Sport

Kyudo or Japanese Zen archery is the art of controlling the mind, the body, and conduct.

Kyudo is Japanese archery melded with the influence of both Shinto and Zen Buddhism, an offshoot martial art of kyujutsu. From there, it was developed as a spiritual meditation that utilizes the elements of focus, discipline and precision to achieve Zen. 

 

The Art of Shooting

From its name, kyudo means “the way of the Bow” and is one of Japan’s oldest martial arts. 

Many common pain symptoms are a result of your body not getting all of the movement it requires to perform to your maximum ability.  This is hard for most of us to hear. Accepting this places RESPONSIBILITY on THE SELF. We say things like, “I have bad knees,” or “That’s my bad foot,” or my favorite, “I’m just all messed up.” It is easy to think that your health is out of your control.

However, our health is not out of our control. This is the good news. As one of our great minds, Tim Ferriss says, “REALITY is NEGOTIABLE.”

Yoga is known to be great for improving range of motion, increasing bone density, improving concentration, decreasing stress and increasing muscular strength. However, there is more to yoga than the more obvious benefits.

Practicing yoga will help to build the relationship between you and yourself. Yoga is the process of becoming more aware. 

Yoga practice involves breath manipulation, yoga poses, intention and ultimately meditation. As we move slowly with the intention on keeping the breath controlled and the heart-rate down, it doesn't take long before we start to witness physical and psychological habits.

I went back to Uptown Yoga to visit friends and teachers I haven't seen in ages. It was here that I developed my teaching form over a decade ago - it was here that I first found my journey to yoga. Here are the Drop In Notes on my experience...and why I will always come back.