all of the toil which brought that person to that moment of their success and thus it is easy to perceive them as just being lucky. In budo and in life, there are no overnight successes nor are there any prodigies – everyone at some point or another will have to put in the work. There is a well-known story about the violinist Pablo De Sarasate that illustrates this point. After being called a genius by a critic after one of his performances, he quipped, “For 37 years, I practiced 14 hours a day and now they call me genius!” It is true that every person is born with talent and gifts and sometimes those gifts come to the surface early while in others it takes longer to come out. The surest way to bring out our gifts is to put in the hard work and then the talent will naturally come out. That is why Miyamoto Musashi said, “It takes 1,000 days to forge the spirit and another 10,000 days to polish it.” A good warrior knows that on a certain level they make their own luck because as Seneca said, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” When we put in the work towards our dreams and goals, sooner or later we will get “lucky” and that is why the best warriors don’t rely on luck.
Today’s goal: Don’t rely on luck. Put in the hard work to make your dreams and goals come true.
There are no weekend warriors in budo. Having a Monday through Friday mindset causes normal people to live for the weekends. There is nothing wrong with this mentality. However, a warrior is a person who follows the Way. The Way is a life set forth by morals and principles that one does their best to not waver from. The Way is an everyday mindset and so there are no weekends. An everyday mindset is not something that one can be just turned on or off as we like because we run the risk of falling into complacency. Someone once said, “how we do anything is how we do everything.” Thus, to be a true warrior, we must be the same person everywhere and in everything that we do. It doesn’t matter if we work the french fry station or if we are the CEO, we must put forth the same effort into everything that we do and thus “how we do anything is how we do everything.” Furuya Sensei once wrote, “In traditional training, spiritual training always begins with purely physical training. This is where many of us misunderstand this process. This physical training is designed to develop our mental and spiritual sides, so physical training is not simply physical training but the first step towards developing ourselves spiritually.” When Sensei says, “spiritual,” he doesn’t mean religious. Spiritual in this sense means how or why someone does something and it is more important than the what or the outcome. To truly follow the Way requires us to always have the proper mental focus and attitude. To attain this proper focus and attitude requires spiritual training and that means living one’s life guided by a set of morals, principles, or ideals. The more we train, the deeper or more spiritual our training becomes. Budo training is about becoming the best person we can be. To achieve this requires a mindset where there are no days off and that is why in budo there are no weekend warriors.
Today’s goal: Ask yourself, “Am I the same person everywhere I go and in everything that I do?
Both in fighting and in everyday life you should be determined though calm. -Miyamoto Musashi
The other day, Watanabe Sensei and I were filming some bokken videos for the dojo when he said something interesting in reference to cutting or standing in kamae. He said, “In swordsmanship, they say your shoulder should sit.” The next day, I was washing my hands when I looked in the mirror and noticed that my shoulders were up and I instantly remembered, “Shoulders should sit.” Raising our shoulders is part of the cycle of negative tension our body exhibits in response to stress. This is part of our flight or fight nerv0us system or sympathetic nervous system. When we feel stress, our neck contracts and our shoulders raise and put pressure on our Vagus nerve which innervates many if not all of our organs and thus it can have an impact our health. When we feel stressed or notice our shoulders are raised, the antidote is to take a moment, breathe and lower our shoulders. The more we do this, the more we are teaching our nervous system to relax as oppose to escalate when confronted with stress. In bokken training, when we cut, there is a natural tendency to put too much power or upper body strength into the cut and force it. One of the main indicators of forcing the cut is the raising of the shoulders and so our “shoulders should sit.” It is the same in life, when we are stressed, we are probably working too hard or trying to force something and that is precisely the moment when we should take a moment, breathe and come back into our bodies by deep breathing which automatically lowers our shoulders. In Chinese medicine, they say, “Keep your feet warm and your head cool.” So, for optimum health, we should keep our feet warm and our heads cool while focusing on our breathing and let our shoulders sit.
Today’s goal: Try to notice if your shoulders are up. If so, take a breath and let your shoulders sit.
