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Lectures & Individual / Group Classes Scheduled By Request Mindfulness The study of eastern philosophy and ancient Koryu traditions can take many paths, but only a few actually address the core source of balance and enlightenment. There are several reasons for this. First, the closer one gets to the essence of balance and enlightenment the more difficult and even impossible it becomes to express such comprehension in the words of any language. The Japanese often use imagery even within Kanji to express feeling or comprehension that must be experienced outside the limitation or boundaries of mere words. The Tao, consummate potential and Kiagan cannot be expressed properly with words. Secondly, the attainment of such awareness and enlightenment may take decades of diligent contemplation and meditation. In personal experience my first Kensho experience occurred after 11 years with a firm Sensei, then at 15 years, again at 18 years, far deeper awareness occurred at 28 years and I continue to explore the discoveries of the path even after more than four decades and over 80,000 hours of devoted meditation. I do not suggest than one must have such depth of meditation, but I do sincerely believe that great awareness or enlightened comprehension is elusive when taken lightly or expected within brief or shallow contemplation. Even though there are various constructs of meditation the term mindfulness is often paramount in discussion. It is sought in Buddhist meditation and is a topic even within the clinical environment of psychology. As applied within those constraints mindfulness is considered as awareness specifically acuity to the experience of now. I find mindfulness to be two distinct constructs so I will attempt to express my comprehension because it seems to me that people are chasing after one construct and unaware of the other. Imagine that the image below is something that you are looking at in the real world and that the stones actually exist before you. Now, briefly write down everything you see before you continue.        If like most people, you have written that there are six smooth stones of various sizes, shapes and colors sitting on a black reflective surface. You know ( perceive ) this because you can see the stones and their reflections. Each reflection is considered as a linked thing ( effect ) and the surface is perceived to be a cause. But what if the reflections did not exist in actuality at all? What if the image you perceive was actually nothing more than six stones sitting on six high quality two dimensional images of reflection and that if a stone is lifted the reflection remains on the surface and each reflection image could be separately peeled from the surface? If I lifted a stone and the reflection remained on the surface you would experience an imobilizing shock as your mental acceptance of reality / actuality shattered and readjusted through realization of illusion and delusion. In fact, even if the surface were mirror-like the reflections would not truly exist outside of your perception and could not be material things. The point being made is that your experience of now is influenced by your mental acceptance and clinging to perception, interpretation, learned concepts and expectation. Human understanding, reasoning and comprehension are subject to learned and accepted intelligence and belief. This process is fostered by experience and expectation based on experience, need or desire. This is where my comprehension of mindfulness differs from that of others. Holding or accepting any definition, conceptualization, measure, rule or expectation hindered my Kensho and further enlightenment. One must fully, almost vapidly release everything, all feeling, attempt at realization or comprehension and any mental acuity. Enlightened Mindfulness is an indescribably vacuous awakening independent of time or conceptual limitation. Mindfulness of Now is an experience, a specific acuity within manmade time measurement. If one is seeking mindfulness there is a tripping over the thoughts and attempt at realization, a stumbling over what, if, when, has it, did it or will it. It ( mindfulness ) becomes a wisp of vapor just within reach, yet so difficult to grasp. The Mindfulness of Now handshake is acute focal experience as greeting, hand pressure and emotion in the moment apart from before or after. The attempt at isolated focus precludes going any further than expectation. The Enlightened Mindfulness handshake is empathetic connection to temperature, heartbeat and realization of living integration, skin texture and the implication of all that created that texture and instant oneness with the emotions and intelligence of that bond. It is a Ki / spiritual connection that cannot be expressed in words. The essence of science and clinical application is defined and governed by rules of observation and measure which defeat attainment of esoteric enlightened mindfulness. Conceptualization is based on definition within verifiable boundaries. Science struggles with spiritual, mystical and the elusive even at the quantum level. Human expectation is another dense cloud that obscures clarity introduces fracturing bias and contorts vision. Expectation based on need is definiteness and desire is transience. To some living without expectation signals a bland meaningless life and expectation is justified through division of bad expectation ( unhealthy need ) and good / acceptable expectation ( healthy want ). If one is hanging off a mountain precipice with only a hand grip on the rope expectation in survival is a need, a definiteness that must be. If survival is not in the balance the functional grip becomes a means to a result and an expectation based on desire, a state of transience dictated by want. However, both are forms of clinging to the rope ( material world ) involving reasoning and justification based on happening ( Mindfulness of Now ). Enlightened Mindfulness is letting go of the rope. Having no reason, justification, consideration or thought of clinging at all. It is trust born of mindless full release with no strings attached. Allowing whatever will be to be. I have often taught forgiveness in the same manner. Imagining all held unforgiven issues as a dark parachute above connected by strings to the person's emotions. Then severing the strings with forgiveness one watches the parachute of ill feelings and unforgiven thoughts float silently away and out of sight never to return. Mindfulness of Now is you keenly experiencing the moment. Enlightened Mindfulness is the moment encompassing and influencing you. Mindfulness of Now is opening the doorway to awakening / enlightenment. Enlightened Mindfulness is thoughtlessly crossing the threshold. One does not simply observe the beauty and movements of the butterfly, one allows the butterfly to connect and communicate. Becoming one with the butterfly one feels ( experiences mindfulness ) through its living. Mindfulness of Now is a form of nyojitsuchiken ( perceiving reality as it is in the moment ). Enlightened Mindfulness is a form of muga-mushin ( no perception of Self or mind ). Mindfulness of Now can be taught. Enlightened Mindfulness develops naturally. AJ Gentry May, 2010   " One is... Thinking is a barrier to Doing, Doing is a hinderence to Being, Being is ineffective if you try. " Sensei Chou Li