people.”
Forming the mudra (Moo-dra) hand seal associated with the Kuji One power of Strength.
“This special hand shape is called a mudra, sometimes translated as a seal,” he explained. “It’s used to anchor an idea. We make an unusual shape with our hands that wouldn’t come up in ordinary life, and we program that shape by focusing on certain thoughts and energies whenever we make the shape. Later, once we’ve put enough energy into programming the mudra with the right thoughts, we can go the other way and use the mudra to bring up the thoughts.”
Somebody in the group commented that it reminded them of NLP, or Neuro-Linguistic Programming, an approach to anchoring ideas in the mind developed in the 1970s.
“Maybe like that,” An-Shu Hayes agreed, “but thousands of years old.”
As usual, we fell silent for a moment as he reminded us that while these ancient practices may be echoed in modern attempts to understand the mind, they are far deeper and more thoroughly validated than anything created in the last few decades. I realized what a poor intuitive grasp I had of the scope of time these practices spanned.
“You could think of it like a checking account,” An-Shu continued. “You can write a check as big as you want, but you can only cash a check as big as what you have put in the account. Of course, you’ll want to start writing checks right away, using the practice to generate strength, but start small and make regular investments to build up your power. Don’t try to write a huge check with nothing behind it, because all you’ll do is damage your own credibility and confidence.”
An-Shu came around personally and helped us fold our hands into the correct shape, interlacing the lower two fingers, making entwined rings with the middle fingers and thumbs, and pointing the index fingers forward. “These rings of the middle finger and thumb represent the rope of Fudo Myo’o, with which he binds negative forces and holds them down. The index fingers extended represent his flaming wisdom sword, cutting through obstacles and delusion.”
“Take a deep breath in,” he said, “and let that oxygen focus your mind on the mudra representing the rope and sword. Release that deep breath, and settle yourself into a more solid and resolute state of mind. Go slowly. Luxuriate in the breath, and build that power.”
We went through a series of breaths, slow and deliberate, focusing and settling.
“Good,” he said after a few moments. “There is so much more than that, but this is an excellent start. Let’s try an exercise.”
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Exercise Three – Manifesting Power |
Get a trusted training partner who can put a little social pressure on you but can remember that they are playing a role to help you practice strength. It is essential that you succeed in the exercise, because the point is to program memories of success into yourself. Therefore, your partner’s job is to ensure that you succeed. You probably don’t want to try this on your lifelong rival…. Yet.
Preparing to practice Strength.
Start several paces apart, further than you would have a conversation normally. Take a few moments to settle yourself while your partner waits quietly at a distance. If you like, you could try out that mudra, breathing and focusing yourself on a sense of resolute strength.
When you feel ready, let go of any mudra and bring your hands up in front of you in a warning or warding off posture. Let those hands feel strong, palms facing your training partner. The sense is that they cannot move you. You will not pursue or attack them, but you will not allow them to push you.
Your hands coming up signals your partner to begin putting a little social pressure on you. Not physical pressure—just social pressure.
Remember that the point is to build success memories. Your partner’s job is to put just enough social pressure on you that you can feel the temptation to cave in or back up, or you are able to hold your ground and stay strong.
Start small. Have your partner just give you a dirty look. Hold your ground.
If that’s easy, signal them to say a few mildly rude words, or call you weak. Hold your ground. No need to reply. No need to move, either forward or backward. If you must do something, simply nod slowly and give a small confident smile.
If you are completely succeeding, your partner could even stalk over to you and point their finger at you, or crowd into your space. They are not to touch you in this exercise, so no need to defend or engage them, physically or verbally. Stay confident. Stay strong. Smile slightly and nod slowly when needed.
This exercise is physically simple, but it is not easy.
Hombu Dojo, Dayton, Ohio, 2007: “What concerns me for you, Kevin, is that you are not accustomed to holding firm under the kind of pressure you are going to experience with this project.”
An-Shu Hayes and I were sitting alone together at his martial arts school after classes had ended for the night. I was out visiting for advanced martial arts training toward 4th degree black belt, but I had a secret agenda too. I had recently been contacted by the organizers of an upcoming visit by His Holiness the 17th Karmapa, one of the four heads of Tibetan Buddhism. It would be His Holiness’ first visit to America in this incarnation and they had asked me to head the security team for his public talk.
Thousands of students of the 16th Karmapa would be there to see him, plus the possibility of protests or worse from Chinese forces because the 17th Karmapa had escaped as a teenager from a carefully groomed life in China. Facing organizing a team of over 60 direct reports to secure a building of over 50,000 square feet, with over 30 entrances and four different security organizations consulting, I knew I was in deep. I turned to my teacher for help based on his experience running personal security for His Holiness the Dalai Lama, particularly during the time that His Holiness won the Nobel Prize in 1989.
An-Shu Hayes was helping me understand that the problem was even bigger than the logistics. “You are very intelligent, so you will no doubt have a good plan. But that won’t be enough. Your plan will be undermined by well-meaning and powerful people who have their own desire to make contact with His Holiness. Your plan may even be undermined or overridden by the very people who asked you to make a plan, as they cave under the pressure of politics and money. How will you respond?”
He was speaking from direct experience I knew. Since it was impossible to know exactly what would go wrong, it was impossible to answer his question directly, so I asked a question of my own. “How should I prepare for that kind of pressure?”
He nodded. “The right question. It will be very difficult. To do a good job, to be strong but still diplomatic and intelligent, you will need a strength based in purpose. Your first step is finding and discovering your purpose. Why are you doing this?”
His question surprised me. Why was I doing it? It seemed obvious that when someone offers you such an important position, and the chance to be a part of such a big adventure, you say yes. However, that seemed like a very shallow answer now that it was being consciously examined. It certainly wouldn’t be enough to hold fast when confronted by mega-celebrities, powerful politicians, super wealthy patrons
