Many people begin Shodo practice because of its mindfulness qualities. The activity of drawing a stroke and composing a Kanji character unifies the mind and body and can bring clarity and relaxation to everyday tasks. We live stressful lives. We have work, family, businesses, relationships, and a gazillion other things in our minds. Because we are always under pressure, we … [Read more...] about Mindfulness: What it means from a Buddhist Perspective
Zen
Zen training aims to free ourselves from the false perception of dualism: the separation of mind and body, self and others, life and death.
The Mind of Shodo
A few years ago I taught a short Japanese Calligraphy class to college students at Roger Williams University. As a college professor myself, I knew I had to grab the students attention right away, or I would lose their interest. These students did not necessarily have an interest in Japanese Calligraphy; I was a guest instructor in their Asian studies seminar course required … [Read more...] about The Mind of Shodo
Zen in Daily Life
The Zen experience must be direct and in a psychophysical level. We absorb that realization through our bodies, not intellectually with our minds. The methods used to experience this so-called "wisdom" differ, although the most common one is zazen or seated meditation. Any of us who have spent a significant amount of time on the cushion, have had such experience, however … [Read more...] about Zen in Daily Life
How to maintain a consistent Zen meditation practice
Zen meditation practice can have tremendous benefits on your daily life. Taking a moment out of the day to be mindful for a few minutes can help us manage stress, enhance our perception of well-being and become spiritually healthy. Zen is a lifelong practice in which its century-old methods are impossible to exhaust. There are many intensity levels of Zen training. For … [Read more...] about How to maintain a consistent Zen meditation practice
The Rinzai Zen Way [Book Review]
Search on Amazon, and you will get about 40,000 results for books on Zen. The first few page results are filled with book titles that begin with "Zen and the art of...". Unfortunately, Zen is a marketing word for self-help advice, peace, love, and relaxation. Buried between the "5 Zen Habits to Help You Redefine Obstacles," "How to Live Your Life The Zen Way," and "Zen Golf" is … [Read more...] about The Rinzai Zen Way [Book Review]