Kyosaku

 

(thanks for the inspiration Guro David)

Much of Buddhism is misunderstood. Especially when it comes to Zen Buddhism and Esoteric Buddhism, casual observers tend to pick and choose their favorite tidbits and ignore the rest. Often, Buddhism gets reduced to pithy catchphrases in science fiction movies or spouted from white-bearded Chinese kung fu masters. The kyosaku is sometimes attributed to physical abuse of the initiates, as if the teacher is clubbing them with a baseball bat (or threatening to do so). The reality is very different.

Many of us come to Buddhism seeking peace and tranquility, hoping the seated practice will yield a sense of "centeredness". Very soon, we realize that seated practice in Zen is really hard work. Emptying the kind is difficult. Being patient is difficult. My original teacher in Zen Buddhism, at the Japan Cultural Center on Belmont Ave. in Chicago circa 1985, used to say that if properly done Zazen should leave you pouring with sweat. In the Zen world, peace is hard-earned indeed.

While seated, the legs tire, the mind wanders, the posture slumps, fatigue sets in, we lose our connection to the NOW...focus becomes, well...unfocused. The kyosaku is an important tool in the training.

Usually, the kyosaku is employed by the teacher to help sharpen up the students' focus as they sit. When a student feels themselves waning and unable to recover, they bow forward as the teacher approaches. The teacher bows back, and sharply strikes the space between the shoulder and neck with a quick tap from the kyosaku. The sudden shock causes no injury whatsoever, but jolts the student back to focus. The students are asking for help to refocus. They want it. 

In Kali Majapahit, we do not employ the kyosaku nor anything resembling it. That said, sometimes students need a "reset" to refocus for the remainder of the current drill or next activity. Using our words properly, we can shock the students back to the present moment and present engagement.  It is our job as teachers to help the students when they need it so they can remain high energy/high focus. Rather than spikes and dips, we try to keep the engagement and energy level at a consistently high level throughout by changing drills/partners/activities, giving feedback, challenging and gentling bringing each student out of their comfort zone. As Guro Fred often says, at the end of class we want them to be sweaty, smiling and satisfied.

Outside the dojo too, various distractions can occur that can keep us from staying focused on our goals and moving forward. There is a time for rest, of course, but not just because you are unable to stay on task. Each of us have (or should have, anyway) a thing we do to get our focus backup and remain engaged in the activity at hand. I stand up, stretch, and look out the window for a moment. In the worst case, I go take a cold shower to refresh myself. That always works for me.

What's YOUR kyosaku??