The Silk Thread of Gorindo - Ottawa - Canada
Issue 10
- Desiderata for the Martial Artist
Photo cover Roxanne Standefer sensei, August 2011, by Claudio Iedwab
Give a Little Bit
A student goes down the street to visit the tea master. This master welcomes students to learn the art of 'chado', the tea ceremony. This precise ritual is respected for its grace, order, and difficulty of execution. The traditional Zen tearoom is one of the only places the samurai warrior removes his sword.
Throughout the silent movements of the Zen master, the student asks many questions. He asks about the true meaning of life, how to become a master, why teachers answer questions with questions, why are there no windows in the teahouse, what is the sound of one hand clapping, why is the teahouse door so small, and is there any sugar for his tea?
Not noticing that the teacher has had no time or room to respond to the storm of questions, the student does notice that the tea master is pouring him his tea, and the tea is flowing over the top of the cup, over the table, and onto the 'tatami' (straw floor mats). Shocked that such an experienced tea master has spilled the tea, he shouts, “Stop! What are you doing?”
The tea master answers,”“Your mind is like this cup, too full and overflowing for any answers to pour in. Empty your cup and make a little room for emptiness. Be open so that what you learn can take the shape of your cup. Bow your head and make yourself small, like the door you have just entered, so that you can open your spirit to grow bigger.”
The student drank his tea, turned the cup in a full circle, placed it quietly on the low table, and bowed.
Excerpt from “The Peaceful Way - A Children's Guide to the Traditions of the Martial Arts” by Claudio Iedwab & Roxanne Standefer
Illustration by © Claudio Iedwab
- Desiderata for the Martial Artist
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