"The religion that inspires the music influences it. The culture in which the music was written and in which it has been performed for centuries has also had a pervasive influence on more than just the notes and composition. A familiarity with that religion and a lifelong conversance with that culture provide insight and perspective on the music that are very, very difficult for one not similarly equipped...And we must understand that we don't come to the dojo with a complete set of cultural decoders that enable us to break down the barriers that stand in our way. It's a daunting task...Are you up for it?"
—from "Budo and Bach" as found in Traditions: Essays on the Japanese Martial Arts and Ways by Dave Lowry
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The thesis of a paper I wrote for a "Zen and Taoism" college course made a similar argument: as a Westerner, I was/am incapable of comprehending Zen in the same way as someone born into a culture steeped in the tenets of such faith. And yet, here I am: practicing a martial art (Shotokan karate) infused with, and inspired by, the basic building blocks of Zen Buddhism.
Not only that, but I am having to learn how to (re)use a body that was broken and bent by twelve years of chronic pain. But the freedom of the gift that is the relief of that pain, and how walking the way (do) of karate contributes to the continued experience of enjoying this body again, encourages me to keep training.
Am I up for it? I am. I embrace the challenges. I seek the solutions to the puzzles provided by body and mind.
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