Bringing together our ethos of Mind, Body and Spirit.
Chūdō is a Japanese term meaning, ‘middle way’ in English. The term has been used extensively in Buddhism to describe the methods adopted by the Buddha to achieve enlightenment; a path that is neither excessively harsh nor overly self indulgent. In the same spirit, we use the term Chūdō to describe a path or way to aid the practitioner in living a long, fruitful and considered life. Such a discipline is, of course, well beyond the scope of a single one-hour session. As such, they should not be considered as ‘lessons’ but, rather, as signposts along the way. In them, we shall explore the psychological elements of mind, self and our roles in the world through meditation and self reflection. The physical component to this spiritual discipline, ensuring that the body stays as functionally strong, flexible and agile as possible, involves exercises to test and expand our abilities to move and stand strong. The exercises used are drawn from various disciplines, largely drawing from hatha yoga, as well as Chinese and Japanese martial arts. Ideally, you should wear loose, comfortable clothing when training. It is better to eat at least an hour before training or wait until after, to avoid postures and movements being restricted or to prevent any digestive distress. Hydration is important, so bring water or juice with you. If you have them, a yoga mat, block and strap, a zafu and a blanket may make you practice easier, but they are not essential. The essential point of these sessions is to enjoy them. It is not necessary to compare you abilities to others around you - the only person that needs to be bettered is the ego. That said, it is sometimes useful to see how others approach things - we all benefit and learn through sharing. So bring this attitude with you to our sessions.