The Dojo

A Dojo is a minature cosmos where we make contact with ourselves-our fears, anxieties, reactions, and habits. It is an arena of confined conflict where we confront our opponent who is not an opponent but rather a partner engaged in helping us understand ourselves more fully. It is a place where we are and how we react in the world. The conflicts that take place inside the Dojo help us handle conflicts that take place outside.The total concentration and discipline required to study Martial Arts carries over to daily life. The activity in the Dojo calls on us to constantly attempt new things,so it is also a source of learning - in Zen terminology, a source of self-enlightenment.

Zen in the Martial Arts, Joe Hymans


Then there is the 'Earth Dojo' where you are student and teacher.

Give a gift

You are successful when you remember that somewhere, sometime, someone gave you a gift. That gift is what started you in the right direction. Remember that you are blessed when you pass that gift on to help someone else.
- Anon

By Day by Night

If you have a goal in life that takes a lot of energy, that creates a great deal of interest and that is challenging to you...You will always look forward to waking up to see what a new day brings.
If you have a person in your life that understands you completely, who shares your ideas and believes in you... you will always look forward to the night because you will never be lonely.

Salutation to the Dawn

Look to this day!
For it is life, the very life of life.
In it's brief course
Lie all the verities and realities of your existence:
The bliss of growth
The glory of action
The splendor of beauty,
For yesterday is but a dream
And tomorrow is only a vision,
But today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness.
And every tomorrow a vision of hope,
Look well, therefore to this day!
Such is the salutation to the dawn.

- Kalidasa

Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.