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Bansetsuan – An Esoteric Kata inspired poem

2 May

My early morning Esoteric Kata session inspired this poem (To enhance your experience, please watch these this video, with your sound on, before and after reading the poem, see endnote # 2) If you do enjoy this post, there is another Kata-inspired poem at the bottom of the page in the Instagram link.

Bansetsuan

Morning. Fog.

Unseen, songs sung, 

Unseen Hands

    Mold the clay

Bats Buzz, clay becomes –

     a Man.

The poem came to me during my morning (5:30 am) Kata performance. As there are bears that roam this early, I usually perform my morning Kata on my deck high above the Earth. The day was a Sacred Day. The Sacred Day being Wednesday. My dear friend and Karate-Do comrade Sensei Wayne Norlander passed away May 18th, 2011, a Wednesday. Each Wednesday thereafter (without fail) I would perform his favorite Kata in his honor. I think his immortal spirit whispered the poem within the song of the birds and the breeze (see videos, with sound on). Miss you Sensei Wayne, but your spirit is eternal, and eternal you endure (nod to Dante Alighieri).

One of my Karate-Do comrades would refer to performing Kata as the “Clay in the mold” Kata being the mold, the performer the clay. “Bansetsuan” translates as “Retreat of the untalented teacher.”

Until the next time, practice your Esoteric Kata with an open mind, pure heart and clean spirit, 

  * (with the privilege and permission of the superiors)

Endnotes:

1. “Bansetsuan” was the name of the Aikido Dojo of Sensei Kenosha Furuya. I did not train with him; however, I am highly enamored of his marvelous book, Kodo: Ancient Ways. I have had my copy for many decades and consider it a must read for any Martial Artist

2. The poem came to me as I performed the mandala section of Suparunpei Kata. I then proceeded to perform Sanchin Kata at which time, the bats buzzed right over my head and remained throughout the Kata and for long enough to let me film them. Enjoy

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Katannabis and Prayer – Enhanced Meditation

3 Oct

Katannabis Ritual Meditation, my entheogenic combination of Kata-Rx and Cannabis, is an acutely, intense practice. It is solemn. There are aspects that cannot be toyed with.

It is for this reason that I selectively disseminate its methods not only here on this blog, but also in my free online courses. It’s deepest secrets I reserve only for in-person instruction. There is always a tension; however, between what is safe to disclose to the uninitiated and what cannot be disclosed. “ In her book Psychic Self-Defense, Dion Fortune, the nome d’plume for Violet Mary Firth, faced a similar conundrum, “To disclose sufficient to be adequate without disclosing sufficient to be dangerous.” (E-Book, Chapter 1).

With this in mind, I’m going to disclose a technique used in Katannabis that is profoundly, solemn and rewarding. It is to combine Katannabis ritual meditation and “prayer.” Now, one of the things I am not going to fully disclose is my definition of “prayer.” Such definition, while recognizing the ancient concept of prayer does not have religious underpinnings. It does; however, require a “sacrifice” (the physical performance of Kata-Rx), an unbounded psyche (provided by the cannabis entheogen) and most importantly a pure, cleansed and atoned spirit. Only then can the profound Divine be encountered.

Prayer is most profound during the performance of my “Sacred Trinity” of Kata, Sanchin, Seienchin and Suparunpei. You can view a video of a portion of Sanchin Kata below.

I will only teach the exact methodology to advanced students in person. Below, you can see my highly redacted personal Katannabis notes for one aspect of the Sanchin Prayer methodology.

You can learn My Kata-Rx to use in your Katannabis ritual meditation using this safe, convenient link to my online school: https://kata-rx.teachable.com/p/preview-kata-as-moving-meditation The course is FREE! 

How far you want to explore its depths is upto you.

Cum superiorum privilegio veniaque 

(with the priviledge and permission of the superiors)

Sensei John Szmitkowski

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Exploring Katannabis – Add A Koan

18 Jul

I supplement my daily Katannabis (the combination of Kata-Rx and medical cannabis) with the use of a koan. (See Endnote # 1)   In my practice I do not restrict myself to traditional koans. I include philosophical concepts, quotes and other such mind-benders. A few of my personal favorites are from Dante’s Divine Comedy, especially, Inferno. One passage in particular is from Canto III which I love paring with the opening sequence of Seienchin Kata. I find that this passage nicely meshes with the breathing and movement of that set of three sequences.

You can see the surreal pairing in the video below. This video is of the first sequence, I repeat in for the next two sequences of the kata.

I find my Katannabis meditation experiences allow me to live a fulfilled, complete life in the manner in which, I believe, human life was intended to do. If you have a pure heart and open spirit, you too can embark on a Katannabis meditation practice. Is it easy? No, nothing worthy is. Will it enlighten you? Absolutely, but remember enlightenment isn’t unicorns and roses, it often involves a cold slap in the face.

You can learn My Kata-Rx to use in your Katannabis ritual meditation using this safe, convenient link to my online school: https://kata-rx.teachable.com/p/preview-kata-as-moving-meditation The course is FREE! 

Enjoy your Kata-Rx and Katannabis,

Sensei John Szmitkowski

1. For those of you not familiar with a koan, the general definition is 

a paradoxical anecdote or riddle, used in Zen Buddhism to demonstrate the inadequacy of logical reasoning and to provoke enlightenment.

A classic example is the question, “What is the sound of one hand clapping?”

For me, the meditation and contemplation of such traditional koans are unsatisfactory, unfulfilling and unenlightening. I prefer something less esoteric to meditate on. One of my favorites is shown in the above video.

Sensei’s Journal – Entry # 8: Bees & Dragons

22 Mar

A favorite practice in both my Kata-Rx For Wellness and Katannabis meditation (the entheogenic combination of Kata-Rx and medical cannabis) is to contemplate a koan, idea, concept or poem. Here is one example from last night’s Katannabis. This one is martial in nature. It was born of war.


In last night’s Katannabis, I used it to consider its application to a peaceful, serene lifestyle. Much of martial ideology superficially speaks in terms of conflict. A deeper understanding of it leads one down a peaceful path of conflict resolution.

The koan abbreviates a lesson from the wars of antiquity. The original can be found in Opinions In Ninety-Nine Articles”, Takeda Nobushige (1525-1561). The full text is: “One’s soldiers should not yell abuse at the enemy. An old saying goes, “Arouse a bee and it will come back at you with the force of a dragon.”

          Try Kata-Rx yourself for FREE:
You can try my Kata-Rx for FREE, safely and conveniently in the comfort of your own home by enrolling for FREE in my online class: https://kata-rx.teachable.com/p/preview-kata-as-moving-meditation

Here’s another example of Kata-Rx and a Koan you may enjoy filmed in a gentle snowfall.



Respectfully submitted,


Sensei John Szmitkowski


Follow Sensei John on Instagram. Simply follow “1day1lifetime” for daily updates on all of Sensei’s projects:

   Kata-Rx for wellness & mindfullness;

    Katannabis (the entheogenic combination of Kata-Rx & medical cannabis);

    Kata-Rx & Koan daily meditations;

    Kata Laboratory where you can “Think – Sweat – Experiment” with your Kata & Sensei John’s innovative concepts.

Enjoy your Instagram experience with Sensei John.

Kata-RX In The Depth Of Winter

25 Jan

Donations are appreciated

If you enjoy the FREE posts, videos, or have tried my FREE Kata-RX course & have the ability to donate, please feel free to do so & help defray the costs of same. Thank-you & please try the FREE course.

$5.00

=== Now, for this week’s installment, “Kata-RX In The Depth Of Winter Snow”

A primary advantage of my Kata-RX over other forms of moving meditation such as yoga or Tai-Chi is that ANYbody, ANYwhere and ANYtime can perform Kata-RX. I am living proof of this simple reality each and every day.

This weekend was no different. Snow was in the forecast for the first time this year. Though the storm produced less snow accumulations than predicted, by days end, I still had to go out and shovel. How to get ready to combat the winter?

Simple, time for a little pre-shovel kata in the snow! And, to increase the effects of my Kata-RX, I added a koan to contemplate during the kata. Adding a koan facilitates the ascendancy experience (See endnote # 1) https://senseijohn.me/2019/09/25/kata-koan-preview-sea-monsters-in-your-ocean/

My koan was a quote from Albert Camus:

“In the depth of winter,
I discovered that
Within me there lay
An invincible summer.”

 Here’s a preview video from that Kata-RX session, enjoy and click the link to learn Kata-RX For Wellness for FREE! https://kata-rx.teachable.com/p/preview-kata-as-moving-meditation The video gives you a peak at the three easy but profound Kata-RX For Wellness you will learn: 

Ghost Hand Kata – to adjust visualization & perception;
Sanchin Kata – the three aspects of life (Breath – Body – Mind);
1 Day / 1 Lifetime Kata – ascendancy

See you in class, again its FREE https://kata-rx.teachable.com/p/preview-kata-as-moving-meditation

Sensei John Szmitkowski

Endnotes:

1. Kata-RX facilitates the ascendancy experience of meditation. The depth of attention ascending (from the least attentive at the bottom to the most attentive) will go something like this: (note: there are 2 types of ascendancy): 

Ghost OF Christmas Future – A Katannabis Koan

30 Nov

     I supplement my daily Katannabis (the combination of Kata-Rx and medical cannabis) with the use of a koan. A koan, in general is a thought provoking Zen riddle. The classic, “What is the sound of one hand clapping,” is an example. In my practice I include philosophical concepts, quotes and other such mind-benders. Though many are derived from the numerous books I read (38 this year as of today according to my Goodreads account) they can come from many sources, some unexpected.

    Tradition dictates that the Saturday after Thanksgiving my wife and I put up our Christmas tree. This year, we were blessed to have our young grandson join us. As background noise, we were watching a recording of the Dr. Who “A Christmas Carol” episode (S6 E 0, air date 12/25/10). No plot spoilers here except to say that there was an interesting plot liberality when The Doctor acted as the Ghost Of Christmas Future. Instead of showing the Scrooge-character named Kazran, played by Michael Gambon, his future, The Doctor showed Kazran as a child what his future was, in effect, what he would become. For some reason, that whole concept hit me hard. “What would it be like if my 19 year old self could see my 59 year old self?”

Sensei Nick, myself, Shihan Don Nagle, Circa: 1975

Nineteen was a pivotal age for me. It was therefore a good age upon which to base my reflection. That night during Katannabis I meditated on the idea. It was so profound that I continued for several nights and plan on doing so until Christmas. I am keeping a journal of my thoughts. Page after page I recorded memories long buried. Some good, others not so. I’m curious to see what else will be revealed in the coming days. The process is profound. Not easy to be sure, but painfully honest, cleansing like a spiritual colon-cleaning. The memories, comfortable and uncomfortable produce and foster an acceptance, for lack of a better word.

My results were and continue to be so deep, I would encourage you to embark on your own Katannabis journey and meditate on what a younger version of yourself would think if it met you today.

    You can learn My Kata-Rx to use in your Katannabis ceremony using this safe, convenient link to my online school enrollment is FREE!   https://kata-rx.teachable.com/p/preview-kata-as-moving-meditation 

      For more on Katannabis, the entheogenic combination of my Kata-Rx and medical cannabis, please use this link: https://senseijohn.me/2020/10/26/kata-rx-medical-cannabis-katannabis-2/

For more on the use of Koans with either your Kata-Rx For Wellness or Katannabis, please use this link: https://senseijohn.me/2019/09/25/kata-koan-preview-sea-monsters-in-your-ocean/         Here’s a video of one of my Katannabis/Koan sessions in the “Depth Of Winter”


Enjoy your Kata-Rx and Katannabis,

Sensei John Szmitkowski

Kata-RX In The Depth Of Winter

22 Jan

Donations are appreciated

If you enjoy the FREE posts, videos, or have tried my FREE Kata-RX course & have the ability to donate, please feel free to do so & help defray the costs of same. Thank-you & please try the FREE course.

$5.00

=== Now, for this week’s installment, “Kata-RX In The Depth Of Winter Snow”

A primary advantage of my Kata-RX over other forms of moving meditation such as yoga or Tai-Chi is that ANYbody, ANYwhere and ANYtime can perform Kata-RX. I am living proof of this simple reality each and every day.

This weekend was no different. Snow was in the forecast for the first time this year. Though the storm produced less snow accumulations than predicted, by days end, I still had to go out and shovel. How to get ready to combat the winter?

Simple, time for a little pre-shovel kata in the snow! And, to increase the effects of my Kata-RX, I added a koan to contemplate during the kata. Adding a koan facilitates the ascendancy experience (See endnote # 1) https://senseijohn.me/2019/09/25/kata-koan-preview-sea-monsters-in-your-ocean/

My koan was a quote from Albert Camus:

“In the depth of winter,
I discovered that
Within me there lay
An invincible summer.”

 Here’s a preview video from that Kata-RX session, enjoy and click the link to learn Kata-RX For Wellness for FREE! https://kata-rx.teachable.com/p/preview-kata-as-moving-meditation The video gives you a peak at the three easy but profound Kata-RX For Wellness you will learn: 

Ghost Hand Kata – to adjust visualization & perception;
Sanchin Kata – the three aspects of life (Breath – Body – Mind);
1 Day / 1 Lifetime Kata – ascendancy

See you in class, again its FREE https://kata-rx.teachable.com/p/preview-kata-as-moving-meditation

Sensei John Szmitkowski

Endnotes:

1. Kata-RX facilitates the ascendancy experience of meditation. The depth of attention ascending (from the least attentive at the bottom to the most attentive) will go something like this: (note: there are 2 types of ascendancy): 

Kata & Koan Preview: Sea-Monsters In Your Ocean

25 Sep

Donations are welcome!

If you enjoy this post, videos, or have tried my FREE Kata-RX course & have the ability to donate, please feel free to do so & help defray the costs of same. Thank-you & please try the FREE course.

$5.00

          Wow!
Course # 1 in my Kata-RX For Wellness & Mindfulness Program is now FREE!
Use this link to join for FREE https://kata-rx.teachable.com/p/preview-kata-as-moving-meditation

========= Now, for this week’s installment, “Kata & Koan Preview – Sea Monsters In Your Ocean”

I’m toying with a new video series to help you practice your Kata-RX with me. In my personal practice I often combine my Kata-RX with a thought-provoking reading; a form of meditative koan, if you will. (See note 1) I find the combination of Kata and koan (or thought provoking concept) produces a far-reaching physical and mental experience. Now, you can too.

You can practice your Kata-RX with the video. As you perform your Kata-RX you are immersed in the sounds of nature. As you absorb the sounds and beauty of the kata environment, the koan triggers your mind to enter a deeply contemplative state. The result? Well, the best description is for you to try it. The first step is simple – enroll in my FREE first course. In as little as a half hour, your well on your way. Use this link to join for FREE – https://kata-rx.teachable.com/p/preview-kata-as-moving-meditation

Here is a preview of what I’m toying with. This video uses a reading from John Steinbeck – “We need Sea-Monsters . . . “ You can see the full text of the narration below.
Enjoy the video!

To further enrich your enjoyment of the Kata-RX here is the text of the narration in the video. It is from John Steinbeck’s “The Log Of The Sea Of Cortez” (Penguin Books, New York, NY) p.27-28.

Men really need sea monsters in their personal oceans.
For the ocean, deep and black in depths, is like the low dark levels of our minds in which the dream symbols incubate and sometimes rise up to sight. . . And even if the symbol vision is horrible, it is there and it is ours. An ocean without its unnamed monsters would be like a completely dreamless sleep.

One historical note. Those of you that are not new to this site know that this is not something new. In 2009 when I first launched my “Sanchin For Everyone” project, I devised my “Sanchin Pilgrimages” combining philosophy, ideology, scientific theorem and other such semi-knowable concepts with kata. Here are some early examples https://senseijohn.me/category/a-sanchin-pilgrimage/
From that starting point, I developed my kata concepts one step further with a more broadly defined Online Group Kata sessions, https://senseijohn.me/category/thats-ok/

During the pendency of my producing more koan videos, you may use some of my past submissions to tailor make your own meditative Kata-koan experience.

I look forward to seeing you in class.

Sensei John Szmitkowski

Use this link to get the first course for FREE https://kata-rx.teachable.com/p/preview-kata-as-moving-meditation

Endnotes:

1. For those of you not familiar with a koan, the general definition is

a paradoxical anecdote or riddle, used in Zen Buddhism to demonstrate the inadequacy of logical reasoning and to provoke enlightenment.

A classic example is the question, “What is the sound of one hand clapping?”
For me, the meditation and contemplation of such traditional koans are unsatisfactory, unfulfilling and unenlightening. I prefer something less esoteric to meditate on. One of my favorites is shown in the above video.