A Week In The Dojo

Zen Guitar p14

Since taking up a new instrument-- the bass guitar--I have revisited Philip Sudo's Zen Guitar. The book brings Asian philosophy to the West, and it centers on what is arguably one of the primary icons of pop-culture, a symbol of rebellion-- the guitar. Even though I am a long-time rhythm guitarist, I have just begun learning to play bass; this is part of that journey.

Last year I reviewed Zen Guitar to provide the proper context for my project (this blog). Last November I talked about the instrument of my choice and the tools I chose within the context of Zen Guitar. For this entry I think it would be fun to chronicle a full week in my Bass-Guitar Dojo. Throughout the weeks to come I will focus on different parts of the book rather than following it page-by-page-- which would take... well, a lifetime. "The way of Zen Guitar is a life long path..."

Mon. 27 Jan: Practice.

Zen Guitar p39

"The purpose of this dojo is to provide a training ground for those people who have the will and discipline to know the Way of Zen Guitar. The Japanese call this kind of practice shugyo-- literally, mastering one's deeds. Understand as long as you follow the path of Zen Guitar, you will be in shugyo. There will never come a point where practicing ends, even should you reach the black-belt level or beyond. The path of Zen Guitar goes on forever" (p39)

My practice session began with a specific goal in mind-- to learn six songs for our upcoming Sunday morning service at church. Since this particular service is called "Softer Sunday," it's geared to people who prefer a mix of contemporary and traditional music-- with an emphasis on the traditional. It is a mix that stretches my ability since I am unfamiliar with most of the songs, it adds to the challenge. With all the craziness in my life, setting aside an hour or two to practice has been difficult, but doing so is a welcome break from the days stress.

Tues. 28 Jan: Common Missteps.

Zen Guitar p17

"...are potholes along the path that every player must work to avoid at every point. Endeavoring to know the Way demands moment-to-moment vigilance. In one small detail, we can deviate from the path. If left unchecked, these deviations can, over time, lead to a wide divergence from the path. Like the alcoholic who says, "I'll only have this one drink this one time," many unsui think they are on the right track when they actually have fallen off it. Fro some people that "one drink" may be an excuse to skip practice; a year later, the guitar is shrouded in dust and cobwebs. Selfishness, egotism, laziness-- a single act can lead to a long detour. You must check your path constantly and make corrections as you go. Failure to acknowledge these missteps can lead one far astray." (p41)

Again, it was tough to set time aside-- as is anything new to ones routine. but building on Monday's practice session was important-- I want to keep the momentum going, and keep chipping away at the stone-- learning these new songs. Since I have to deal with a sever case of dyslexia, I can't simply rely on chord sheets. Doing so would result in "seeing" the notes in the wrong position and playing the wrong chords. This makes practice sessions a bit more involved since I've got to really concentrate more on musical cues (drummer, singers , keys, etc.). The extra practice helps enable me to make corrections during the actual performance, and improvise when necessary. At the end of the nights session I had three of the six tunes down pretty good.

Wed. 29 Jan: Seven times down, eight times up.

"If you slip in your training, get up. Even should you think defeatist thoughts-- "I can't learn this, "My hands aren't strong enough," "I'll never be any good" --never voice them aloud. Burn such thoughts from your mind before you make a singer utterance. The famed martial artist Bruce Lee was said to have done that exact thing" Whenever a negative thought came into his head, he would visualize writing the words down on a slip of paper and putting it to flames. Apply this thinking to your own training." (p45)

My frustration with one of the songs was beginning to get the better of me. It has a lot of changes, and doesn't follow a set pattern. Each of the verses build on each other, and the chorus is quite different. Add to that the tempo is ssooooo slow. A bass players job is to lock in with the drummer and establish the groove; the band follows the rhythm section. This song is much different. And quite frustrating. Following the advice from Zen Guitar I'm letting it go. Tomorrows a new day.

Thur/Fri. 30-31 Jan: When it has to be done.

"When you feel that you have so much to do you don't know where to begin, start with one task, however small, and get it done. Then proceed to another. As the samurai say, 'Attack the corners' --the little things that stick out-- then work your way in to the big things. A famous zen teaching illustrates the attitude required for this kind of discipline:

A monk approached the zen master Joshu and said, 'I have just entered the monastery. Please teach me.' Joshu said, 'Have you eaten your rice porridge?' The monk replied that he had. 'Then you had better wash your bowl,' Joshu said" (p58).

For the last five or six weeks I have been working on my grad school application. It has been a real challenge completing the required essay, personal statement and resume, coordinating recommendation letters, and collecting all the transcripts-- while trying to keep up with my undergrad coursework. The priority deadline for the application is Monday 3 Feb, and I still had some lose ends to tie up to make the deadline. I also had to catch up on our course reading-- both nights pushed into the wee-hours... So I had to put off practicing for a few days as it was time to attack the corners.

Sat. 1 Feb: Prepare the Mind.

"The best way to make decisions about playing in the moment is to have already made them. That is, do your thinking ahead of time. Think before the time comes to act, think before the time comes to speak, think before the time comes [to] play a note. Then when the moment arrives, do not think. Just play" (p110). 

"To play the truth, you must already have the correct attitude. When you look for it during the moment, you will still be looking for it when the moment has passed" (p111).

Having missed the last two days of practice I was excited to pick up where I left off, and prepare for tomorrows service. I spent the first few hours making sure I got the changes down and each song worked out. The notes I make on my chord sheets look confusing to my bandmates, but they are an essential part of my preparation. Next I set up my gear exactly as it will be on stage and play along with recordings. It always surprises me how fast time seems to pass during my practice sessions-- tonight's ended at 11pm, but I am ready to play.

Sun. 2 Feb: Play the Changes.

"What counts most in this dojo is not the difficulty of one's music, but its spiritual depth. The true unsui of Zen Guitar become one with the changes. They know that to be fully present in the moment means to be constantly changing like the clouds. If one is fully present in the moment, every change occurs as naturally as the weather. This is the way of Zen Guitar" (p114).

The day began with an early visit to Starbucks for a large mocha-- breakfast in a cup. I took my time setting up my gear when our leader came in announcing some changes to the mornings setlist. Thanks to my week-long preparation I was able to handle the changes easily and embraced the challenge. The first song was changed without notice while we were playing, but the changes made for a much better feel to the song.  Another song was completely re-worked to a more traditional rendition. This tune was originally written to favor the piano and vocals, but again we were able to add our own flavor to it-- changes that I would not have been able to play without the proper mindset and preparation. The theme of the morning became one of collaboration, and that is when music sounds the best. Of course the purpose of us benign there in the first place was to praise our creator-- the one who put "the sound of the divine spark" within us in the first place! (p24).

Summary

"White belt in this dojo signifies the spirt of beginning. No matter how adept you are with the guitar already, wearing the white belt here means you have agreed to set aside all knowledge and preconceptions and open your mind to learning as though for the first time. In zen circles, this attitude is called carrying an empty cup" (p26).

I really enjoyed working the Zen approach into my practice routine. Integrating the book into my practice routine brought a fresh, new perspective to learning my new instrument, making practice sessions much more enjoyable. I actually found myself looking forward to practicing. It also helped me make connections between music and other aspects of my life as well. As Sudo writes;

"The Way of Zen guitar... provides a framework from which to tackle any new task. Once you learn the principles of Zen Guitar, you can apply them to any endeavor outside music. Follow the samurai maxim that says, 'from one thing, know ten thousand things.' Music can teach you everything you need to know" (p20).

 Stay tuned, & in tune~