Pictures of Iron Wheel Boxing!

Nathan & JB demonstrate throwing techniques from Sumigwon, Iron Wheel Boxing's first set of techniques.


JB & Nathan drilling punching techniques


JB demonstrates slipping Nathan's punch for a group of karate black belts.


An average Iron Wheel class at the Baltimore Zen Center


Chris & Mike learn footwork drills.

Chris, Mike, Jason, & Kevin work on punching drills while JB looks on.

Fist & Zen In Oneness

While the stereotype of kung fu monks has permiated the Western mindset thanks to the likes of Bruce Lee, David Carradine, and the Wu Tang Clan; many still are unable to reconcile the idea of the bellicose practice of fighting as being an integral part of a meditative Zen practice. Notions of peace & pacifism would seem to preclude notions of causing physical harm by punching someone in the face. So how do we reconcile the martial arts with the practice of Zen?

We don't.

Why operate from a preconceived notion that there needs to be a reconciliation?

Bodhidharma was an Indian monk who brought introspective meditation to China's Shaolin temple. This meditation would become Ch'an Buddhism there, and when spreading to Korea, Seon, in Japan, Zen. Apocryphally, Bodhidharma also brought a series of exercises and combative techniques to the temple that would go on to form the basis for the fighting systems of the famous Shaolin monks. While this may or may not be historically true, we are left with Bodhidharma's talks & lessons that give us insight into the actualities of the integration of combative practice & spiritual practice.

Without seeing the self-nature, chanting and prayer will not prevent you from cause-and-effect. Killing is, compared to this, of no great concern. If one, by seeing self-nature, totally eliminated the confused doubt, even killing live creatures would not be disruptive to him.

Twenty eight patriarchs from India before me have only transmitted mind. My coming to this country(China) is just to point out Sudden enlightenment which is the dharma of Mind-is-Buddha; I am not interested in practicing the precepts, excruciating training, ascetic practices, or magical ways of entering the fire or water, standing on the tip of the swords, the eating of only one meal a day, or sitting for long periods of time without lying down.

Those who practice such are all outsiders dependent upon dharma-of-doing. Your mind is those Buddhas mind, As long as you see the divine-awakening-nature in each and movement.

- "On Lineage" Bodhidharma

If our practice is only for when we are sitting, what happens when we are driving and someone cuts us off? If our practice is only when we are chanting, what happens when we are faced with a moment of life or death?

If our practice is only in the Dharma Hall, what happens when someone has mounted you & is proceeding to rain fists on your face?

Our practice of Iron Wheel Boxing is not done with the intent of learning how to harm others (though this is integral to any combative practice), but rather to train ourselves and our brother & sister practitioners to bring out our practice in those moments of adversity. In an environment of mutual encouragement and friendship, we help teach each other how to face our fears, how to face an attacker, how to face ourselves.

Combative practice is an intimate encounter with the totality of Zen practice, brought to focus in a single moment. The clashing of fists is an intimate experience in which we must free ourselves from partiality, from our preconceived notions of how we wish things were in order to embrace the totality of the moment. We cannot find ourselves caught in our desires; the desire to win, the desire not to be harmed, the desire to kill, or even the desire not to kill.

If the self-nature is seen, even the Butcher can attain Buddhahood.

BZC Febuary Half-Day Retreat Tomorrow

Information duplicated from our Facebook Group Event (link).

After the success of January's Half-Day, we're all ready getting prepped for February.

It's going to be a busy month at the BZC, starting with Movie Night on the 6th, the martial arts seminar on the 14th, and the February Half-Day the following weekend, the 21st.

The Half-Day will begin at 9am. It consists of three 50 minute sitting sessions, separated by walking meditation. In addition, 108 bows are practiced, and a brief Dharma talk will conclude the retreat.

Students working on their koan will be able to take part in private interviews to discuss their progress.

Mats & zafu are provided, though students may bring their own.

The suggested donation is $20.

If you have any questions, feel free to call 410-353-2387, or e-mail bmorezen108@hotmail.com

BZC is working to make these events at least monthly. Help get the word out to anyone who might be interested. If you cannot make tomorrow's event, know another will be announced soon.

Aikido & Zen

Aikido is a modern martial art originating in Japan with roots in the koryu combative arts. For some, what distinguishes Aikido from other martial arts are flowing, graceful movements ending with fabulous throws or pins; for others, what distinguishes Aikido from other popular martial arts is its explicit philosophy, which, depending upon who explains it, may include love, harmony, protection, non-competition, and so on.

In a simplified sense, Aikido's founder, Uyeshiba Morihei, found his understanding of the universe's workings in Oomoto Kyo, a religion with Shinto roots, and saw Aikido as an expression of those principles. However, Oomoto Kyo is quite esoteric; even most of the founder's earliest Japanese students, today regarded as master instructors, reportedly did not understand what must have sounded to them to be mystical babbling.

But even in the earliest days of Aikido, there is evidence that some first generation students of the founder thought it reasonable to substitute the more mainstream, more accessible Zen practice for Oomoto Kyo practice. Today, in some Aikido lineages, Zen studies are offered as an adjunct to Aikido practice, and vice versa – you are free to pick and choose what suits you.

At the Baltimore Zen Center, we are working to tightly couple our Patriarchal Zen koan and meditation studies with our Aikido teaching so that they are mutually supportive and so that each is seen as a clear manifestation of what we are ultimately studying. We continually return to the Aikido founder's purpose masakatsu agatsu katsuhayabi – true victory is victory over oneself right now – and the founder's objective, takemusu – the spontaneous generation of an appropriate response (martial, in this case) to your situation – in our practice. We consider the name of the art itself, “the Way (Do) of Harmony / Love / Joining (Ai) with Ki,” and consider what it means to us as students of both Zen and Aikido.

If you are interested in joining our Aikido practice, please contact Joe McParland (JMcParland@BaltimoreZen.org), our Aikido practice group lead. Beginners through advanced Aikido practitioners from any style who share an open mind for Zen practice are welcome to join us.

Don't Suffer Alone

We all live charmed lives, right up until we don't. Eventually, we all face personal trials – that is the nature of life itself. Different people deal with them in different ways. It's really quite natural to feel alone, overwhelmed, even helpless sometimes. It's natural to believe that no one can understand your grief.

The feelings are real – there is no denying that you feel them – but what is the source of those feelings, and what is the effect of rehashing this internal grief-filled dialog with yourself? What are you not accomplishing while you are dwelling in this dark place?

What is the path out of this suffering?

Zen practice cuts directly to the heart of suffering. It's a practice that can have some immediate results, sometimes just from having a trusted, uninvolved third-party opening your eyes to a different point of view. More importantly, though, longer-termed, consistent practice deepens your understanding and mental balance. As you come to understand the nature of suffering and come to understand yourself, you come to experience greater freedom in your life, whatever your circumstances.

The Baltimore Zen Center and its community (sangha) members are here for you. Under the direction of the Venerable Zen Master PoHwa Sunim, a Korean Buddhist monk of the Chogye Order of Zen (Seon) Buddhism, and the World Zen Federation, we offer non-religious, non-denominational Zen practice tailored to our fellow American laity. What does that mean? We're ordinary folks, just like you: We live in the world with our hopes, dreams, families, jobs, bills, and all of the other problems, just like you. If we haven't lived it ourselves, we probably know someone who has. We don't present dogma or doctrine, nor do we relish in ceremony. We are not offering you a religion to join, nor are we asking you to turn from your current faith if you have one; if anything, Zen practice helps many to appreciate their current faith more deeply and with new understanding. Our primary teaching is through simple conversation over a pot of tea (or, a cup of coffee or even a beer) and koan (kong-an) practice rather than “just sitting,” study of sutras, chanting, or other practices. If you give it a shot and eventually find that our practice is not for you, we'll respect that and we'll certainly try to point you in a suitable direction.

Don't suffer alone. Contact us.

Walk With Me!

Whether it's at the start of your day, a midday break, a stop after work on the way home, or an evening rest, there is nothing quite as natural and refreshing as simply going for a walk. Done with the right frame of mind, it's a very effective form of meditation: Consciously leave the rest of the day and your troubles behind and just walk. If you like, use the opportunity to be mindful of your body walking - your footfalls, your breathing, and so forth - or even walk with your koan, watching around you for inspiration.

In the Columbia, Maryland, area, I personally enjoy walking around Lake Elkhorn, Wilde Lake, and Centennial Lake. Each has well-developed walking paths around the water - each around two miles - with an occasional bench if you'd like to stop for a bit. The walk itself is meditative, putting the mind in the right state along the way. I'll generally do a sitting Zen meditation afterward to help ensure I'll carry those results forward for the rest of the day.

Would you and your friends like to join us from time to time? Send Joe an email with your questions or interest and watch our Twitter feed for our plans and updates!

Introduction

Welcome to the Baltimore Zen Center's website! We will keep this in a blog format for now, allowing for quick and easy postings from sangha members, keeping you informed of our various activities and outreaches, meditation sessions, retreats, Zen classes, dharma talks, martial arts classes, and so forth.

• Facebook users, join our group here.
• Twitter users, follow us here.
• Send email to us here.

We welcome you and your thoughts or questions! Please, feel free to engage us. If you stump the students, we'll pass on your questions to our Zen master!