Mark Williams
I’ve studied the Martial Arts for over nine years and during that time achieved a 2nd Dan in Bushido Karate. I also came to realise that learning to defend the mind against all the trials & tribulations of life was at least as important as my skill in physical self-protection. This was my route into the mysterious subject of Zen
Actually Zen isn’t mysterious or hard to understand. The greatest lesson it taught me is that the answers to all of life’s most profound and important questions lie within. And a great way of getting in touch with this creative core of being is by picking up the pen.
I also like to salsa, scuba dive, interpret dreams and curl up and read a good book.
If you have any questions about anything on this site please feel free to leave a comment or email me at: mbw22uk@yahoo.co.uk and I’ll be sure to get back to you.
Feb 28, 2011 @ 15:09:55
You are talented indeed. I like your entries. More power to you.
Feb 28, 2011 @ 18:52:57
Thank-you Fey for reading and the encouragement
Mar 27, 2011 @ 05:45:46
looks handsome~~~
i like your posts
very powerful
Apr 04, 2011 @ 20:29:28
Many Thanks Summer Zheng – what a great name you have!
Apr 15, 2011 @ 21:16:31
Thanks for coming by my blog, I look forward to reading yours. I’m with you on curling up with a good book!
Apr 16, 2011 @ 10:38:10
Cheers Vixter, I enjoyed reading your blog
Apr 16, 2011 @ 00:23:42
Thanks for the comment on my blog! You’re an awesome writer!
Apr 16, 2011 @ 10:38:58
Thanks so much Sophia, I will be reading more of your blog V soon!
Apr 20, 2011 @ 22:13:25
For a little fun, I have a few dreams for you. I used to have a reoccurring dream of needing to use the restroom, but every single stall was utterly disgusting. I still have a recurring dream that I’ve just moved into a new mansion, but find out its haunted. The mansion always has a lot of history (books, maps, hidden attics with treasures.)
Any ideas?
Apr 21, 2011 @ 10:02:41
Okay I’ll give it a go! The mansion one is easy, I have had many dreams along similar lines. A house in dreams often represents the security of identity, or our conscious ego, which we construct to protect us from external threats. When asleep our consciousness is weakened and the unconscious part of our mind can express itself to us. However it has no language with which to do this, so it uses images taken from our own experience. The haunting you refer to is in fact the presence of the other half of you, the unconscious mind. Even sleeping your ego is aware that there is a what it perceives as an alien presence; something that it must fight against. But this is not an external threat, it is part of every one of us, and integrating this into ourselves is the process we must each undergo to reach any kind of ‘wholeness’. According to Carl Jung, the expert on this subject, each of us possesses a personal unconscious, where all the half-forgotten or repressed memories specific to our particular experience dwell. Under that is the collective unconscious, the bare bones of our psyche, which is common to all of us. This is why I recognize your dream, because I have had it too, only it will be dressed up slightly differently, i.e. by the specific memories present in my personal unconscious rather than yours. Any mention of history, old books, or maps is pointing to the archetypal forms in the collective unconscious which are common to us all. Just as our brains and bodies have evolved from more primitive forms, so our psyche is built on earlier layers.
The restroom dream may just mean you needed the toilet!! However the fact you couldn’t find something reminds me of the kind of dream where you are trying to get back from somewhere foreign. I often have these dreams and I interpret them as the sleepy conscious mind trying to find its way back out of the unconscious depths that have mired it. You see consciousness is always trying to find its way out of unconsciousness.
The best way to interpret dreams is to let your pen flow. Throw some ideas out there on the page and before long a light will go on in your head, a sudden bell will ring, and you will know you are on the right track.
Hope this helps!
Oct 01, 2011 @ 05:59:31
Repetitive dreams are important because they indicate to the dreamer that there is something important that needs to be done and they will continue until the matter is attended to.
The symbolism of the “rest room” is that there is something in your psyche (mentality) you need to get rid off but you find doing this offensive or difficult. You need to overcome this challenge.
The mansion symbolises your inherent path, way of (spiritual) life, which awaits you.
So, the dream is about spiritual self-improvement.
N.B. A dream is you (the spirit you) communicating with the you currently on Earth as Jennifer M. Hartsock.
If anyone wants to know more about dreams google ian gardner google profile and go to DreaMeditation [all free].
Oct 04, 2011 @ 21:24:59
Will check that out, thanks Ian!
I think the important thing is to realise that dreams are not just rubbish thrown around by the unconscious. Repetitive themes have a message to tell the dreamer. What that message is, is open to interpretation, though yours sounds good Ian. Jennifer will have to decide for herself however!
May 05, 2011 @ 16:42:59
The Zen Master.
May 05, 2011 @ 17:57:50
I wish!
May 05, 2011 @ 17:26:38
May 05, 2011 @ 23:30:49
Indeed, an interesting visit here. I would like to put a link on my blog to here for awhile if that is okay with you. I might or might not agree with you at times, but always speak my truth. Looks like you do, too. I want to know you and your work better. Pat (Source of Inspiration)
May 08, 2011 @ 18:19:39
Thanks Pat, I look forward to reading and learning from your blog too and the future conversations we might have.
May 14, 2011 @ 04:32:57
Just can’t finish reading everything. I love poems and haiku! I have a Literature subject this summer and we’re always making poems and haiku. I’m running out of deep words already!
May 16, 2011 @ 21:43:31
Thanks Fey, glad you love writing as much as I do! Don’t worry the words will always come…
May 17, 2011 @ 17:55:40
Thank You for Your comment on my Sonnet Mark… And thank You for reading me…
*Bows with humility*
May 17, 2011 @ 18:04:46
My pleasure (bows back)
May 21, 2011 @ 18:16:31
keep up the good work.
and being curled up with a nice book to read (add in coffee) is also what i love to do most :]
May 22, 2011 @ 19:20:37
Thanks Habiba, curling up is great isn’t it? As if for that time the world is of our making, and its cosy
Jun 05, 2011 @ 12:04:35
Amazing… love your spirit and the way it has found expression in writing, martial arts and more… beautiful.
Jun 06, 2011 @ 18:43:37
Many Thanks, I try and bring this connection into my life one moment at a time in whatever I find myself doing. But it is undeniable that certain channels are easier to use!
Jun 09, 2011 @ 10:39:09
Nice meeting you and your excellent poetry Mark
Jun 09, 2011 @ 19:01:36
and nice meeting you too!
Jun 28, 2011 @ 05:40:30
Feeling at once home here: it’s the same theme/design I too have chosen for my blog!…
You didn’t mention it when you came over, so it’s a (nice) surprise for me. We do have at least one thing in common, then, that’s an encouraging start! And you ‘liked’ something I wrote on my blog, thank you for that.
I had a first quick look around here, feels quite good, will come again for sure to your beautiful Zen Mirror…
Aug 12, 2011 @ 15:47:51
Hey thanks for visiting my blog.
Now THIS is a great blog. You write really well! (Now I’m thinking of really weird dreams to ask for your interpretation…)
Aug 14, 2011 @ 21:38:48
My pleasure – I enjoyed your blog. Feel free to send me any dreams here or via my email address!
Aug 15, 2011 @ 07:25:33
Hey there! I just wanted to say that I found your site while searching for Samurai poetry, and I absolutely love them! Especially the “Way of the Warrior”, it’s amazing! I hope you keep it up.
Regards,
Kamazorn Ironlink
Aug 16, 2011 @ 22:59:21
I’m glad you found me! So how is it you were searching for Samurai Poetry? Look around and I hope to have a chat with you soon.
May 10, 2012 @ 23:02:40
You know i have been reading some Zen too lately.
It does sound complicated for a beginner. But i guess persistance is the key.
All i understand of it, for now, is that to find the answers, we must relax and just Be.
Correct, mark?
May 20, 2012 @ 19:55:11
You certainly won’t go too far wrong if you follow your own advice. There is no set path or secret I can give you, just keep moving forwards in order to find your balance.
May 24, 2012 @ 20:21:23
“Beautiful Blogger Award”
http://ravenousforlife.wordpress.com/2012/05/25/beautiful-blogger-award-who-me/
May 25, 2012 @ 17:02:11
Many thanks Archana, I appreciate it!
Jun 02, 2012 @ 18:04:38
I’ve got 3 out of 4 – I just don’t know much about salsa! Haha!
Jun 06, 2012 @ 08:53:46
3/4 is not bad! Thanks for following.
Jun 04, 2012 @ 16:52:01
Hi! I nominated your blog for a “Beautiful Blogger Award.” It’s for “creativity, originality, and contribution to the blogging community.” Yey for obscure, feel-good awards!!! Read about it here: http://jennifaye.wordpress.com/2012/06/04/beautiful-blogger-award/
Jun 06, 2012 @ 08:54:25
Very many thanks Jennifaye! I too love obscure but welcome awards and will be sure to pass it on.
Jun 06, 2012 @ 15:45:33
Great!
Jun 08, 2012 @ 22:29:01
Your writings are like a magic spell! They are fascinating and influencing!
Keep up the good work!
Blessings,
-Naima.
Aug 27, 2012 @ 13:29:13
Thank you Naima. Your encouragement is much appreciated.
Jun 30, 2012 @ 21:38:06
Mark, I’ve added you to my blogroll. Please take a look, and let me know if you’re okay with it!
http://ravenousforlife.wordpress.com/
Jul 01, 2012 @ 17:33:54
Thanks Archana; of course it is okay – I very much appreciate it.
Aug 16, 2012 @ 22:08:07
Hello,
I totally agree that all answers we seek like within ourselves.
There are two steps here:
1. Knowing this.
2. Connecting with the self to seek the answer.
Of course, the second is the harder part. And before you even seek the answer, you should define properly, what the question is. Most of the time, that is my conundrum: is my question right or wrong, well posed or not?
Just a random thought.
Aug 21, 2012 @ 21:16:57
Very well put PNJ – also, sometimes we do not even know the question we are asking, at a subconscious level, and the realising of this is also an answer, of sorts.
May 21, 2013 @ 09:45:45
you are so very right! During my time earning Shodan in Tracy’s Kenpo , I soon realized that this particular style had 0% in training the mind to do other then fight.
I had loved the Martial Arts as long as I could remember and knew that a much higher level of understanding and peace awaited me….all I had to do was find a path that pointed the way.
David, A 3rd dan in Kokoro gave me my fist lesson in zazen.
I have stepped away many times only to return. My path is set. Thank you for walking with me.
Sincerely, ron
May 24, 2013 @ 13:46:01
It is pleasure to walk the path with you too…It is good to see that other Martial Artists have also seen that the physical angle is only one dimension of the real fight within.