This would have been a good post for the Tillerman list assignment, in part that list caused this post. So Blame Tillerman, well only partly, because it was really someone in my Kyudo class that made this come about as well. A real Cause and Effect (Karma) post . I just finished a post on the ..”by land” blog having to do this this topic SANMAI-ITTAI., relating to Kyudo, Tai Chi , Kung Fu etc. I mentioned there that it also had to do with sailing.
Sanmi-ittai means the unity of the three essentials…to do Kyudo as one body.
In Kyudo it is : Body, Spirit/Mind, Bow.
In Shaolin Chan Kung Fu/Tai Chi it is: Mind, Body Spirit
To me they are the same, and the Shaolin Chan listing is more on point. Reason being, Spirit and Mind to two elements, not one element and the Bow should be an extension of the body not a separate element. Those who agree raise your hand…
On to Sailing :
Body, Mind Spirit., yes, it is the same, all of it is the same. Even just living is the same. However now I am talking about sailing, Inner Zen Sailing. Look at each
Body: It is obvious you need to be there, also in good shape, enough to handle the boat. Of course the better in shape you are the least you will struggle on a physical level. Up and down, pulling, lifting, yeah that stuff.
Mind: you need to be mindful, there. Alert, aware, paying attention, to the waves, boat, wind, traffic, your crew if there is one, clouds, all that stuff
Spirit: Not only the understanding the Spirit of non-duality of nature and us, but also of that and the Boat and us, the boat and nature. Also the spirit to deal with whatever comes up.
And training for this, how does one do that. Beside having/getting the obvious sailing skills, background
Body: Stretch, walk, lift, yoga, Kung Fu, Tai Chi, get some exercise, know your body, how it works, communicate with it, give it good fuel. Food /Water/Air should be clean, pure as possible ( excellent reason for good ecology practice..ne! Helping yourself…to sail)
Mind, as the mind is vast, it needs vast training, Educate it on water skills, manners, rules. Hone and relax it with meditation.
Spirit: Meditation will build your spirit, experience will build your spirit.
You may ( or not) have noticed that I said nothing about the boat…directly. Because I include the Boat under Body. Just like in Kung Fu the weapon is an extention of the body , in Sailing your Boat should be an extention of your body. So the goal of a perfect sail, even just a good Sail is within to make happen . To have a good Shot in Kyudo we need Sanmi-ittai. To have a good Sail we need Sanmi-ittai
