Instant Buddha: Shaolin In Everyday Life

The Shaolin techniques give us mental and physical strength, helping us to be wise, peaceful and content. Many of my students have asked me how to incorporate the positive feelings they have when they’re training into their every day life.

 The answer is to bring Shaolin into the heart of our day to day life by practicing walking, sitting, eating and drinking tea meditation. This builds our concentration and transforms our mind and body more quickly into a true warrior.

 But what does it mean to be a warrior? We may have different answers, different specific desires but I believe the underlying meaning is to be free. Free from anxiety, ill health, stress, weight gain, a feeling of emptiness or dissatisfaction. True freedom can not be found in the past or the future but only in the middle point which is now.

 The untrained mind is never in the now, it is always wandering, always searching. The mind of a warrior uses the breath - the link between body and mind - to bring her into the present moment.

She directs her mind through action. Using the Shaolin techniques, she harmonises her mind and body so she can access a fulfilled open state of mind. The actions she uses are not only her Shaolin training but the actions of her every day life.

 Now I’m not suggesting you meditate twenty-four hours a day. I’m suggesting you take a few moments throughout the day when you go back to your breath. Even if it’s just for three breaths. such as just before you sit down to eat or drink a cup of tea or work at your computer. Walking meditation is something you can do when you are going home, to work, university or to your training hall.

Everything is interdependent. These meditations will feed into your day to day life. Not only will you will feel centred and more energised but your martial arts will improve along with your relationship with yourself and other people.

 Habit energy is strong, pulling us back to our untrained ways. This is why we use amulets, wrist malas and meditation aids as reminders to bring us back into the present moment.