LUCY AND THE ART OF SWORDSMANSHIP

Playing frisbee with Lucy the border collie often brings unexpected pleasures. Like today, when she stealth-creeped toward me watching to see where I would send the treasured frisbee a-flying. She was having fun; I was having fun. A great game of play together on a steamy afternoon. In this moment I recalled a poem recited by one of my instructors at the Family Institute of Philadelphia back in the early 1990’s. I cannot find the actual poem, but it goes something like this: the swordsman stands in readiness pose, knees bent, body alert and prepared for anything that comes from any direction.

An internet search led me to liomugai.com, Zen website, and how Zen poetry by the founder of the Mugai-ryu school, Tsuji Gettan Sukemochi, “Shaped the Soul of a Samurai School”. His poetry set down a “spiritual blueprint” on the subject of enlightenment. Sukemochi attained enlightenment through intense Zen training. The name of his school means “Nothing outside, or, No Other”. Here’s a poetic translation from a portion of his famous poem:

The quest for Oneness is the sole gateway to the path of Truth. Throughout the vast cosmos, and across the infinite reach of time, stands the just—timeless and unshakeable. By the absolute power of this Unity, the breath born within the heart bestows the might of the blade upon a single hair, transforming even the smallest stir into a surging fountain of light.

The poem speaks to the unity of all things, that the ultimate truth is found within. Facing an opponent is facing oneself since we are all part of the same interrelated reality. When aligning with the principle of One Truth, the spiritual aspirant mirrors the natural order of the universe. Fluidly, effortlessly, undisturbed by what is occurring externally, the swordsman’s response is anticipatory and instinctive without hesitation. “A living being reveals its whole body.” Authentic, present, a single unified force.*

It seems that this is what we are being called to embrace in this time of the Great Surrender. Events are unfolding throughout each day that offer the opportunity to go within, recalibrate, be present and fluid. Lucy reminded me to adopt the Zen swordsmanship stance. Who is this dog, anyway? A personification of Zen Unified Oneness, for sure. Who likes her treats.

Have a blessed day, one and all.

Barb Woolley and Lucy

*Liomugai 2026 by Lionel Reynaud, liomugai.com.

© Monday, July 20, 2026, Barbara J. Woolley. If you like this post and want to share it, by all means do so! In its entirety, please. Check out my website: loveworksmiracles.org, for archived blogs that might appeal. If you wish to comment, I welcome emails sent to this address: 8301barb@gmail.com.