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Universal Teachings For Everyday Living Page 3
Dharma Glimpse
I knew from the moment I gripped the cork handle on my
very first fly rod that there was something special about this
‘sport.’ I wasn’t quite sure what it was, but I knew there
must have been something about fly fishing that attracted
many great people to it, even past presidents of the United
States of America. There are so many legendary waters
that I read about in books, such as the unparalleled fishing
in Montana and Wyoming (even the Upper Kings River in
California!).
Recently, during my trip to Chicago to say good-bye to
magical and special about fly fishing. Fly fishing is a great
form of meditation! I really don’t know what it means to
idea of what I think meditation is.
A long time ago, I was probably around 10 years old, I
remember Grandpa and Uncle Sunnan would come back
from meditating at the temple. I was very curious as to ex-
actly what they were doing. Uncle Sunnan told me they sat
around and thought about ‘nothing.’ Wow, what a concept,
‘nothing.’ He even went on to say that while sitting, every
them on their shoulders with a stick to make sure they kept
thinking about ‘nothing.’ I asked my dad to explain. All he
said was that while sitting there, you are suppose to empty
everything out of your mind—all of your daily distractions,
thought, stresses, everything. You try to concentrate on only
one thing, maybe a ‘black dot.’ This sort of made sense to
me , but I was still a little confused. I think I considered it a
way for the ‘adults’ to clear their minds.
Later on, when I was around 20 years old, I remember
telling me why he enjoyed riding motorcycles so much. He
said it was a great way to relax your mind, similar to medi-
tation. I distinctly recall him saying that riding a motorcycle
forces you to think only about one thing—riding. You focus
on shifting gears, the clutch, the brakes, and the road ahead
of you. If you don’t, you will crash. So, I figured that this
was my dad’s way of meditating.
Recently, while lying in bed one morning shortly before
fishing. I realized that just like getting whacked on the back
and riding a motorcycle, fly fishing was my way to leave all
other thoughts behind and just focus on one thing. I believe
there is a Buddhist teaching that says, if you do something,
big or small, do it to the best of your ability. Focus on the one
thing that you are doing. Even it it is something as simple as
taking out the trash, or doing the dishes. Fly fishing is a natu-
stand in the middle of the river, water rushes around my legs,
beautiful mountains and trees are on both sides of me, I can-
not help but enjoy the moment. If I see a rising fish, all I am
focused on my presentation and fly selection that there is no
stresses of my job or the need to mow the lawn. The only
thing that breaks my focus and concentration is the ‘splash’
of a beautiful rainbow taking my fly. It may only be 4 inches
long but it is a perfect wild rainbow trout. A quick release of
the fish and I am back looking for the next ‘rise.’
I am always asked about how big the fish are that I catch.
motorcycle does not require you to travel 85 mph to get the
enjoyment. You can go 15 mph and have just as much satis-
faction, not to mention being able to see the beautiful world
about. Even when I am in a traditionally perfect meditative
environment, I am unable to attain the desired ‘state of mind.’
For me, it is only through fly fishing that I can ‘whack myself’
with my fly rod.
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