Tag Archives: Koan

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.

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