~XueLang

Strength & Love Aren't Separate- Doshin So

One of my students reached out to me on Monday night to let me know the past weekend had been a rough one for him & his family.

A small, unrelated event had triggered him & that trigger put him in a place of blinding rage where all of his frustration and anger from dealing with the quarantine spilled out onto his family.

He felt ashamed and hurt by his actions and wanted help.

He asked for help meditating.

I asked him to meet me at the bridge the next morning.

While following social distancing guidelines, we hiked down the trail for a good mile or so, catching up and chatting about what we had been doing during the quarantine.

We stopped at a set of ruins halfway down the trail, and overlooking the river, together we went into the sitting meditation focusing on the Mindfulness of Breathing.

Afterward, he described how going through the meditation, he was at first overwhelmed by thoughts.

Then, suddenly, they all stopped, and all he could see was the river in front of him.

We spoke a bit more about anger, triggers, and how we can release the rage inside us so it doesn't overwhelm us and result in self-harm or harm those around us.

We walked down from the ruins to the river bank and practiced some Sinawali for a bit.

As we hiked back, he thanked me and said, "You're always telling us that martial arts is about training our mind, not just our body." My hope is that all of us can practice this way together.

My student is a good man.

I am so glad that he reached out to me when he was hurting, that he trusted me to help him, & that he continues to practice the Way.

I am blessed to have so many students like him.

Work to do good.

Be authentic.

Help.