Last week’s question in the dojo was, “When you think of home, specifically, what do you think of?” When I think of home, I first think of the physical place I am most often when I’m not at the dojo and

Yesterday afternoon, I was participating in one of humanity’s favorite pastimes: sitting on the couch and thinking about the time I have to get things done this week. When I recognize my mind going past the helpful phase of listing

This Saturday marks 10 years since our first day of classes at the School of Martial Arts. We originally opened the school at a location a few blocks away. We moved to our current location when we ran out of

Some of you reading this may not have yet experienced the negative aspects of growing old. Early in life we can’t wait to grow up so that we have all the perceived freedoms in life. We see parents and older

[Growing old post] In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few. - Shunryu Suzuki, Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind Beginner’s mind is one of the most important concepts in our practice. When we come to a martial

Our practices of Martial Arts and meditation are very special, not everyday experiences. We bring our best, highest selves to class. We use each technique as an opportunity to hone our body and mind. Our focus and mindfulness increase as

Every November I get very excited for Thanksgiving. Troubling historical context not withstanding, it’s my favorite holiday because I love spending time with family and I love eating food. I also think the reminder to be thankful and give thanks

We all have different reasons to practice martial arts and meditation. These reasons change as we grow in our practice. One of the best things I’ve heard on the subject is that people start practicing for good reasons, keep practicing

As Buddha said, life is suffering. This does not mean that suffering cannot be avoided or overcome, but rather that to suffer is our default experience of life. It comes very naturally for us. We must work to overcome it,