Several years ago I made a list of all the things that I would like to spend my time on, in order of importance. Relationship and family were the first two. But we all maintain busy lives and finding a balance between relationship, family, work and daily chores is not easy.

I want to stand at the top of a mountain
And whisper before we are destroyed
“Keep going”

March 11, 2011 – Tokyo, Japan – Magnitude 6.6 Earthquake

This is it, I thought, this is what I have been waiting for—the bristle of reality to curl its bony fingers up my spine and puncture the reverie. No one knew how to react aside from a few squeezed murmurs of terror. The world was ending. The haze broke and I clutched the desk, waiting—waiting for pieces of sky to shatter at my feet. That was the first second, but then it got worse. I felt the tips of my hair touch the blade before it connected with my skull—the crushing weight of it all ending bearing down on my existence. … It was something… so strangely familiar. I remember taking a breath then and recalling that I could move. The sword never touched me—not even a thread of my clothing was severed. Our Japanese Social Problems professor had already bolted into the hallway, popping her head back in just to tell us to get out as fast as we could.

If you have not linked yourself to true emptiness, you will never understand The Art of Peace. Morihei UeshibaThe founder of Aikido (dec 14, 1883 - apr 26, 1969), also known as O'sensei

At the end of February 2010, invited by a friend, I agreed to check out a beginner’s class at Bucks County AikidoThe word "Aikido" is made up of three japanese characters: ai - harmony, ki - spirit, mind, or universal energy, do - the way. Thus Aikido is "the way of harmony with universal energy.". I had no idea what I was getting myself into. If someone told me back then that some 14 months later I would pick this subject of ZenA school of Mahayana Buddhism emphasizing the value of meditation and intuition. for a piece in BCA Journal after spending quite a few hours in the dojoPlace of the way; a place for strengthening and refinement body, mind and spirit; training hall, and going through a sesshin last October, my best response would have been a skeptical smile.  Back then, the only thing in my mind that linked martial arts with Buddhism and meditation was the fact that it was the prevalent religion and philosophy in the countries which everyone associates with martial arts, and of course the images of amazing Shaolin monks dispatching countless enemies in the movies.

There is one more thing you need to do…Approach it like your head is being held under water. - Lyons SenseiTeacher; anyone who gives guidance along the way; literally "born before"

Knowing you are stuck, in the dojoPlace of the way; a place for strengthening and refinement body, mind and spirit; training hall environment, can create a little tension.  

Some might call it a “gift”. I had a few other choice words in mind.

To me, the commitment of a martial artist is more subtle and less obvious than simple, continued, persistent effort. Open-hearted in every moment, a martial artist is willing to adapt as necessary, reverse course, or completely let go of everything even unto death. Time invested in conventional commitments is of no consequence, whether it’s in a job, a career, a marriage, or the study of an art. Fear of the loss of long-held ideas (lifestyle) can feel just as terrifying as a real death and is confronted head on. This is a commitment of a higher priority, to that of unconditional presence.