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What is Budokon (bu-do-kon)?

Budokon is a living art. By that I mean it is the art of living. It is your waking and your sleeping, your walking and your sitting, your living and your dying. I cannot say that it is more special than any other art. In fact, it is not special at all. It is the practitioner who brings all that the art is, all that the art will ever be. Budokon is not about gaining ideas. There is nothing to gain from it. It is simply a way. Our way is the Zen way. We are not a religion or a devotional practice. We do not practice to become enlightened. We practice because we are enlightened. If you are seeking something in order to gain something, this is the wrong practice. Budokon is empty of gaining ideas. If you believe there is something to gain from it, you will always be disappointed by it. This is the first lesson in our art. We must come to it, like all things, with a pure mind, free from attachment and gaining ideas. This is why we suffer. Budokon is freedom from suffering, nothing more. - Cameron Shayne
Creator & Founder

Budokon is the brainchild of Kancho (Founder) Cameron Shayne and the practice was founded in 2000. The word Bu-do-kon translates directly in Japanese as (Bu) Warrior (Do) Way (Kon) Spirit, or Way of the Spiritual Warrior.

The Physical Practice

The Budokon physical practice draws upon ancient and modern yogic and martial arts styles. The foundation of the Budokon physical practice is precision, alignment and Zen mind. All Budokon techniques are designed to explore the body's full range of motion. The practice dances between agility, control, speed, power, balance and flow. The physical practice is divided into two themes: The Yogic Series, and the Budo Series. Both themes constantly draw from and depend on each other. The Budokon Yogic Series was heavily influenced by Iyengar and Ashtanga yogic techniques and alignment. The focus is on control, calm, power and precision. These techniques are uniquely different from traditional Hatha Yoga in the sense that they not only work to improve range of motion and strength, but they also explore the body's ability to sustain another person's body weight. The Budokon Budo Series is a combination of standing and ground techniques drawn primarily from Okinawan Karate-Do, Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, and Olympic Style Tae Kwon Do. The objective of this series is to teach agility, power, focus and flow in the body and mind.

The Zen Practice

The Budokon Zen practice is seated meditation. Zen is about single minded living. Zen is about freedom from our own ideas. This practice is the foundation of Budokon and weaves its way through everything we do.

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The Budokon Philosophy

Founding principles of Kancho Cameron Shayne:
Simplicity, Integrity, Compassion

  1. In Budokon there is nothing to gain.
  2. Always honor your Self, Teachers, Parents and the Way.
  3. Practice non-attachment, simplicity, patience and compassion.
  4. Embrace death as you embrace life.
  5. Never lie, deceive or be partial because of race, religion, creed or social standing. All life comes from and returns to Source.
  6. Resolve situations with decisiveness; resolve problems before they arise; know when to stop.
  7. Fighting is a choice; defense of self is not. If you must fight, enter battle as if entering a funeral. Defeat your enemy by harmonizing with him. Reveal to him his folly before his advance.
  8. Learn not to overdo. Overdoing creates decay.
  9. Do not be attached to possessions or people.
  10. Always be kind with your thoughts, words and deeds; be genuine with your praise; be generous with your love, food and wealth; treat everyone as an honored guest
  11. Accomplish one task at a time. Take as much care at the end as you do at the beginning. Leave no task unfinished no matter how unimportant it seems. Master the fundamentals of things; all else is built upon them.
  12. Servitude before mastery.
  13. Know the Self and you know the Eternal. Knowing the Eternal is to be illuminated.
  14. Those who talk don't know. Those who know don't talk. Accept that you know nothing. Knowing nothing we return to Source.
  15. Be resolute but don't boast. Succeed but don't brag.
  16. Let your yes be your yes and your no be your no. Never swear by anything.
  17. Treat others as you would like to be treated. Give to others, as you would like to be given to.
  18. Conquer your cravings.
  19. Recognize the universe as your Self and you can be happy anywhere. Love the world as your Self and you can care for it properly. Regard all life as your Self and you will find the Way.
  20. Remove obstacles from your own path before trying to remove them from another's.
  21. The Way is the natural order of all things. All answers lie in the Way. All of life is an aspect of the Way.

The Ten Cultivations

  1. Order before chaos.
  2. Concentration before confusion.
  3. Peace before destruction.
  4. Freedom before enslavement.
  5. Humility before dishonor.
  1. Courage before hardship.
  2. Knowledge of Self before knowledge of others.
  3. Compassion for Self before compassion for others.
  4. Forgiveness for Self before forgiveness of others.
  5. Respect for Self before respect for others. This is so you can be authentic.
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Lessons from the Way

  1. Learn to attain your purpose without pressing your advantage, to walk without leaving tracks, to press without using forcing and to lead without manipulating.
  2. Learn not to know, not to hold on and not to interfere. This allows for people to naturally return to Source.
  3. Learn discernment without judgment, love without attachment, compassion without pity and generosity without expectation. This allows for people to experience true goodness.
  4. Learn to be still, quiet, when to stop and when enough is enough. This allows for people to experience justice.
  5. Learn to yield and you can stay centered, to trust so that you will be trusted, to be empty so that you can be filled, to forget yourself so that you will not be forgotten and to control your cravings so that you cannot be controlled by them.
  6. Learn that loss of purpose creates confusion, confusion creates fear, fear creates anger and rage, and anger and rage have no place in the Way.
  7. Learn from as many people as possible about as many things as possible. This allows one to overcome ignorance.
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Food Guidelines for Personal Training

  1. When training in the morning one should eat food the night before that is slow burning, such as oatmeal or whole grain rice.
  2. The morning of training one should eat food that is light in weight at least 1 hour before training.
  3. One should graze on light plant based foods throughout the entire day.
  4. All foods eaten should be grown naturally without chemicals.
  5. If you are non-vegan, meat should always be used sparingly.
  1. Your diet should be mainly vegetables, followed by grains and fruits.
  2. Only eat natural sugars such as honey, maple syrup, stevia, etc.
  3. Avoid rich foods that clutter the palate.
  4. Drink only water and eat only fruit during training.
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Budokon Views

  1. All things come from and return to Source.
  2. All is perfection.
  3. An open mind leads to an open heart.
  4. Nothing is good or evil.
  5. All suffering is the result of attachment.
  6. Nature is our greatest teacher.
  1. Love heals all things.
  2. You are responsible for your life in every way.
  3. You change the universe with your every thought, deed and action.
  4. Time as we know it does not exist.
  5. Hate, anger and rage are the fruits of fear.
  6. All life comes from the breath.
  7. You are perfect.

Characteristics of a Budokon Sensei

  1. Cannot be courted or bought, honored or disgraced.
  2. Is right without being righteous.
  3. Points without piercing.
  4. Straightens without straining.
  5. Enlightens without dazzling.
  6. Acts without acting.
  7. Accomplishes without taking credit.
  8. Does without doing.
  9. Loves without possessing.
  10. Discerns without judging.
  11. Finds without looking.
  12. Wins without dominating.
  13. Gives without knowing.
  14. Is great by acting small.
  15. Uses power instead of force.
  16. Is full of life but embraces death.
  17. Does not hoard possessions.
  18. Works for all, contends with none.
  1. Avoids extremes.
  2. Avoids excess.
  3. Does what needs to be done then stops.
  4. Her yes is her yes, and his no is his no.
  5. Saves everyone, leaves no one behind.
  6. Lives with passion.
  7. Corrects their mistakes.
  8. Is loyal.
  9. Accepts things as they are.
  10. Teaches without manipulating.
  11. Asks without demanding
  12. Creates without possessing.
  13. Teaches by example.
  14. Places themselves last.
  15. Competes with no one.
  16. Resists no one.
  17. Does their work and then lets go.
  18. Does not flatter.
  19. Cannot be flattered.