Benefits in Daily Life

Table of Contents

• Benefits in Daily Life

• Reflection of the Week:

  • Shugyo

    • Uchureisei (宇宙霊性) — Universal Mind

    • Banyu Aigo (萬有愛護) — Love and Protect All Creation

  • Shinpo Uchurei Kanno Soku Genjo

  • Every Moment is a Teacher

  • Closing

Reflection of the Week:

Shugyo

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending the Eastern Ki Federation New Year’s Seminar, also known as Shugyo Tassai Kigan Shiki — the ceremony to renew our commitment to shugyo. But what exactly is shugyo?

• Shugyo (修行): Cultivation, a continuous practice that extends beyond the dojo into every moment of life.

• Keiko (稽古): Practice within the dojo, which is an essential part of shugyo but not the whole of it.

So, what are we cultivating? The answer lies in the motto above:

Let us have a Universal Mind that loves and protects all creation and helps all things grow and develop.

I’ll offer here a slightly different take on the Motto, based on my own training and experience: 

We are one with the Universe which loves and protects all creation and helps all things grow and develop. To experience, in each moment, the original and natural Oneness of mind and body and our interdependence with that Universe is the ultimate purpose of our study. 

Our goal is not to look cool in a flowing hakama or demonstrate a painful nikyo. Instead, it is to cultivate our connection with this Universal Mind and embody that in every action, on and off the mat. We’re not creating this connection, we are uncovering it, like brushing dust off a mirror, or polishing a rock to find the gemstone within.

“Our Motto” echos the first two of Tohei Sensei’s Ten Rules for Daily Life:

宇宙霊性 (Uchureisei) — Universal Mind
萬有愛護 (Banyu Aigo) — Love and protect all creation

Uchureisei (宇宙霊性) — Universal Mind

The term Uchureisei reminds us of the vastness of existence and our place within it. The Universal Mind transcends the boundaries of individual experience and connects all things in harmony. It is not limited by personal desires, or fears, but instead sees the whole picture.

To cultivate Uchureisei in daily life means to:

• Think beyond yourself. Recognize that every action you take impacts others and the world around you. A choice made with Universal Mind is one of consideration and compassion.

• Approach challenges with equanimity. From the perspective of Universal Mind, obstacles are not insurmountable but are opportunities for growth and connection.

Banyu Aigo (萬有愛護) — Love and Protect All Creation

Rooted in Morihei Ueshiba O-Sensei’s teachings, Banyu Aigo embodies the spirit of care and protection for all living things. It reflects a deep respect for the interconnectedness of life and the natural world, grounded in love, not control or domination.

To practice Banyu Aigo means to:

• Act with compassion. Every living being has intrinsic value. Whether dealing with a partner on the mat or a stranger in daily life, our actions should reflect kindness and understanding.

• Protect the weak and nurture growth. True strength is measured by how we uplift others. In the dojo, this might mean adjusting your technique to avoid causing harm; in life, it means using your abilities to create positive change.

These ideals are not passive. To love and protect creation requires active engagement. It challenges us to move beyond convenience and self-interest, dedicating ourselves to fostering growth, harmony, and understanding in all we do.

Shinpo Uchurei Kanno Soku Genjo

One way to reflect on our commitment to shugyo is through the phrase: Shinpo Uchurei Kanno Soku Genjo

• Shinpo: Blessed

• Uchurei: Universal Spirit or Universal Mind

• Kanno: Connection or resonance

• Soku: Immediate, present, in this very moment

• Genjo: Realization, Presence 

All together, this can be interpreted as:

May I realize and experience my original and natural connection to the universe in each moment

Or

May I be fully present to the immediate experience of each moment

Tohei Sensei’s calligraphy for "Shinpo Uchurei Kanno Soku Genjo" is hung at the shomen of Hei-Sei-Ji (The Place of Peace temple at Furman University) and formerly at the Tenshingosho training hall at Ki Society Headquarters in Japan, before the building was dismantled following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake. 

This phrase reminds us of our connection to the universal spirit and to one another. It also reminds us that we only have this present moment. The past exists as memories in the present, and the future as our dreams and wishes in the present. To live fully, we must embrace and realize this moment.

I begin each day by quietly reciting this phrase to myself three times, reminding myself of its rich lessons and recommitting to shugyo.

Every Moment is a Teacher

We can use anything to help us remember this connection. From the profound: a beautiful sunrise or sunset, the moon, the birth of a child. To the mundane: birdsong, a soap bubble while doing the dishes, a car horn blaring. To the unpleasant: the smell of the trash, the mess in the kids bedroom. To the painful: cutting yourself when chopping vegetables, the death of a loved one. Each of these phenomena bring the present moment to life, if we don’t allow ourselves to separate ourselves from them. 

In Japanese Shingon Buddhism, this idea was expressed by its founder Kukai as Hosshin Seppo: The dharmakāya [a.k.a. universe] expounds the truth. Every part of the universe reflects the interdependence of all things, and by understanding a single piece deeply, we can see the whole. This is not a conceptual or metaphorical practice, but a lived/felt/experienced moment-to-moment reality. Similarly, by deeply studying one of the Four Principles, we naturally embody them all. 

Learning from the Universe is reflected in the Ki ranks that Tohei Sensei developed from shokyu up through joden, okuden, and finally kaiden, where the universe itself is your teacher. 

Closing

As we continue our shugyo in this new year, let us remind ourselves that each practice, each interaction, and each moment holds the key to understanding the universal spirit/mind and our connection to it. 

Wishing everyone a blessed start to the year as we cultivate together and grow together.

Upcoming Events

May 16 - 18, 2025 EKF Seminar hosted by Minnesota Ki Aikido Save the Date

July 24 - 27, 2025 International Ki Conference taught by Kaicho Shinichi Tohei Sensei
Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina
https://internationalkiconference2025.com/

I look forward to seeing you on the mat (and in daily life) soon!