Kosaka Sensei & Kyudo Instruction

Of course there was some instruction in the kyudo class with Kosaka Sensei on how to shoot.

But more than his to shoot, Sensei taught us how to look... How to listen...

'Look with our ears, listen with our eyes'. With instructions like this, from the ancient teachings, we begin our journey.

But more than this his sparse use of words made us listen. The process embedded in the dojo practice lead us to look deeply and subtly at ourselves and how fit with all around us.

It's been done like this from generation to generation for countless eons of human existence, I am so grateful to be included in the next generation...

Meditation Class

I remember the first time Kosaka Sensei asked me to lead a public introduction to meditation class.

He instructed me to teach how to meditate. I began with all the rules of how to sit, much like Master Dogen laid them out for us.

As I neared the end of all the rules, Kosaka Sensei signaled me to finish. I finished, introduced him, and I gave him the floor.

The first thing he said was, 'There are no rules'.