Oct. 1, 5:30 am. Up at 3:45, on the road by 4am off to the ancient Taisenji Temple in Gifu Prefecture's Yaotsu Village. This temple is famous for Zazen, Zen meditation, and hosted the legendary swordsman Miyamoto Musashi almost 400 years ago,...
The surrounding hills were still covered in mist when we arrived....
Ad agency friend Oshiro San and I went up to Gifu by car, and after a short talk from the head priest there, joined 30 others, (mostly locals and mostly elderly) in a 30 minute meditation session.
Sit on your folded knees, close your eyes, relax, and let your mind slip away,...truth be told my mind slipped away years ago... Zazen really is relaxing, tho' I think part of the experience is being at an old temple such as this one. It just wouldn't be the same doing it at home on the kitchen floor.
After the meditation all took part in a light breakfast of rice gruel, a salted, pickled plum, a slice of pickled radish and a slice of something else,..not sure what that brown thing is / was...
Oct. 1, 5:30 am. Up at 3:45, on the road by 4am off to the ancient Taisenji Temple in Gifu Prefecture's Yaotsu Village. This temple is famous for Zazen, Zen meditation, and hosted the legendary swordsman Miyamoto Musashi almost 400 years ago,...
The surrounding hills were still covered in mist when we arrived....
Ad agency friend Oshiro San and I went up to Gifu by car, and after a short talk from the head priest there, joined 30 others, (mostly locals and mostly elderly) in a 30 minute meditation session.
Sit on your folded knees, close your eyes, relax, and let your mind slip away,...truth be told my mind slipped away years ago... Zazen really is relaxing, tho' I think part of the experience is being at an old temple such as this one. It just wouldn't be the same doing it at home on the kitchen floor.
After the meditation all took part in a light breakfast of rice gruel, a salted, pickled plum, a slice of pickled radish and a slice of something else,..not sure what that brown thing is / was...
My stepfather in Japan talked to me about and your passion for samurai and Miyamoto Musashi. I really enjoy your blog as we share the same passion.
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