Monday, April 10, 2006

Go.... Stop... Go



I started blogging years ago, which at the time I would refer to as 'writing in an online journal', and my posts were spiritual in nature. Blogging came full steam at the same time that I attempted to learn to truly appreciate the art of Go. Everything about those few months was very enjoyable but it had to come to an end. I began to work on a Buddhist blog on the side, but that quickly began to consume all of my time. It wasn't that the blog itself needed the time, but that I needed the time to sit, quiet my mind, and penetrate into the nature of emptiness, form, and this silly little reality we call "everything." Sitting down Go stones and arranging them and then picking them up again had made me think about quotes from famous Zen monks, monks who enjoyed the game of Go. It was time to think about dependent origination and not joseki. My hope was that my time away would strengthen my mind and when I returned to Go, I would return with a better mind to play the game. Ha! Like that will happen. Over the next few weeks I hope to get out my Go board a few times. I marked my calender. May 1 I hope to return to the Go world... and play here and there... study a few joseki... try to win 1 game in 20 and, most importantly, enjoy myself as much as I did before. Go was invented in China along with a 'Way' that has no rules, that cannot be defined, and cannot be won and held in the hand. The 'Way' can be followed to perfection once it is learned, and for that we look to the men of old. Until the clouds part, the moon's light will not illuminate this soul.

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2 Comments:

At 10:40 PM, Blogger ChiyoDad said...

Welcome back, Shugyosha!

Just go easy on yourself as your return to playing Go. As I understand it, it's a means to an end for your self-development.

I've managed to achieve 18k (although KGS ranks me as what I calll a provisional 17k). In the months that I had to achieve that rank, I discovered that tsumego is more helpful than joseki studies. The former instills the discipline of thinking rigorously and deeply.

BTW, what's with the rabbit-hutch hotel image on this post? Did you take a sabbatical to Japan?

 
At 10:50 PM, Blogger Shugyosha said...

I wish!!!! i have been in a little room meditating, studying, and reading.. and it felt like a capsule hotel... but don't count Japan out for the future!

 

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