Slow Down. Breath Deep. Zazen
Lilia Dance Studio – Glendale, CA 8:30-8:45PM
The directors start to arrive and patiently wait for the previous yoga class to finish. “If you’re 15 minutes early, you're on time; if you’re on time, you’re late.” This is a general rule of thumb we’ve adapted from working at Jayvee Dance Center.
The dancers who arrive early sign in and mingle until rehearsal starts. Come 9:00PM we begin a vital part of our rehearsal that we believe helps develop the dancer’s mentally.
Why Wait? Meditate.
One major thing we’ve added to Family Bizness’ training and rehearsal is meditation. It is a vital piece we believe will help develop the dancers mentally--individually and with each other. It’s definitely not the most common method of practice out there for the most part, but the results we get from it are invaluable. There are many forms of meditation, but the one we practice is a form of seated meditation--Zazen, derived from Zen Buddhism. Keep in mind none of us are Buddhist and I'm not here to convert anyone’s beliefs, but what I am here to do is to help the individual, as well as the team, tap into a harmony and level of awareness that will help them as dancers or whatever it is they do.
I was introduced to the idea of meditation and Zazen when I was reading Phil Jackson’s book, Sacred Hoops. I was simply curious on his ways of running a team, considering he’s won 11 times as a Head Coach for the Lakers and the Bulls. What I learned gave me a stronger sense of who Iam as a director and dancer. His approach to the game of basketball opened doors to how I could approach my teams in dance.
I’m not going to be writing an article on how to do the meditation of Zazen, but rather the effects that it has had on me and my team. Keep in mind that I’m no expert in the teachings of Zen or Zazen. I simply know enough to practice it and incorporate it as a part of my life.
Frustrated Much?
Many times when things aren’t going our way, we get a little emotional… a little frustrated. And when we allow our emotions to cloud our minds, we more often than not get a bit more aggressive, and act a bit more brashly. We force things. Things may eventually go our way, but that takes too much time, which, in turn causes us to rush even more. Sometimes we just don’t get the results we desired.
I’m sure that there are many experiences you’ve had when you feel like you’re in control, and everything seems to be flowing naturally. It’s this sense of control that we all seek and strive for, especially in the times we need it. I've had my share of experiences on both ends of frustration and free flowing control. I came to realize that when you don’t force anything, when you just focus on what you have to do, you are allowing the motion of everything to flow naturally. You simply stop all the doubt and chatter happening inside your head and learn to trust your body’s inherent wisdom. You discover that your performance level rises when you let go and just stop thinking.
Why Zazen?
Zen emphasizes on clearing the mind.
Zazen is a simple form of meditation--you’re simply sitting and focusing on your breath. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? Well in reality it isn't, especially the first time around. You’ll be surprised how often you find your mind wandering off somewhere else. In the beginning, Zazen is a practice of concentration. You focus on following or counting your breath. But it’s more than just meditation, it is the capacity and ability to reveal reality as a boundless and powerful tool for self-inquiry.
“Everything is based in the mind, led by the mind, fashioned by the mind. If you speak and act with a polluted mind, suffering will follow you… If you speak and act with a pure mind, happiness will follow you, as a shadow clings to form”
The message is simple: when we try to force things to go our way, we are clinging to the idea of how we think things should be. That’s what pollutes the mind with emotion and frustration. We must instead accept what the reality is. And it shouldn’t scare you, but rather give you clarity.
To become aware of the thoughts that clutter your life and stop them from over-powering you--THAT is the point of Zen.
Lesson: Zazen
The lessons I've gained from practicing Zazen have been priceless, and have allowed me to operate and act in much more effective ways throughout every aspect of my life. I recently asked some of the FamBiz and Teen Groov members to share the lessons they’ve gained through the practice of Zazen, and their responses were a lot of fun to hear.
Clear mind – In this life, especially in this society, we get so caught up with the regrets of the past or the stresses of work, school, etc., thatwe don’t really give ourselves time to just be. No one really “stops and smells the roses,” so to speak, anymore.
“I’ve learned to focus on one idea and allow the past worries to fade… It has also helped me organize my mind and relieve stress. I’ve found zazen as my stress reliever and can be used in any situation.”
-Jazlyn Pastor, Teen Groov
Focus and Concentration – As soon as I start in the meditation, I’m well aware that my mind is bound to wander. However, I know that I have to focus on my breath and keep a clear mind. It relates to how sometimes, we all have a hard time concentrating on the task at hand. There are times that I’ll be able to keep a clear head and stay with my breath, but at times I find myself practicing a routine in my head instead.
“I’ve learned to stay on task at ALL times, to never put all my eggs in one basket, and that‘can’t’ isn’t an option unless you let it be.”
-Marc Miranda, Family Bizness
“Concentration and focus. When my mind wanders and I get thrown off during rehearsal I focus on my breathing to get back into place”
- Roxine Ami, Family Bizness
Things come and go – Those thoughts that may come to you during meditation don’t stick around forever, they eventually go away, as long as you concentrate. Like in life, things are ephemeral--nothing lasts forever. People come and go, winning comes and goes, life comes and goes.
“Stress can make life difficult, but to let go of it, even if it’s just for 5 minutes out of your day can make you more relaxed overall. I also really love the idea of “just being,” and I’ve learned that it can really help you be okay with who you are and accepting what happens”
-Arielle Gerrish, Teen Groov
Better sense of control – I used to(and rarely do nowadays) have a short temper. If things weren’t going my way, people would find me gritting my teeth with a knot in my eyebrows. I hated feeling like that, especially before performing. I don’t like going on stage with a bad taste in my mouth. So often times now I simply just breath to slow my mind down, and just keep focusing on what has to be done.
“Zazen helped me realize that everything comes and goes, and it has helped me understand that if something doesn’t go the way I wanted it to go, that I shouldn’t worry because there is always tomorrow. It has given me a deeper control of my senses mentally as well as physically. For example, if I feel an asthma attack coming I try to slow my breathing down as best as possible and clear my mind so that I can take control of the it. The best thing about zazen is how it makes me feel. No matter if I’m have a bad day or I have a lot to worry about, zazen helps me lower my stress levels and always leaves me feeling fresh and new, ready to take on the tasks at hand.”
-Stephanie Hagberg, Family Bizness
Story Time!
What I’ve learned as a dancer and director is that the most joy I have is when I’m fully present at the moment, not just when things are going my way. As a dancer I’ve always pressured myself to have routines down perfectly and to NOT MESS UP, especially on the parts where I feel a bit iffy. When I did, I always beat myself up for it, hoping for redemption the next performance around. But I’d rather not have to wait for the next performance and just do the best I can NOW. In the midst of performing, my mind is often at a blur and I’m just enjoying sharing the moments with the audience, but sometimes when it comes to a part of a routine I may feel doubtful of, my mind starts to think, which may cause me to mess up. I may simply just get too excited and end up going ahead of myself in the dance. Whenever I would mess up, I messed up BAD--I not only showed the fear in my face, but the audience could totally see me trying to speed up and catch up. Ever since I decided to practice Zazen more often, I’ve become more aware of myself. I used to fear the idea of messing up on stage and would avoid the whole idea of it. I realized that the only way to get over the fear is to actually engulf myself mentally into it and embrace the fact that I CAN mess up, but only I have the ability to control that. I recently performed for a project called T2P, or The "2auce" Project--a project put together by Heavy Impact's CJ "2auce" Edwards. During the performance I got too excited and involved with the audience that I believe I was either late or early on one of the moves and I caught myself. Thankfully, I didn’t freak out and I continued with the dance. I was able to laugh about it as soon as I got off stage.
If you’re interested in further practice of Zazen here are a few links for sites on how you can get started.
What do you do to help prepare yourself or your team mentally and physically?
I’ve shared with you how we prep ourselves mentally for rehearsal and for many of the tasks at hand.
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