Part 1: There is no money in art The guy crushed my dreams of being a filmmaker. He was a recruiter from the Hospitality and Tourism College in San Juan. I met him in high school at a career day when I attended his session while accompanying a friend of mine who was interested in tourism. He spoke about hotels, tourism, and being a chef. Professional cooking caught my … [Read more...] about The Business of Art
Zen Calligraphy is my favorite style of Shodo. Although I firmly believe that learning the fundamentals of calligraphy is necessary to brush good art, I also enjoy the emphasis Zen training puts in developing bokki (ki of the ink or the manifestation of kiai in the ink) through breath and posture. This style of calligraphy does not emphasize the academic grounds of penmanship. … [Read more...] about Shodo is Zen. Zen is Shodo
Over a year and a half ago, I began my Thesis research project for my Master of Science in Management degree. My research question was simple: Is Zen meditation an effective mindfulness technique to manage stress and enhance psychological well-being? I've been training in Zen, sitting formally and informally, for years, always wondering: does this really work? While I knew … [Read more...] about Meditation and Stress
Tai Sabaki is a Japanese term used in martial arts commonly translated as “body movement.” If we look at the Kanji, the first one, TAI 体 means “body,” and the second SABA(KI) 捌き means “to handle, to deal with.” Therefore, Tai Sabaki can also mean “body management, or body control.” During training, we learn techniques by breaking them down into steps. Step one: step forward, … [Read more...] about Connection through body movement
I like breakfast, but I usually don't eat it. I drink coffee in the mornings, and that holds me up until lunch. I don't eat breakfast mostly for two reasons; I'm lazy in the mornings to prepare it, and early in the morning my stomach doesn't handle food very well. As a chef, I know the importance of the morning meal, and I appreciate it when I get a chance to have it, which … [Read more...] about Zen Breakfast
