C.S. Sloan's Integral Strength

On the Physical Practice of Zazen and its Application to the Martial Ways      This is the 2nd part in my new series on the Budo Zen path for the martial artist.  Although this series is written for the martial artist, I hope that even those of you who may be lifters might benefit from its insights.  In many ways, it is as much about the intersection of Zen and physical practice in general, meaning that some of its insights will carry over into active pursuits outside of the Asian martial arts.      My intention is for this series to be practical.  I hope that it does have some degree of depth to it but, at the same time, my wish is for it to be easy to understand and easy to apply, though you do have to apply it.  Not applying what is written here would be akin to reading my pieces on strength training but never actually working out.      The cornerstone of Zen is the practice of zazen or ...

  Introduction to a Series on Training Wisdom and Philosophy for the Budo Zen Martial Artist       “There has been much soul-searching and hand-wringing about the appropriate role of samurai or Budo Zen, focused on discipline and self-sacrifice, and what might be called pacifist Zen, focused on nonviolence and compassion. This supposed dichotomy is only a matter of emphasis, however. Budo Zen may focus on the determination of the martial artist Bodhidharma while pacifist Zen focuses on the serenity of the enlightened Buddha. One arrives at compassion through concentration, the other at concentration through compassion.” ~Roshi Richard Collins      Starting with this essay, I want to do a series on walking the path of the Budo Zen way.  The title of this essay, and of this series in general, is, in a way (pun intended) a bit nonsensical.  Budo means “martial way.”  Bu meaning “martial” and do meaning “way” so, techni...

“Attaining the way means attaining it completely with the whole body. With this awareness you should practice immovably.” ~Dogen Zenji      In this essay—as odd as it might seem at first—I want to use a couple of quotes from Dogen’s classic Zazen-Gi (which can be translated as “Principles of Zazen,” and is itself a book within his larger Shobogenzo or “The Treasury of the True Dharma Eye”) to look at how we might, from some practical perspectives, have the correct mind while practicing budo, and that this mind will lead us to fudoshin, or “immovable mind.” How do we cultivate this immovable mind so necessary for the practice of true budo?      To begin with, we need to have the correct attitude before we even start our training, and before every practice session that we undertake. Before you enter the dojo, dojang, or kwoon, you need to let go of the thoughts and worries of the day, and anything that is just bothering you generally in life. You may hav...

  I haven't written any "budo philosophy" pieces of late because, well, they don't get near as many views as my essays on old-school strength training, powerlifting, and bodybuilding.  But I enjoy writing them, and, to be quite honest, I think they're some of the better essays here on my blog.  The idea for this one had been churning away in my mind for a few weeks, so I thought it was time to put pen to paper and see what comes of it.  I hope you find it, at the very least, to be an interesting take on an "obscure" subject: The Budo That Can’t Be Seen “Do the budo that can’t be seen,” ~Morihei Ueshiba “It is bad for those who are learning Zen to become like those who are studying Zen but do not sit.  After all, you must have the discipline to sit everyday.” ~Omori Sogen      The first quote comes from the founder of Aikido, also known as O-Sensei, and it’s the primary thing I want to discuss in this essay: how one does the budo that ca...