He Sat as a Mountain: Unmoved

I loved that old series, Shogun. The film photography alone was superb. One thing I got out of that series was the demeanor of the head-honcho samurai as he held court, Lord Toranaga (played by Toshiro Mifuni). When Lord Toranaga entered the room he walked in, completely poised, and sat on a short stool. He took the posture of one in charge of his subjects. He sat as a mountain: unmoved by whatever chaos was going down in his court. When I meditate my intention is to adopt a similar posture. Of course, my court does not consist of people. My subjects are my thoughts and my thinking takes a position of willing submission when I assume the posture of a lord over them. As lord of my thinking I can call each thought to present itself in an orderly manner as I sort out a problem at hand. This is important because I have found that meditation for me isn’t relaxation on a couch or on a comfortable chair: I squat unmoved; a mountain in posture and mind, back erect and at full attention, as a samurai. It seems ego-centric to an observer but what is going on as I sit becomes the ultimate humility because, just as a samurai (which means one who serves), I am always in service to a Power greater than me.

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