Sublime
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Perfection in the art of swordsmanship is reached, according to Takuan, “when the heart is troubled by no more thought of I and You, of the opponent and his sword, of one’s own sword and how to wield it – no more thought even of life and death. All is emptiness: your own self, the flashing sword, and the arms that wield it. Even the thought of empt
... See moreEugen Herrigel • Zen in the Art of Archery
have feared slowing down because I have always been on the move. My body feared stillness because of the vulnerability I would encounter. I slowly began to trust the feeling of letting go in my physical body, as well as my mental and spiritual bodies as well. Thich Nhat Hanh says that when we let go we are letting go of something. What was it that
... See moreDon Hanlon Johnson • Diverse Bodies, Diverse Practices: Toward an Inclusive Somatics
I am not, to be sure, the first Stoic to tamper with Stoicism. The Romans, as we have seen, adapted Greek Stoicism to suit their needs. Furthermore, individual Stoics were unafraid to “customize” Stoicism; as Seneca put it, “I do not bind myself to some particular one of the Stoic masters; I, too, have the right to form an opinion.”4 The Stoics reg
... See moreWilliam B. Irvine • A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy
Sitting still amid a certain amount of pain or restlessness is a very valuable form of discipline, but the point of Zen practice is not to train people to hold out under torture. Students can sit still and straight in chairs if sitting cross-legged is unbearable and people need to learn for themselves what amount of difficulty is useful for them to
... See moreBarry Magid • Ending the Pursuit of Happiness: A Zen Guide
the self is the fundamental power of a leader and the self is indistinguishable from the body. That is, our comportment, body alignment and function, capacity for action, and how we presence ourselves through our bodies reflects who we are as persons, reflects our orientation to others and to the world. In other words, the body is a manifestation o
... See moreRichard Strozzi-Heckler • The Leadership Dojo: Build Your Foundation as an Exemplary Leader
Most of us live out lives that we’ve unconsciously inherited, and we’re mimicking patterns of living that have been passed on to us by family, school, religion, government, economic institutions, and the media. We have lost touch with the rich, subjective life of being in the human body, upon which our entire experience is based. The body, the soma
... See moreRichard Strozzi-Heckler • The Art of Somatic Coaching: Embodying Skillful Action, Wisdom, and Compassion
The mixed martial arts pioneer and multi-title champion Frank Shamrock has a system he trains fighters in that he calls plus, minus, and equal. Each fighter, to become great, he said, needs to have someone better that they can learn from, someone lesser who they can teach, and someone equal that they can challenge themselves against.