bow and archer
lovers sharing one soul
together in Kyoto
© G.s.k. ‘15
“The man, the art, the work–it is all one.”
― Eugen Herrigel (Zen and the Art of Archery)
As with most Japanese art, the goal is not to hit the target but to become a part of the whole, to forget one’s ego and go beyond trying to be successful to tap into other forces of the Universe :
“This, then, is what counts: a lightning reaction which has no further need of conscious observation. In this respect at least the pupil makes himself independent of all conscious purpose.”
― Eugen Herrigel
Haiku like kyudo is seeking that same a-ha moment without conscious observation of the self. Bastet
Zen and the Art of Archery (pdf) download.
Carpe Diem #831 Ohmato Taikai (Festival of the Great Target)
Amazing, you are…
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🙂 with a profound gasho (Japanese bow) …
the dawn is coming
silent in the grey sky
buzzing alarm clock
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How lovely!
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🙂 glad you think so!
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You know what a fan I am, I can’t imagine not loving whatever you write!
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Oh I’m sure I can come up with some real slushy mud … 😀
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Hahaha 🙂
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reminds me of Paulo Coelho…I really liked that book.
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It is lovely!
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Perfect —-!
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You make me smile …
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Great! 🙂
Wood hoo!
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Besides … some of my favorite people are archers 😉
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An min … including my son’s fair lady!
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Sweet!!!! 🙂
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Really lovely.
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Thanks!
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this is an excellent offering on the contemplation of mastery of skill, i really like this haiku a lot
much love…
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Thanks you Gillena … I began writing haiku as a Zen exercise … much love to you too!
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Excellent!
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To be at one with an instrument or tool or even a weapon is a special kind of oneness indeed.
Striking the Bull’s-Eye
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True very very true … and our instrument should be words …
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Thanks! I’ll have to look for my copy of Herrigel’s book.
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Actually you can click on the link in my post for the pdf on Internet.
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Haiku and Kyudo are very much alike … both have Zen. Your haiku breaths Zen. Paulo Coelho did say that in his nouvelle ‘the way of the bow’ which we have used earlier at cdhk.
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🙂 I remember writing for the prompts of Paulo Coelho .. whom, outside of your blog I’ve never read. I learnt about Kyudo from Herrigel and many other Japanese art and marshal art form years ago when I was a Shiatsu therapist – that was also my first contact with Zen and haiku … thanks you for this lovely feature – I enjoyed it very much indeed!
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Ahhh ……. 🙂
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Beautifully done!
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This one I really really like. Nice work!!
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🙂 thanks for stopping by and reading it!
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What a wonderful post! The haiku is so good that it genuinely lives up to, and encapsulates, the ideas of the prose you quoted 🙂
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Thanks so much Blake … a wonderful compliment and very encouraging!
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