Beginning a New Journey

Welcome friends, new and old.

My name is Brendan, and I’m a freelance writer, editor and communications consultant who moved to Boston after a career primarily in newspapers and wire services covering politics and breaking news at the local, state and, ultimately, national level in Washington, D.C., as a Congressional and White House correspondent. But after more than a decade of focusing almost solely on my career, I found I needed a break.

And so, with the passage of some time, I’ve come to Boston, reconnecting with friends from my past – some who go back to my high school and undergraduate days – as well as to rebuild a more active spiritual life through my membership in the Religious society of Friends (more commonly known as Quakers).

It was strange for me, after so long pursuing the goal of advancement in journalism, to be without a guiding purpose for my life, and I have struggled with that since I left D.C. But earlier this year I was given (and was finally able to hear) the advice to be patient, to try new things, to not be afraid of running into obstacles and to be open to and more aware of the coincidences and leadings of my spirit – or the Holy Spirit*

So it was through this last practice that I discovered the American Buddhist Shim Gum Do Association – located in a beautiful converted Christian church in Brighton on my commute between my home in Dorchester and my work with a non-profit in Watertown.

Despite the best efforts of my parents to raise me as a Quaker from age 2 ½ or so – when they became Quakers by convincement – with no war toys and avoiding violent television and the like, I’ve had a lifelong fascination with the sword. Star Wars – the original trilogy – undoubtedly played a role here, as did the fact that it was books of mythology and legends that first spared my lifelong love of reading … much of which has been in the science fiction and fantasy genres. I even dabbled in Olympic fencing (foil and saber) a bit in college.

And there was the sign, right in front of me (actually, off to the left a bit, I was driving after all), “ZEN – Sword, Karate, Meditation.” I wasn’t so interested in the Karate side, but the Zen sword part intrigued me enough that I kept an eye on the place as I drove by a few times a week.

Then came the sign that (figuratively and literally) sealed the deal – a meditation session and dharma talk with a Zen master on the first Friday of the month; this coming at a time when I had been feeling tense, discontented and wondering how I might incorporate more meditation in my life anyway.

Despite having some difficulty hearing Zen Master Chang Sik Kim (a soft spoken man) over the noise of the fan in the room on Sept. 4, and some further difficulty deciphering his accent, I was very impressed with the wisdom he shared.

Fast forward a few weeks of discussions with other high-degree masters at the “Mind Light Temple,” gathering of finances for course fees, uniforms and a practice sword, and I have started walking the “Mind Sword Path” – the translation of Shim Gum Do from Korean to English.

In future posts in this space I’ll be exploring my experiences and thoughts as I learn more about the practice as well as the Zen teaching behind the physical actions and meditative forms and I hope you’ll follow along on as I walk through these doors.

Two final notes: I was attracted to this practice, in part, because it was stressed to me several times before I began that the actual use of Shim Gum Do is meant only as a last resort, when one is actively fighting for his or her life, and that the notion of entering tournaments or seeking of trophies as displays of skill is definitely discouraged. That said, my personal belief in the Quaker Peace Testimony and in nonviolence is almost certain to be the source some internal struggles that I will share here.

*In regards to terms around God, religion and Christianity. I personally would describe myself as a Christian-leaning Deist, meaning that I believe in a God and miracles that are still active in the world today and I tend to express that belief in Judeo-Christian language – partly because that’s the language that comes most naturally to mind.

That said, I personally and many members and Meetings of the Religious Society of Friends are working to discern what the Puritan, Protestant Christianity of the founders of our faith still means in light of the spirit of continuing revelation and the founding tenant of Quakerism that everyone can access the divine directly.

So please know that I mean no offense by my inclusion or omission of any specific religious references, and do not hesitate to let me know if offense is inadvertently given and I will try to address it as quickly and appropriately as possible.