The Resonance of Life

Creating peace is to forge ahead when you would rather stand aside and avoid the inevitable pain of active engagement. The struggle always begins with yourself. This is true more today than at any time in human history. So many people are paralyzed by a sense of alienation. They are constantly bombarded by shallow distractions and are surrounded by strangers. So many people surrender to this disconnected world. They seek passive entertainment and follow addictions of both body and of mind to numb themselves from the hopelessness of complete alienation.

They are, to quote Sogyal Rinpoche “Living Corpses” I do not like to be a living corpse.... I would face the hardships, exhaustion, and frustrations of struggle before resigning myself to a living grave. All efforts to become more human are ultimately a struggle for peace. I have chosen Taiko drumming to feel more alive. Wrapped in the large booming voice of Taiko, I am lost to the deep soft sound that resonates from the drum. The sound of taiko gives me a sense of “awe”. Creating this awesome sound is very hard. It requires physical training and absolute concentration to be in right position, right form, and right mind. The power of taiko synchronizes the power of life in me. When this happens, I feel alive.