「Zen」タグアーカイブ

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Two suggestions for more mindful yoga & pilates exercise

As they are known as “mindful movement” or “mindful exercises“, both yoga and Pilates exercise require us to be conscious about our body.

Pay attention to the breath, alignment, posture, tensions, etc…

The more you are experienced, the more you know about focus points on each asana or exercises.

Today, I’d like to introduce two steps to use those focus points in more beneficial way.

1. Finish reviewing before you move

When you are practicing, aren’t you trying to correct all the focus points while you are moving?

But, in spite of your effort, your body doesn’t move the way as you wish. Haven’t you had such experiences?

In such cases, finish reviewing all those focus points before you start moving. Once you start moving, forget about them.

2. Concentrate on “present” moment and motion

This can be somewhat the same idea as “be present” in yoga or zen.

As I suggested above, when you start moving, forget about all the focus points. Then, concentrate on your “present” action, and pick up just a few points you really need “now”.

Don’t think like “what to do in the next?”. Meanwhile, if they are really necessary, remember everything and try to do them all.

Use the correct knowledge in more proper way

Things you learn from your teacher maybe correct knowledge and advice.

So, only you should consider is “how to use them in more proper way”.

Not only brushing up your physical yoga and Pilates exercise, thinking about using the correct knowledge “in more proper way” can be a very good mental and spiritual practice of yoga.

sv10s

If you are living in Hyogo / Osaka and interested in yoga, pilates, and thai traditional massage, please check following links as well.

Seed Training welcomes your questions and bookings on yoga, pilates, and Thai traditional massage through contact form and telephone.

*You can take an initial consultation & short trial of Private / semi-private lessons (YOGA / PILATES) for free!

Seed Training,reservation,yoga,pilates,thai traditional massage,amagasaki,hyogo,osaka

090-6756-5136

（I cannot get the phone when I’m having lessons, treatment, and moving. In such a case,please leave a message so that I can call you back later)

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Washing away “Self” with yoga practice

When I went Zen meditation meeting the other day, I heard an interesting story on “Self” from the master.

According to him, he makes time to wash his “Self” away, at least once a day.

In this text, “Self” means the self as the oldest son, the self who had certain experiences in his/her youth, or the self who is called certain nickname, etc…

By washing such “Self” away, the master tries to take a proper distance from the past self, and the self seen or thought by others.

Not only in Zen, yoga philosophy also has the idea similar to this”Self”. This is called Ahamkara.

My master washes off his “Self” by Zazen, reading sutras, and taking bath. These are quite similar to yogic practice.

By concentrating on Asana and meditation, or practicing Niyamas such as Shaucha (purity) and Īśvarapraṇidhāna (Contemplation to the holy beings), yogis can wash away negative aspects of Ahamkara, the self.

It often happens that “my decision” is actually decided by just a habitual power, or something or someone other than me, such as our past history or experience, and common sense.

Besides, overdriven “Self” turns out to be “Ego”, and suffers you from negative emotions such as anger and despair.

To be free and happy from those habitual power and future sufferings, washing off “Self” seems very important.

If your troubles are caused by “Self” as I introduced here, why don’t you try to wash that “Self” off by concentrating on asana and meditation, or think about practicing yoga philosophy in your daily lives?

sv10s

Not only improving your physical condition, Seed Training will also do the best to support improving your mental condition through yoga, pilates. and Thai traditional massage.

Seed Training welcomes your questions and bookings on yoga, pilates, and Thai traditional massage through contact form and telephone.

*You can take an initial consultation & short trial of Private / semi-private lessons (YOGA / PILATES) for free!

Seed Training,reservation,yoga,pilates,thai traditional massage,amagasaki,hyogo,osaka

090-6756-5136

（I cannot get the phone when I’m having lessons, treatment, and moving. In such a case,please leave a message so that I can call you back later)

Remembering Yama & Niyama from “Into Great Silence”

Last day, one client told me about the movie titled “Into Great Silence”.

Her impression on this movie moved my heart so much, and finally I went to experience it by myself.

The movie shows the inside of the strict monastery,

without lightings, narrations, music except for sacred songs and chants.

There were no “intentions” throughout the film.

・・・

But every single cuts was so beautiful as if they were masterpiece pictures.

The quiet, calm, and content eyes of monks seemed to show why the monastery requires strict rules in their daily lives.

In my case, as Yogi,

it was a good opportunity to think again about why do Yogis have to follow “Yama” & “Niyama” (content of Yama & Niyama can be checked from the past article “Buddhism 10 commandments and yogic Yama, Niyama“) in our lives.

Calmness, peace, and contentment of our body, mind and spirit cannot be gained without quiet and non-selfish daily lives.

Even if the purpose of our yoga practice was to improve our physical body, only practicing asanas are not enough. If the daily choice of our behaviors (food, postures, etc…) remains still, the improvement will be so slow and small, and even can be lost very soon.

So, keep Yama & Niyama in our heart much stronger and practice them, not to make our asana practices just stretching.

sv10s

Seed Training is pleased to offer free consultation & trial for private / semi-private yoga / pilates lessons. 

If you are living in Hyogo / Osaka and interested in yoga, pilates, and thai traditional massage, please check following links as well.

Seed Training welcomes your questions and bookings on yoga, pilates, and Thai traditional massage through contact form and telephone.

*You can take an initial consultation & short trial of Private / semi-private lessons (YOGA / PILATES) for free!

Seed Training,reservation,yoga,pilates,thai traditional massage,amagasaki,hyogo,osaka

090-6756-5136

（I cannot get the phone when I’m having lessons, treatment, and moving. In such a case,please leave a message so that I can call you back later)

kyoto,zen,yoga,

800 years of Zen & Kyoto, 80 years of you & yoga, pilates

Zen, it’s 800 years.

This is the phrase which I found at Kennin-ji temple, Kyoto, when I joined master Yosai’s memorial Zen assembly.

The phrase seems to mean the 800th memorial year since master Yosai has brought Zen into Japan. However, not only for Zen, it also seems to means the 800th memorial year for Kyoto.

For example,

Old temples in Kyoto are world famous sightseeing destination. Many of those temples such as Kinkaku-ji (the temple of golden pavilion) and Ginkaku-ji, Ryoan-ji (the temple famous for Zen garden), Tenryu-ji in Arashiyama, they’re all Zen temples.

In those temples, it is often set up tea ceremonies (Some tea ceremonies are opened for drop-in visitors). And Japanese tea culture is strongly connected to Zen culture (The founder of Kennin-ji, master Yosai is known as “Cha-so” (the bringer of tea) as well).

Also, traditional cuisine’s natural and simple cooking and presentation reminds me of Zen philosophy.

And maybe, there are Zen like accurate and severe practice in the backstage of Kyoto culture such as Maiko dancing and Nishijin textile.

If so, it’s not too much to call Kyoto as the “Zen city”, and Zen’s 800 years are Kyoto’s 800 years.

Of course Zen is not everything, but today’s Kyoto and it’s culture seems to have been brushed up by Zen more or less.

・・・

Actually, yoga and pilates share the same thing with Zen in this point. (I believe so…)

I believe learning the natural posture and movement through yoga and pilates can be the base of our daily lives, and  the yogic lifestyle brings flexibility and freedom to our ideas and performances.

Just like Zen’s natural and simple way inspired traditional Kyoto cuisine and, and it’s accuracy and severity supports tradition and craftsmanship.

We individual’s history cannot be lasted for 800 years like Zen, but,

we still get along with our body & mind for about 80 years.

And, we create numerous actions, words and thoughts with our body & mind.

It’s my pleasure if you take yoga and pilates as the basic tool for your body, mind and it’s creation. And if you choose Seed Training for your partner, we will do our best with pleasure.

Gassho

 

sv10s

If you are living in Hyogo / Osaka and interested in yoga, pilates, and thai traditional massage, please check following links as well.

Seed Training welcomes your questions and bookings on yoga, pilates, and Thai traditional massage through contact form and telephone.

*You can take an initial consultation & short trial of Private / semi-private lessons (YOGA / PILATES) for free!

Seed Training,reservation,yoga,pilates,thai traditional massage,amagasaki,hyogo,osaka

090-6756-5136

（I cannot get the phone when I’m having lessons, treatment, and moving. In such a case,please leave a message so that I can call you back later)

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Buddhism 10 commandments and yogic Yama, Niyama

By the chance from monthly Zen meditation practice in Kyoto, I attended to Master Yosai’s 800 years memorial ceremony in Kenninji-temple, Kyoto.

It was the ceremony to officially grant Buddhism (especially Rinzai school of Zen buddhism) commandments to attendants.

The ceremony was taken place from early in the morning until afternoon, and during the ceremony, attendants swore to live life together with the heart of the Buddha in the past, present and future while observing 10 commandments in daily lives.

Since that 10 commandments remind me of the base of yogic lifestyle, Yama and Niyama (yogic ethical rules), I’d like to introduce Yama and Niyama today.

Yama（”shall not” toward the life & world）

Yama is like our promise to all the living things and the world.

As we determine the direction of our thoughts and actions along with Yama, we can relieve the root cause of suffering and ignorance, such as violence, hostility, and desire.

There are 5 yamas, according to Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra.

  1. Ahimsa（Non-violence）
  2. Satya（truthfulness）
  3. Asteya（Non-stealing）
  4. Brahmacharya（Self-control on sex）
  5. Aparigraha（Non-possessiveness）

Niyama（”shall do” for ourselves）

Niyama is the rule of conducts for ourselves.

According to Yoga Sutra, Niyama also consist of 5 rules.

  1. Shaucha（purity）
  2. Santosha（contentment）
  3. Tapas（effort）
  4. Svadhiyaya（self-study）
  5. Ishvara-pranidhana（surrender to the “absolute”）

Buddhism (Zen) 10 commandments

Basically, yogic life is the life of observation and practice of Yama and Niyama.

However, if they are not easy to understand fully, I’ll share Buddhism (Zen) 10 commandments so that each Yama and Niyama meanings become much clearer.

  1. Not to kill the living things.
  2. Not to steal someone’s belongings.
  3. Not to disturb the clean relationships of men and women.
  4. Not to tell a lie.
  5. Not to get drunk and neglect your duty.
  6. Not to speak out someone’s mistake.
  7. Not to be arrogant and speak ill of the others.
  8. Not to be unwilling to serve others.
  9. Not to be agitated by the anger.
  10. Not to doubt the teachings of Buddha and Three treasure (Buddha, Dharma, and Monks).

By listening to some of these commandments, I could feel like,  “O, this reminds me of that in Yama (or Niyama)”.

I usually don’t take much time to explain about these yogic philosophies, but personally I believe that living yogic lifestyle based on Yama and Niyama brings peace and calmness to our mind. It is not rigid at all.

So, if you’re seeking peace and calmness in your heart, please practice little by little.

If you’re interested in practicing Yama and Niyama in your daily living, please feel free to ask in the class.

Gassho

sv10s

If you are living in Hyogo / Osaka and interested in yoga, pilates, and thai traditional massage, please check following links as well.

Seed Training welcomes your questions and bookings on yoga, pilates, and Thai traditional massage through contact form and telephone.

*You can take an initial consultation & short trial of Private / semi-private lessons (YOGA / PILATES) for free!

Seed Training,reservation,yoga,pilates,thai traditional massage,amagasaki,hyogo,osaka

090-6756-5136

（I cannot get the phone when I’m having lessons, treatment, and moving. In such a case,please leave a message so that I can call you back later)