Remain Calm and Centered
SHIAI GEIKO

• Think of a rock in the ocean—still while water flows around it

• The rock is centered, calm—the water is energy, activity, noise
• If the rock gives in to the water, it gets washed away, out of control and at the mercy of the ocean’s random action
• The rock can take energy from the water [qi-mana] without giving control to the water
  

  Taking Control of Yourself
  SEME

• Clearing away YOUR demons
• TAKE THE INITIATIVE
• Place yourself in a control IN THOSE ITEMS YOU CAN SHAPE OR CONTROL

• Much of your world will be outside your control:
  • BUT you can still control YOUR REACTION TO IT
• Practice saying:
  • “NO, I’M SORRY I CAN’T” to requests from both inside yourself and from others

Situational Awareness
ZANSHIN

• Be constantly alert and aware of your surroundings
• Be ready to deal both with he unexpected and the predictable
• This will also help you empathize with others

Healing

• Pause in a quiet place and feel your fingers—what is your body trying to tell you?
• Breathing exercises
• Even out your breathing

Breathe from your lower diaphragm—move your stomach to breathe, not your chest

Advanced Meditation

• Remove distractions
• Sit or stand in a relaxed stance
• Imagine yourself Rooted to the ground
• Note your breathing
• Let yourself become aware of your surroundings
• What to you hear? Far away?
• What do you smell?
• What do you feel on your skin?

What is the quality of light that you see?  What colors?  What movement?

Self evaluation

• What has worked for you?
• Why did it work—how was it useful?
• What hasn’t worked for you?
• Why didn’t it work?
• Build on your successes: what other approaches may work for you?
• How can you modify the successes to make the whole a better fit for your needs and goals?