Zen in the Art of Archery: Training the Mind and Body to Become One

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The instructor’s business is not to show the way itself, but to enable the pupil to get the feel of this way to the goal by adapting it to his individual peculiarities”

Zen in the Art of Archery - Wikipedia

About Zen, despite Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind I don't know enough, or maybe actually too much already, to say anything.This book is the result of the author’s six year quest to learn archery in the hands of Japanese Zen masters. It is an honest account of one man’s journey to complete abandonment of ‘the self’ and the Western principles that we use to define ourselves. Professor Herrigel imparts knowledge from his experiences and guides the reader through physical and spiritual lessons in a clear and insightful way. Unless we enter into mystic experiences by direct participation, we remain outside, turn and twist as we may.

Zen in the Art of Archery – Your Golden Buddha Zen in the Art of Archery – Your Golden Buddha

The drawing of the bow and the skill of individual archers have been romanticised throughout history. But to watch kyudo for yourself is to witness a sport embodying unsurpassed elegance and ritual. What on the surface seems to be an essential simplicity is anything but. 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.” letting go of yourself, leaving yourself and everything yours behind you so decisively that nothing more is left of you but the purposeless tension.Lao-tzu could say with profound truth that right living is like water, which “of all things the most yielding can overwhelm that which is of all things the most hard.” Anyone interested in the “Western tradition” of Zen should find this book interesting. Independently of my agreement or disagreement with some of the statements, below is a selection of quotes and excerpts from the English text. You must collect yourselves on your way here. Focus your minds on what happens in the practice hall. Walk past everything without noticing it, as if there were only one thing in the world that is important and real, and that is archery!"