Warrior Zen Death Lessons: A Guided Meditation on Death

In this essay (2,873 words) I examine Zen perspectives on death and the use of jisei (death poetry) to capture an intense focus on the now, even at the point of mortal change. In particular I examine the life and death of the Zen Warrior Yamaoka Tesshu whose death poem is regarded as a classic and who is believed to have been the only person to have died in seiza (formal kneeling position) during the Meijin period. Finally I conclude with two guided meditations to help reestablish your connection with the present moment and to reflect on death, and through it, life.

Vincent Paul Cooper lives in Fukuoka, Japan. He has been training in (his version of) Shotokan karate for 30 years now. In addition he also practices Jeet Kune Do, along with his new love, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, which he has been training in for 4 years. He is the first non-Japanese to train in the battlefield art of Jigen ryu swordsmanship in Kagoshima, the school of the Shimazu samurai clan and a telling influence on the development of Okinawan karate. He is active training several hours a day, seven days a week.

He completed a Masters degree at SOAS, University of London, writing on the Japanese Zen arts, a field of study he has continued to research since his graduation.

You can visit his website at: www.karatewithvincentcooper.com/

Or join him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/vincent.cooper.31