Written by Sensei Mitch on January 13, 2014
Afraid of what?
A Zen Thing . Awareness . Quotes . State of MindYou can do anything if you’re not afraid. – from the movie “Daredevil” (2003) Well almost anything. Let us remember this is a quote from a movie. And not a very good movie either starring Ben Affleck. Regardless the quote bares further contemplation. Everyone is afraid of something, unless they are insane. Some are afraid
Written by Sensei Mitch on January 7, 2014
Great Looking Effort, No Real Accomplishment
A Zen Thing . State of Mind . Training notesBeing busy does not always mean real work. The object of all work is production or accomplishment and to either of these ends there must be Forethought, System, Planning, Intelligence, and Honest Purpose, as well as Perspiration. Seeming to do is not doing” – Thomas Edison Given the measure of accomplishments Thomas Edison made in
Written by Sensei Mitch on November 20, 2013
Meditation Point #104
A Zen ThingShake off this sadness, and recover your Spirit; sluggish you will never see the wheel of fate that brushes your heel as it turns going by, the man who wants to live is the man in whom life is abundant. – – Miguel de Unamuno To often we let life get us down. In our
Written by Sensei Mitch on August 7, 2013
Unity, Truth, and Goodness
A Zen Thing . Quotes . State of MindWhat do Unity, Truth, and Goodness have to do with the Martial Arts? That is perhaps hard for many to see, especially those new to the Martial Arts. Here is a quote to start the conversation with: Franciscan John Duns Scotus says that when the one, and the true, and the good are operating in
Written by Sensei Mitch on August 4, 2013
A Different Mindset
A Zen Thing . Quotes . State of Mind . Training notes“It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.” —Mark Twain In life we are told and taught to be prepared. Mark Twain’s quote states the obvious, no one knowingly gets up in front of a crowd to speak without preparing! We prepare for everything from presentation to disasters. But
Written by Sensei Mitch on February 25, 2013
The Eleven Proverbs of Mas Oyama
A Zen Thing . Quotes . State of MindThe Martial Way begins and ends with courtesy, therefore, be properly and genuinely courteous at all times. Following the Martial Way is like scaling a cliff – continue upwards without rest. It demands absolute and unfaltering devotion to the task at hand. Strive to seize the initiative in all things, all the time guarding against actions stemming
Written by Sensei Mitch on January 21, 2013
Meditation Point #133 – Good v Evil
A Zen Thing . Quotes . State of MindThe best way to fight evil is with small acts of kindness. — Gandlaf, The Hobbit The actual quote is “…what I have found it is the small everyday deeds or ordinary folks that keep the darkness at bay.” but I like my version better. And it holds true more often then we may like
Written by Sensei Mitch on December 6, 2011
Meditation Point #132 – Crisis
A Zen ThingA friend of mine is going through a very difficult time. It is hard watching someone deal with a crisis in their life when there isn’t a lot you can do for them but be there for them as a friend. I’ve been thinking about this fact for the past week and wondering if there
Written by Sensei Mitch on October 5, 2011
The Magnificent Exterior
A Zen Thing . Quotes . Religion . State of MindThe brothers praised a monk before Abba Anthony. When the monk came to see him, Anthony wanted to know how he would bear insults, and seeing that he could not bear them at all, he said to him, “You are like a village magnificently decorated on the outside, but destroyed from within by robbers.”— St.
Written by Sensei Mitch on October 3, 2011
Body, Mind & Soul
A Zen Thing . Religion . State of MindWhen a Wise man thought about the depth of the judgments of God, he asked, “Lord, how is it that some die when they are young, while others drag on to extreme old age? Why are there those who are poor and those who are rich? Why do wicked men prosper and why are the
