APPLIED SAMURAI WISDOM
By, Dr. Grant Kruhly, Sensei and Founder
VITAL KEY # 5
Here is a personal favorite of mine. We all spend a great deal of money and time on food. Whether it’s the shopping to acquire the foods we like to prepare, the actual preparation, or, if you’re like me, dining out at your favorite restaurants. Eating is simply a huge part of our lives.
We all love to taste good food, and really enjoy our meals, but let me ask you a question. Have you noticed what you’re eating habits have become at home with the pace of life you’re no doubt living. I know for me, when I went back to Chiropractic College after living “off the grid” as a Sensei for 12 years, I found myself rushing every meal, often eating at the sink for convenience. The agenda of college totally seemed to consume all of my time and food became relegated to sustenance only.
Actually, it was quite amazing, I went from a monk-like lifestyle, balanced, and living in the moment, to the classic mistake of thinking life will be different when I graduate. Sound familiar? That mindset is especially evident here in America. It is a big mistake. As I explained in my post entitled “The Challenge,” that is exactly how we miss our life; it slips right through our fingers, unnoticed, unfelt, while we rush to take care of the stressors in our life. Isn’t it funny how all the stressors seem so important? They are not; it’s just conditioning. Believe me, it is not that it is that important, it is just relatively necessary. As I mentioned before, it is the nature of the system and it will not go away. So we are the ones who have to change.
I remember that when I was a boy, eating was a seated affair; all meals were like this. Dinner of course was a family event with a set table, manners and atmosphere. But it wasn’t just our home; everyone I knew lived that way. Nowadays is common to eat while driving, walking, and standing at the sink, whatever. Many families with teens have so many different schedules that everyone eats when it’s convenient, usually in front of a TV. So ask yourself, do you like living that way? The great Grandmaster of Zen Archery Awa Kenzo said it well, “…It is your choice—live like a sage, or exist like a fool.” Though it is strong language, it is good medicine for the mind.
We are about to go into 2012, and the pace of life, the agendas, the stress, the sheer event density is going to increase. I know it makes it seem impossible to make time to sit down and eat. But I will tell you of my experience in Japan: I go basically every year to train. We all know the tremendous productivity of modern technological Japan but what I have always experienced there regarding eating has surprised me.
As busy and fast paced as Japan is, people there really take their time when they eat. Even at fast food restaurants. They sit down, examine the menus, discuss choices, then eat unhurriedly, with fine manners, enjoying the food and company. Hardly anyone gets indigestion either due to their mindful eating habits. Believe me, Japan runs by the clock, it really does, but eating is important to them and they give it their full attention. I say we can too.
Here is a challenge for you: if you find yourself eating at the sink, or while you’re walking or driving, stop. Sit down, and put your attention on tasting your food. If you’re driving, wait until you can stop. Just insist on it and this habit will happen. Rather than hurry, adjust your posture, and come into your body. If you find yourself lowering your face to the food, stop, straighten up, and raise the food to your mouth. As you do, try to smell the food, leave off the agendas in your mind and become engaged in what you are doing - nourishing yourself. Whatever is on your agenda list will still be there when the meal ends. Refuse to miss the experience of your life’s sustenance for the sake of paperwork, or whatever it is.
Do you see where I am going with this? What good is the high productivity, lots of money, and awesome multitasking skills if you aren’t even aware of the fundamental experiences of being alive? It’s sad, but most people in the United States live, work, and die like that. What makes Japan different, what made the Samurai different is simply a mindset. People try meditation, but it hardly dents their life style; it’s too brief and too different from daily life. What I am sharing here is using daily life itself, as the Samurai did, to be alive, awake, and in touch.
It is said in the literature that it takes about 90 consecutive days to establish a new habit. Take it one day at a time, activity by activity. As you do, you will not only become more alive, but you will begin to attract people and opportunities to you by your very presence and aliveness. People are thirsting for that, looking everywhere for the “magic pill”, special meditations or techniques to give them happiness. With authority I will tell you, if you awaken inside the simple fabric of your life’s activities, you will have a meaningful life, power and an influence that will amaze and delight you.
Until the next post, live; demand it.
Dr. Grant Kruhly, Sensei
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