[pct-l] Walk like a Buddha

[Mary Kwart]

Hi--thanks for your message. This reminds me of a book I bought years ago called "The Marathon Monks of Mt. Hiei". Sounds like it is the same kind of thing. I think that hiking high mileage day after day on the PCT or any trail can result in a higher state of awareness--it certainly breaks down barriers to perception because of cumulative fatigue. You also get to live life more simply and life is more stripped down to basics, like in the monastery.
--Fireweed

----- Original Message -----
From: Yoshihiro Murakami <completewalker at gmail.com>
Date: Tuesday, May 24, 2011 4:01 pm
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Walk like a Buddha
To: Mary Kwart <mkwart at gci.net>
Cc: pct-l at backcountry.net

> Dear Mary
> 
> There is a sect of the zen assumed the training of the soul by
> walking. The training is called "Sennichi Kaihou", which will be
> translated directly as " The round visits to mountains in a thousand
> days".  This training begins 700 days visits to the mountains. The
> monk walks about 30 Km every day, and then the "Doiri " (confined in
> the temple) starts. While Doiri he is not permitted to sleep, to lie
> down, to eat any thing. If he survived,  he must start another 100
> days training, in which he walks 60 Km every day. In the seventh year,
> he begin 100 days 84 Km round walk in Kyoto, and 100days 30 Km walk in
> Mt. Hiei. If he fails, he must die instantly. But he succeeded, he
> will be regarded as a buddha.
> 
> I am sorry, English translation is very difficult.
> 
> This video is explained by English.
> 
> http://bit.ly/lrxNcT
> 
> 
> 
> 2011/5/25 Mary Kwart <mkwart at gci.net>:
> > For those hikers who are so inclined, there is an interesting 
> article on the Tricycle magazine website about walking meditation:  
> www.tricycle.com/practice/walk-buddha. Not so far fetched--after 
> all, the PCT is one of the premier spiritual pilgrimages available 
> on the planet.
> >
> > "Your foot touches the earth mindfully, and you arrive firmly in 
> the here and the now. And suddenly you are free―free from all 
> projects, all worries, all expectations. You are fully present, 
> fully alive, and you are touching the earth."
> >
> > Sound familiar??
> >
> > --Fireweed
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> 
> 
> -- 
> Sincerely
> --------------- --------------------------------------
> Hiro    ( Yoshihiro Murakami  村上宣寛 )
> Blogs http://completewalker.blogspot.com/
> Photo http://picasaweb.google.co.jp/CompleteWalker/
> Backpacking since about 1980 in Japan
> 2009 JMT, the first America.
> 2010 JMT, the second America.
> ------------------------------------------------------
>