The way of the bow forces me to learn how to meet seme with calmness.
This lesson hasn’t taken root yet, so I must remember every time:
Still but not still.
Silent but not silent.
If you just watch carefully:
Gaze straight ahead,
In the periphery, without looking,
You’ll see.
You’ll sense every detail,
And your heartbeat,
And your movements that no one can see
But you can feel,
And the entirety, the gestalt,
All at once;
And your breath will synchronize.
If you just listen closely:
Girigirigiri,
Shhhfftt, shhhfffft, shhhfffft;
Bones quietly creaking as bodies shift,
Twist and turn;
Tap,
Creak,
Shhhhffftttt….
Creeeaaaak…kkk…kk..
…
Thuuung!
All are harmonious undercurrents.
Nothing here is your enemy.
When your turn comes,
Move ever to meet it, never to clash with it.
Accept it.
Work with it.
Feel how hard it’s trying to serve you, and meet it
— Kai —
With the gratitude you insist on living your life by.
It’s trying its hardest, so
Be kind,
Trust it to serve the purpose it was crafted for,
And feel the fear leave your body.
Last revised August 10 2024
Originally written early 2024
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