Community Concepts (December 2021)

12/06/2021

Dojo Philosophy for Everyday Life

It’s very important to start by finding a space, both a time and a place, that you can relax and be uninterrupted. Your goal is to be able to one day shoot free throws in front of thousands of screaming people with a clear mind, but at first, take all the help you can get. Take off our watch, put the phone in another room, turn out the light, play relaxing music if it helps you clear your mind. It may even be necessary to get out of your house!

Next, pay attention to your breathing (respiration). A good starting point is to count the seconds that it takes you to breathe in, and count the seconds to breathe out. You don’t need to worry about how long they are, just be aware of the feeling of your lungs in space, and not any other thoughts or judgements. If thoughts or anxieties come to your mind, take a good hard look at them instead of trying to send them off (more like letting something dissolve on your tongue rather than spitting it out).

The state you’re looking for is the placid state between waking and sleeping where you are aware of your body in space, but thoughts are absent or distant and don’t take control of your feelings. You’re trying to separate the version of yourself constructed by your feelings about the past and thoughts about the future from your unfettered self. Give yourself some time to recharge in this state of renewal before you begin to pursue any meditation or prayer goals.

The stage of reflection depends on the mental work you’d like to accomplish. This work can simply be an ordering of your thoughts out of the clutter of modern life. You may want to escape from bad feelings or reactions and need to use this stage to locate the personal truths at their source to begin confronting them. You may wish to break out of a negative cycle and need to locate the behaviors and feelings that tie you to it. You may need to connect yourself to thankfulness for the people and events in your life. All of these goals will require your continued relaxation and mental clarity to pursue. If you find the work spiraling you back to anxiety and tension, back up to relaxation and simplify the work you want to accomplish in that moment. As with any great task, small progressions backed by dedication are the surest path to accomplishment.

Finally, you can come back to your energized, waking self with a clear sense of purpose. Focus on what your realizations mean for the day ahead of you. Even after a session of difficult prayer or meditation, recognize that, like going to the dojo to work out, your sweaty, fatigued body feels worn out, but is taking steps down the path to your goals. Finish your session visualizing the results of your work, the accomplishment of your unfettered self. Open your eyes, thankful for the work that you’ve done, and grateful for all the help you get along the way.