Salvatore Celiento

I'm a shakuhachi player, published poet and artist, multi-instrumentalist, qualified educator, Ninjutsu Yudansha, Tibetan Buddhist, editor, author, counsellor, and student of Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu (大東流 合気柔術) and Tibetan yoga.

[salvatoreceliento]

"Chöd involves accepting willingly what is undesirable, throwing oneself defiantly into unpleasant circumstances, realizing that gods and demons are one’s own mind, and ruthlessly severing self-centered arrogance through an understanding of the sameness of self and others." - Jamgön Kongtrül

[salvatoreceliento]

Staying Healthy in Spring According to TCM

The following health opinions are presented by some TCM practitioners: In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), spring is viewed as a time for increased activity and vitality. Unlike winter, which encourages introspection and rest, spring invites us to be more active and nurture our energy, or "Chi." As the season transitions, we shift towards a more yang state—characterized by warmth, activity, and growth.

This is also an ideal time for weight loss and enhancing our physical fitness. Recommendations include increasing exercise, such as walking and other activities, to build up our energy levels. It's important to note that while spring brings more energy, it may not be as intense as summer. Therefore, wearing layers and scarves can help protect us from the unpredictable spring weather. In terms of nutrition, late spring is a great time to enjoy foods like cherries, mint, sweet potatoes, and various green vegetables. These foods can help support our health during this energetic season.

In summary, as we transition into spring, remember to embrace increased activity, nurture your Chi, engage in strength-building exercises, and protect yourself from the elements. By doing so, you can live more harmoniously with the changing seasons.

[salvatoreceliento]

The Fitness Routine of Bruce Lee

One of the things Bruce Lee dedicated himself to was strength training. At the time, many martial artists believed that bodybuilding or similar activities would make them bulky and slow. However, he preferred short, full-body workouts lasting 20 to 30 minutes, using compound exercises, which are multi-joint movements. He felt that these compound movements were beneficial for his martial arts practice because they engaged a large number of muscles simultaneously, contributing to overall body strength and the ability to execute martial arts effectively.

Bruce typically strength trained two to three times a week, and his programme was always evolving. He also incorporated circuit training, moving from exercise to exercise, which is quite standard today but was not as common at the time. He would perform strength training in circuits, repeating them, and he also included different types of circuit training that incorporated aerobics, such as skipping. His circuit training addressed three aspects of fitness: aerobic, anaerobic, and flexibility.

Additionally, he was a proponent of isometrics. He had specific chains and machines designed for holding maximum tension during exercises, such as a bicep curl at full intensity. While he believed one should not overdo isometrics, he included them in his routine daily, contracting muscles in a static position.

In terms of aerobic fitness, Bruce Lee focused on steady-state cardio, going for long jogs and skipping. He once had a fight and won after three minutes but was disappointed in himself for being winded. This experience led to a shift in his fitness philosophy; he recognised the importance of strong heart and lung endurance for real fights. Consequently, he incorporated high-intensity interval training into his running routine, alternating between sprinting and walking. Flexibility was another key component of his training. He had a stretching routine that he followed before workouts, believing it was crucial for performance. This emphasis on flexibility is evident in his fight scenes, such as the one with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, where his kicks demonstrated remarkable leg flexibility.

He also dedicated time to skill work, including bag work. He cautioned against excessive bag training, as it could lead to complacency, but he certainly honed his skills through various kicks and punches.

Overall, Bruce Lee developed a comprehensive fitness system. He trained intensely, and even if one does not follow his specific training programme, which can be found in the book "The Art of Expressing the Human Body," one can learn from his approach. He was a philosopher in his own right, conducting research, absorbing what was useful, discarding what was not, and experimenting to gain a deeper understanding of himself. He was committed to pushing beyond limits, valuing continuous progression in his fitness journey.

[salvatoreceliento]

[salvatoreceliento]

Eastern Philosophy: Japanese Martial Arts & Mental Development

The martial arts of Japan speak about mental development and also certain mental states or spiritual realizations that allow one to survive confrontation. Three of these mental or spiritual states are fudoshin, junanshin, and mushin. Fudoshin is the realization of equanimity or a state of mind where we are not disturbed by anything. It is like a mountain being stable despite fierce winds circling it. In this state of equanimity, thoughts such as a fear of danger, emotions, or obstacles do not disturb the person. Another mental state is junanshin and this can be translated as “flexibility of the mind.” If one is being attacked or is in conflict, instead of trying to fit a situation into our preconceived ideas of what should be the case, one is able to adapt appropriately, move freely, and not be attached to anything. Another mental state is mushin or “no mind” and this also relates to non-attachment and openness. Again, it is moving freely clinging to nothing. If we have very conceptual ways of thinking during a conflict and we plan what we are going to do to the other person by thinking such thoughts as, “If they punch, I’ll do this. If they grab me here, I’ll do that,” this emits an intent that the opponent can sense. In this case, they can take preemptive steps. Moving freely means not only moving freely physically, but mentally, being completely free. A famous figure of the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism in Japan was Takuan Soho. He wrote about martial arts and Zen and also spoke about moving freely, being attached to nothing, and clinging to nothing.

[salvatoreceliento]

Carl Jung and the Structure of the Psyche

Carl Gustav Jung, born in 1875 in Switzerland, was educated at various universities such as the University of Basil and Zurich where he received his MD in 1902. Carl Jung was a student of Sigmund Freud and they worked very closely together until he broke away from Freud in 1913. Freud had several students but many of them reported that he was cold and distant. Freud would sometimes choose a protégé and Jung was one of those people chosen. Freud, incidentally, often reacted very harshly to anyone going against his teachings. Jung developed his own way of thinking and his own ideas, influenced by Freud, but he differed in many important ways. For instance, Freud spoke about the unconscious and so did Jung, but Jung saw it differently. For instance, for Jung, the psyche can be divided up into three aspects; the conscious mind and the unconscious mind, with the unconscious mind divided into two categories, the personal unconscious and the collective unconscious. The conscious mind is that part of the personality, of the psyche, that has to do with the ego, the rational aspect of ourselves. It is the part of ourselves that is in contact with reality and the world. Jung also taught that the conscious mind has different aspects, for instance, our sense consciousness, our senses or what we are in contact with, and he also spoke about feelings and emotions. The unconscious is something that we are unaware of, not in our conscious awareness, but influences us nonetheless. For Jung, the personal unconscious is something that arises through experiences that we have with the world. The contents of the personal unconscious are repressed thoughts, memories, and so on, or things that we have simply forgotten. According to Jung, this is something that is acquired. The collective unconscious has to do with archetypes. According to Jung, it is something that is present in all people; it is inherited and it contains certain forms, symbols that influence us. Here is a quote from Jung: “My thesis, then, is as follows: In addition to our immediate consciousness, which is of a thoroughly personal nature and which we believe to be the only empirical psyche, there exists a second psychic system of a collective, universal, and impersonal nature which is identical in all individuals.” Jung postulates that because you can you can identify the same themes in mythologies and stories throughout history and of various cultures that have not had any contact with each other, because of this, you can infer that that there is a collective unconscious that is inherited.

[salvatoreceliento]

Panthera tigris

The largest of cats, the tiger is fundamental to sustaining equilibrium within ecosystems. Tiger numbers are slowly increasing, but there is more we can do, with as few as 3,900 wild tigers left. Why? If we save the tiger, we will also help protect the jungles, forests, and wilderness they call home. These wild lands support the matrix of people, food, and fresh water in regions where tigers are active. The wellness of these natural areas also impacts us due to the global interconnected network of ecosystems that affect the others. The wild tiger population has deteriorated by almost 95%. Threats Poaching Habitat loss Tiger-human conflict 2 Simple things you can do today 1. Attempt to purchase forest-friendly products, such as sustainable coffee, certified paper and wood, and certified sustainable palm oil. 2. Don't buy anything containing tiger products. Source: https://www.wwf.org.au/what-we-do/species/tiger#gs.jhtofx

[salvatoreceliento]

Book Review. Iron John: A Book About Men

Poet Robert Bly beautifully articulates a vision of what a man could be. Interpreting the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, Iron John, Bly draws from various sources of wisdom and experience, ranging from mythology and philosophy to psychology and poetry. According to the author, modern industrial societies fail to produce well-balanced men, men that are able to be fierce, brave, strong, yet loving, compassionate, and nurturing. Quite the opposite, he argues, we constantly hear about men abusing, killing, and torturing. Furthermore, he argues that men obsessed with gold—wealth, status, and greed, have not yet passed through the stages necessary to become mature. Robert Bly argues that the ancient tradition of initiation found in many cultures provides a means to honour the onset of manhood, teach the young vital lessons which would guide the man's life, and release the attachment and identification with the inner wounded child-boy. Bly suggests that boys and men always need older men to guide them through various stages of manhood. He cites various traditions such as Indigenous South American communities who have eight stages of manhood and who produce truly balanced men capable of defending their children against a wild puma, and yet also able to be deeply nuturing, affectionate, tender, and loving. In the author's view, in order to become men, we need to nurture and honour various archetypal aspects of ourselves, such as the warrior, the sacred king, and the lover. He also suggests men enter into times of deep contemplation honouring grief and the nourishing aspects of darkness. Here's a quote: "The Wild man [inside men] encourages a trust of the lower half of our bodies, our genitals, our legs, and ankles, our inadequacies, the 'soles' of our feet, the animal ancestors, the earth itself, the treasures in the earth, the dead long buried there, the stubborn richness to which we descend. 'Water prefers low places,' the Tao Te Ching says, which is a true Wild man book. That attention to what is below encourages us to follow our own desires, which we know are not restricted to sexual desire, but includes desire for the infinite, for the Woman at the Edge of the World, for the Firebird, for the treasure at the bottom of the sea, desires entirely superfluous. The Wild man can only come to full life inside when the man has gone through the serious disciplines suggested by taking the first wound, doing... ashes work, creating a garden, bringing wild flowers to the Holy woman, experiencing the warrior...learning to create art and recieving a second heart. The ecstasy comes after thought, after discipline imposed on ourselves, after grief."

[salvatoreceliento]

Balance

According to Shiatsu Therapist, Shizuko Yamamoto, it is important to train the body. Yamamoto recommends doing things with the body that are against our ordinary habitual responses. For example, it is recommended that if you usually brush your teeth with your right hand, that you use your left hand. Other exercises to train the body and balance mentioned include walking backwards and skateboarding. According to Yamamoto in the book Barefoot Shiatsu, in order to develop balance we have to use parts of our bodies that we do not normally use.

[salvatoreceliento]

Diaphragmatic Breathing

A strong and dexterous abdomen is essential for those who practise yoga. Focusing on the stomach is also very grounding, as opposed to focusing higher on the body. Shiatsu masters and Japanese martial artists recommend focusing on the hara or lower stomach region and breathing into that area. Diaphragmatic breathing is also a mindfulness meditation exercise used in modern psychology for anxiety and pain.

[salvatoreceliento]

Working With Anxiety

Becoming more aware of distorted thinking patterns, and changing and challenging our thoughts has a significant impact on feelings of anxiety. One kind of cognitive distortion is expecting a catastrophe. We may expect the worst and think that we will be unable to handle the inevitable disaster. For example, if you are anxious about giving a presentation, you may hold the belief, consciously or not that, “I will make a complete fool of myself. I'll be fired. I won’t be able to handle it. This will be a disaster." Once we are aware that we are using particular thinking patterns, we can use reason and experimentation to determine whether our beliefs are true. Ask: How likely is it that what you fear will happen? If it does happen, what is the worst thing that could happen? If it does happen, what will plausibly occur? If it does happen, how likely is it that you will be feeling better in a few days, a week, or a year? Inhale for a count of 4 Hold for a count of 4 Exhale for a count of 4 Hold for a count of 4 Repeat A helpful technique used in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is to write down aspects related to your anxieties. It helps identify specific thoughts and triggers. For instance, when anxious, we can write the answers to the questions: “What was I thinking before the anxiety arose?” “What thoughts did I have during and after the anxiety?” “Who was I with before, during, and afterward?” “What exactly triggered the feelings I had?” “What triggered the thoughts?” “Where was I?” This line of enquiry will raise our awareness of the patterns, thoughts, feelings, and situations that are related to our anxiety. Through keeping this kind of journal, you can also discover which physical surroundings and relationships contribute as triggers to anxiety. We can also simply write about what is worrying us. CBT employs a variety of evidence-based approaches to anxiety. One such approach comes under the category of gradually and gently exposing ourselves to our fears. This approach is called systematic desensitisation. Looking at a particular anxiety causing object or situation, and using a scale of one to ten, we develop a hierarchy from least anxiety producing to most. For example, if you have a fear of rats, number one on the hierarchy could be a picture of a cartoon rat. It causes anxiety, but not to the extent that a rat loose in the room does. Next could be a toy rat, causing slightly more anxiety, then a photo of a real rat, and so on up the ladder, perhaps ending in touching a live rat. The general philosophy is that we can start at the lowest level, and expose ourselves to the feared stimulus as often as we can, until we can to move up a step. This facing of our fears in a graduated, gentle style enables us to deal with the fear through facing it. The anxiety response, evidence shows, will decrease as we become accustomed to the feared phenomenon. Before working up the hierarchy, it is also common to learn to enter a relaxed state through breathing exercises that can then be combined with the practice of facing our fears sequentially and gradually.

[salvatoreceliento]

If you can solve your problem, then what is the need of worrying? If you cannot solve it, then what is the use of worrying?

Shantideva

[salvatoreceliento]

Dark clouds appear,  letting go of all the rain. Joy, sorrow, are no different in the night sky.

Salvatore Celiento

[salvatoreceliento]

Crazy Wisdom, as I understand it, means not planting your foot firmly either in the material world or the spiritual world. When we have the spiritual world view, then we are bounded by the so-called spiritual world. When we are materialistic, we are bounded by the so-called materialistic view. But if you go beyond that, if you take this extra leap, then that is the crazy wisdom leap—it's like taking a leap into the abyss. But it's not the abyss of nothingness, it's the abyss of reality.

Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche IX in an interview for the movie Crazy Wisdom: The Life & Times of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.