Guideline # 4: Keep A Katannabis Journal
Notwithstanding my five decades of Karate and my over two decades of exploring Katannabis, I still memorialize my daily Katannabis session. Albeit, my session notes are rough. At a minimum the notes contain basic information as to the fundamentals of the session parameters. Namely, inter-alia, the strain of flower utilized, the dosage and frequency of cannabis, the type of incense or music, if any, the Kata performed and the order of performance.
Using the parameters as a foundation, I then build my Katannabis session notes by memorializing my experiences, insights and inspirations as they occur to me. By spontaneously doing so, I am able to capture the essence of my Katannabis, without thought or preconception. This provides me with the purest documentation for further analysis, meditation and reflection. The “follow-up” considerations I do both while under the influence of the Katannabis cannabis entheogen and without same.
I highly encourage you to maintain your own Katannabis journal. It is very important in early stages of Katannabis. I don’t think you can have a rewarding Katannabis experience without documenting your steps along the way. Trust me, your notes will be necessary as you modify your Katannabis syllabus. To this day, two decades later, though I have a core of Kata within my Katannabis syllabus, I still make adjustments to the order in which they are performed and other such adjustments. It is in the modifications that your experiences become heightened.
In addition, when you have a Katannabis experience, you want to document not only the experience but the conditions that gave rise to it. This serves a two-fold purpose. If the experience is positive, you will want to replicate it. If an experience cannot be replicated then it may not be an epiphenomenon of your Katannabis. It may simply be a one-time coincidence.
If, on the other hand, your experience is one that is unpleasant, and “Yes,” you will have such an experience. You will want to fully understand the experience and the manner in which it arose. Then you can make an informed decision as to whether such an experience was an epiphenomenon of your Katannabis and if so, how to avoid it.
I know this sounds a bit like school and homework. You can make the process enjoyable. I love the feel of writing with a fountain pen, so I keep my pens handy during Katannabis. Each pen is filled with its own unique ink which adds to the enjoyment. I also include little sketches and diagrams. An artist I am not, but again, this adds to the overall experience. In fact, I look at the journaling process as a “Kata” within my syllabus. And, “Yes,” the act of writing can be looked at as a Kata.
Katannabis ritual meditation is a serious endeavor. That being said, in addition to be enlightening, thought-provoking and eye-opening, it should be enjoyable. In my experience, I find the act of memorializing my experiences adds to such enjoyment. Have a puff or an edible, do you Kata and get out that pen and paper. Until next time,
Cum superiorum privilegio veniaque *
Sensei John Szmitkowski
* (with the privilege and permission of the superiors)
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During this time, I seriously began documenting, codifying and memorializing my research and experiments with Katannabis.™ I created the Sanchin-Dai Kata (“Great Three Battles”) as part of an experiment into the “Prayer-effect” of Kata. The prayer-effect is one means of attaining the ultimate experience of Katannabis meditation – the attainment of first a higher state of physical being and second experiencing the higher dimensional states first hand. 
The answer is – Zazen! Yes, seated meditation!
The last level at last. Level VI is the level that I call, “Level/No-Level.” Level/No-level is a nod towards the state-of-mind known as Mushin/No-Shin, “Mind-no mind.” Level VI is a level in an of itself, but isn’t. It is active but static, physical but non-physical. It will have two kata. The first is the omnipresent, primordial Kata, Sanchin. Books, volumes and volumes of books can (and should) be written on Sanchin. In fact there will be very detailed discussion of Sanchin further on. Want a hint at the esoteric, just search Sanchin in this sites search bar and see what I’ve previously written about this remarkable Kata. Within the context of Katannabis, Sanchin shines and reveals its deepest, sometimes darkest secrets.
In my experience the single best Kata for this level is Seienchin. (For those readers unfamiliar with Seienchin, please see endnote # 1) Now, I will readily admit that Seienchin is near and dear to my heart. It is my closest Kata companion since I first learned it as a green belt in 1975. So, its been with me for a while. I was always drawn to it. Throughout my life it nurtured and sustained me in times of need. So, yeah, I am prejudiced to it.
Sensei’s passing, May 18th, 2011, was a Wednesday. Every Wednesday, since that melancholy day, I have performed Kunchaba in his memory. This had two effects. First, in the thirteen years, more than 676 Wednesdays, since that day, the Kunchaba Kata has been inextricably linked to Sensei’s memory and honor. In essence, it is imbued with his spirit; almost to a point of personification. Second, Wednesday has effectively become a sacred, almost “holy” day for me. Many strange events have taken place on a Wednesday – even having my life saved, you can read about that here 
The following topics are reserved for the Advanced Katannabis practitioner and beyond the reach of the beginner. Frankly, peruse, read and study these topics ONLY if you have at least one year of Katannabis experience. To do otherwise is to court danger.
My full Katannabis journal (in reverse chronological order): 
Kata-RX For wellness 
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