SHAKUHACHI - BLOWING ZEN

The shakuhachi is the traditional bamboo flute of Japan,  but the tradition is in danger of being lost.  Few Japanese people have actually seen one being played in live performance!.

Zen Buddhist priests (komusõ) used this instrument for their spiritual tool.  A typical day in their temple was:

In the morning,  before dawn,  the priest played the piece Kakusei rei (“Awakening Bell”),  signalling everyone to awake.  All would gather before the altar,  and as a morning ritual,  would play the piece Choka (“Morning Theme”).  Then they would do morning zazen (seated meditation).  In the middle of the day,  time would be set aside for shakuhachi practice as well as budõshûren (martial arts practice),  and begging for alms.  In the evening,  the piece Banka (“Evening Theme”) was ritually performed,  followed by evening zazen.  When a secret ceremony as performed in the middle of the night,  pieces such as Shin’ya (“Deep Night”) or Reibo (Yearning for the Bell”) were performed at the beginning of the ceremony.

The monks believed that by breathing correctly into the shakuhachi,  great changes could be made,  eventually leading to enlightenment. 

In ancient times it was said:
dying people - Breathed through their nose only.
sick people - Breathed with their shoulders
ordinary people - Breathed with their chest
Wise men - Breathed with their belly
Masters - Breathed from the soles of their feet.

There is a direct connection between breathing and emotional state. Emotion and breathing are one.  If we can control our breathing,  we can cause emotions such as anger or fear to subside.  For example:

Amidst spring flowers who should care that the wind blows?
It is not the wind,  but the shakuhachi of the komusõ”