Kyudo Heart and the Five Tastes

The following is a brief talk given by Shibata Sensei at the end of Sunday morning Kyudo class in Boulder on April 2, 1989. It was transcribed by Don Symanski and edited jointly by Don Symanski and ElIen Mains.

What does zazen mean? Does it mean spacing out? Sometimes you sleep, sometimes you space out...one hour goes by, two hours. Kyudo is almost the same. When you shoot at the target, sometimes there is too much hope. Your shooting style is full of hope, hope, hope. It's like people in business who are hoping, hoping, hoping to make lots of money. My one hope is that you can relax. You are hoping, hoping, too much.

Meditation is no thinking, all no thinking. I say, heart only should be strong. You should work only on making your heart beautiful. Understand? Kyudo is the same. Everybody practices the Seven Coordinations and the Five 'Tastes' ("Gomi"). Gomi is very, very difficult to understand? First we work on style, the Seven Coordinations. Everybody begins to look good: Ashibumi, dozokuri...uchi okoshi, hiki tori...good.

But the Five Tastes cannot be seen. The Five Tastes are inside you. They are feeling. You can taste sugar and salt. When sugar rots your teeth, it's not so good. Too much salt is also not so good. But you do not see the Five Tastes. They are different for everyone. Each person's style is different. When you practise the Seven Coordinations, they can be observed, and corrected or adjusted. Now, for everyone, the practice of the Seven Coordinations is still difficult. Afterwards, the Five Tastes will come through. But for now, practise the Seven Coordinations. 

Right now everyone is like the inside of an egg. The inside of an egg is white and yellow at first. Everybody at this point is like this white and yellow. Later, when the yellow of the egg develops inside, you can pick up the egg and hear a "peep, peep, peep" sound. That's when the egg breaks open and a baby chick comes out. To say "Five Tastes" is a little funny. In Japanese, "Gomi" means taste. But it's difficult to explain the meaning. In meditation and Kyudo, you have the chance to have a beautiful heart. Anyone can make themself a beautiful face. Sometimes women use make-up or a man puts on a suit and shows an elegant style. But inside there is a question mark. I hope you make a good mind and heart through meditation and Kyudo. Thank you very much.

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