Intoxicating

One of the vows for Lay Persons and Monks alike is, "..to not indulge in intoxicants."  Typically this is considered for mind altering substances like drugs and alcohol.  But what about other things in life which seem to "intoxicate" us?

The basis of the vow is that intoxicants cloud our minds so that we don't see the true reality which Buddha teaches us about.  Also the side-affects of these can lead to our mishaps, and can affect the lives of others.

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As far as clouding the mind, I believe we as humans have many things which cloud our minds, not just drugs and alcohol.  Namely things such as ignorance, greed, desire, and anger just to mention a few.

We can get our minds in so deep into some of these that it really does intoxicate us, altering our minds just like a controlled substance.  We are unable to think clearly, see truth, and see things as they really are.  Not only that, but the side-affects can hurt others and affect their lives in negative ways as well.

By being mindful of our thoughts and emotions we can better control these impulses, recognize them and deal with them by more skillful means.

Slow and Steady is the Way

In life, martial arts, Buddhism, anything, "slow and steady is the way."  This realization came to me from a friend teaching me the movements and philosophy of Taiji (Tai Chi).  He explained that the reason Taiji movements are so slow is to focus on the body movement and Qi (Chi) flow.  When you master the flow and movements in a slow manner, you can apply them in a martial aspect by speeding them up, making Taiji a very useful martial art and discipline.

Tranquility, Peace

 

But why not apply this so-called relaxed practice when practicing any martial art (i.e. Karate, Shaolin Kung Fu, Tang Soo Do, etc)?  This is what I have been doing for the past week or so. I have already felt a difference.  I feel the my movements are much more stable, form is held, and focus is totally centered.  Then when I speed up to "combat speed," my movements are much more accurate and powerful.

It doesn't stop at martial arts though.  What about meditating, or Buddhist practice?  We cannot rush enlightenment.  Our mind in meditation and practice is almost like our limbs when practicing martial arts.  The mind is a weapon but also a reservoir.  When we rush anything in life we feel exhausted, stressed, and incomplete.  But if we take things one breath at a time, focus on what we're doing, and don't rush for results, we very often will find the the outcome is much more rewarding and qualitative.

So I'd like to remind everybody (including myself), to breathe, center, and take things one step at a time.  Slow and steady truly is the Way.

Amituofo