I first met Claude AnShin Thomas at a talk that he gave, and the first thing that struck me about him was his straightforward honesty. There was something very sharp and clear about his talk, his attitude, and his vision. I am honored to have the chance to interview Claude AnShin, who has experienced so much in his life. He has been many things. A combat soldier in Vietnam, martial arts teacher, musician, political activist, peace advocate, and ascetic wondering monk.

Vlad: You have walked many miles on foot, what is the longest continuous journey you have done on foot and what inspired this journey? 

The longest continuous journey I would have to say was from the Auschwitz concentration camp inPolandtoVietnam. I was ordained in Auschwitz, a decision made by my teacher. In preparation for that ordination, I sat in the selection site between two railroad tracks in Auschwitz/Birkenau. I fasted there for four days, no food or water, and I chanted from sunup to sundown.

I then walked to Vietnam, through something like 25 or 27 countries. Most of the places I walked through were places of current or past fighting.  The experience of being a combat soldier has shaped the way my Zen Buddhist practice has developed.  It has helped me come into a more conscious relationship with the sources of conflict that are within me. It has also given me a greater insight into the reality of separation that exists amongst those who call themselves peace advocates. A lot of these people see the soldiers as the enemy. I realized through my own experience that people seldom pay attention to the suffering of the perpetrator.  However, if we observe carefully, we can see that within each victim there is a perpetrator and within each perpetrator there is a victim.

Vlad: What was it like to be walking through these countries on foot?

That was a long time ago. I can only say now in hindsight that it was incredibly important, and intensely powerful in the sense that it got me into a more intimate connection with how I was affected by my military service. It brought into a sharper focus the full spectrum of the experience of war: the war before the war, the war itself, and the war after the war. It refined my understanding that War is not a finite experience.

The pilgrimage helped me understand the experience in a more certain and clear way.  It made me realize clearly that I don’t have any enemies. The whole notion of enemy is a fabrication. The demonization of the other helped to absolve the roots of war in me. If I want to be an advocate of active non-violence, I have to be awake to the sense of war in me, to the soldier in me. I have to be able to embrace the reality of my duality, understanding that I don’t know the specific experience of anIraqor Iranian soldier, or a Chilean soldier. I don’t know their exact experience, but I do know that I am not different from them. I try not to focus on precise experience, which can create a sense of separation, but rather to see where am I connected, where it is that our experiences intersect.

Vlad: If I understand correctly, you don’t have a permanent home, is this part of your spiritual practice? How did that come about?

Somehow, from the very beginning, it just made sense to me and I did not know why. I feel the critical importance of living a very direct life. Everything that I have read and studied talks about the importance of renunciation through the maturation of spiritual practice, of not being rooted in fame or gain. I want nothing more than to wake up. I want to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. My life is committed to that, because of all the consequences to living in forgetfulness.

My vows – no home, no resources, no saving, no insurance, none of the trappings of security bring more sharply into focus the reality that these sorts of this do not provide security. I am often invited to teach meditation or to work with cultures of violence in support of a desired transformation out of this cycle. The invitations come from all over the world. I do not charge for my services. I do everything for free, but if people want me there, they have to get me there and I don’t fly business class or first class. You chuckle at that, but I can’t tell you how many Buddhist teachers I know who won’t travel any other way than business class or first class.

Vlad: Would you recommend this wandering lifestyle to others who may want to follow in your footsteps?

I think this way of living is the best way in the world. Now, would I recommend this to others? Not my job. People need to find their own way. People have the sense somehow that it is a glamorous life and it is not.

Let’s say somebody embarks on this path. They need to be fully committed to it, because they have no real sense of the its’ demands. I had ideas of what this might be like, but in truth there is no way that I could ever know what this lifestyle is like. That is the wonder of it. It just keeps revealing itself day by day, year by year. I suppose I will live like this until I don’t live. I hear monks and priests talking about retirement, and I go, “are you kidding me?” To be a monk is not a job, this is a life commitment. You don’t retire from this.

Vlad: For many years you have, and still do, live with post traumatic stress, how has meditation and Zen practice affected that?

Living the life of spiritual development has taught me to live in a more conscious relation with myself. That being said, the 4th noble truth tells us that the cure for suffering does not entail the elimination of suffering. It does not mean that suffering goes away. Not in my experience. In my experience it means that I learn to live in a different relationship with my suffering. As a result my suffering does not haunt me in the ways that it did when I was attempting to eliminate this suffering.

I have not slept for more than 2 hours consecutively since 1967. I still don’t. When I was wrapped up in the notion that I had to get my life to conform to certain standards, I was in a place of non-acceptance. Through spiritual practice I was catapulted into a place of awareness and acceptance of my life as it was. I am then encouraged to take responsibility, not pretend that I am someone I’m not, or that there is some fixed way to be in the world.

I think there is a false impression marketed in regards to the issue of feelings and transformation on the spiritual path. Ideas are sold that healing is the absence of suffering, that it means everything goes away and becomes like it always was or is supposed to be. When in reality, there is no supposed to be. There is no fixed place where we can stand firm except in the reality of not knowing, in the reality of impermanence.

Spiritual practice is not an intellectual matter. I can’t think myself into a new way of living. I have to live myself into a new way of thinking.

Vlad: What advice, if any, do you have for vets?

First let me say that I am not in the advice giving business. What I pass along to Veterans is what I have learned and experienced through my own life. That healing is not the

absence of suffering, it is learning to live in a more conscious  relationship with how we have been affected. How we react and respond to the world makes absolute sense based on the nature of our experiences. We can’t ever go back to who we were before our military service, and the very nature of our experiences in war can’t be changed. I pass along the message that healing is possible, if one is willing to give up ideas of what that means. The very heart of healing rests with the acceptance that this is like this because that was like that. I think acceptance grows  out of the desire to accept.  But it must be supported by disciplined spiritual practice.

What I talk about often is the roots of war that are within us. I think the majority of people never consider this reality. It is something foreign to them. I think it is incredibly important to understand that the non-veteran is more responsible for war than the veteran. Because they think they are not responsible. People look to the violence that is external to them, and never reflect on the roots of that violence within them. We must pick up the roots of war within us and commit our lives to the transformation of this violence.

The world is constantly communicating to me, but if I am so set on the answer that I want to hear or what I think I should be hearing, then I loose my capacity to hear. Understanding is not the accumulation of information, but rather how that information manifests itself in real life terms in my life. It is a two-fold process, of asking the question, and being able to listen to the answer.

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If one wishes to learn to ski, we do not start by going straight to the most difficult obstacle course and trail, instead we focus on our technique. We practice basic maneuvers on the “bunny slopes” and then gradually make our way to the more difficult trails. Similar in meditation, one must develop the groundwork and maneuvers in order to progress and learn. Here are a few simple meditation techniques that provide training for the mind, allowing us to relax and enjoy meditation. Try one, or several of these techniques and once you find one that works, practice it consistently and frequently – results will come.

Single Object Meditation: Start with something simple and not overly graphic, like a candle or a pen. Begin to gently gaze at this object and think about the object, the structure, the shape, color, size, anything that is related to the object. As you do this, feel yourself becoming physically and emotionally entangled with the object. After a comfortable time gazing, close your eyes and see the object in your mind’s eye. Hold it there for as long as you can until it begins to get fuzzy or starts to fade. Once you have determined that it has faded, or is significantly altered so that you have to imagine or recall from memory the object, open your eyes and repeat the process again. I find that very visual people are able to do this easily and find this exercise to be fun and non-visual people have a very difficult time holding the object for even five seconds. If you are one of those people who have a very difficult time with this, keep practicing on a regular basis and you will improve dramatically. This is a preliminary exercise and can be beneficial to practice for a few weeks before trying the other three techniques.

Develop the Watcher: Take a small part of your attention and assign this part the task of watching everything that flutters through the mind – without judgment or criticism. Imagine this part as a video camera that records everything, to be stored and analyzed almost immediately after it occurs. As you begin to develop this ability, you can notice thoughts, stories, narratives, emotions, reactions, and many other processes going on in your mind. This form of meditation, sometimes referred to as mindfulness can be practiced anywhere and anytime. It is essential that we do not criticise or condemn what we see, imply observe and grow in awareness and depth. With clear awareness, comes insight, understanding, and the power to change.

Mantras: A powerful and easy technique to conquer internal dialogue is to repeat a words or phrases over and over again. By concentrating the mind on these specific words, all other thoughts are cast aside. There are many sacred mantras that exist in the world but the most important factor in choosing a mantra is that we cultivate an attitude of deep reverence for the words – as if they are sacred. In some traditions, mantras are whispered into students ears and the students is to keep this mantra secret and never speak it out loud.

With time and practice, the mind will begin to quiet down and only the breath and the mantra will be heard. Once this state is achieved, there is no more need to for the mantra because all intruding thoughts have been cast out. Over time, just a few conscious breaths and the thought of the mantra should be enough to clear the mind. Clearing the mind is of course not the end goal of meditation, rather, it is the state that enables you to begin meditation; this is where deep self-exploration begins.

Breath Awareness: Once a comfortable and steady upright posture is established, bring the attention to the belly. Notice how it rises and falls. In the beginning, one or both palms can be placed on the abdomen to bring awareness to the sensations there. Focus the mind on the breath as it moves in and out, and as soon as the mind becomes distracted, without judgment or distress bring it back to the belly and the breath. This is probably the simplest and one of the most commonly used meditation techniques in the world. Breath awareness and mantra repetition can be combined to further train and focus the mind. One example would be to say “In” on the in-breath and “Out” on the out-breath.

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Awareness is the essence of of our being, our birthright. But sometimes we forget, get distracted with life and the many responsibilities that take up our time. Here are a few ways that we can change bad habits by brining awareness onto the present moment.

1. Memory triggers

A memory object is a place, person, or thing which we designate as a trigger for the immediate assessment of our internal state. For example, lets say there is a painting hanging over your desk, whenever you look at that painting that is the trigger to stop and bring awareness to thoughts, emotions, and the surrounding environment. Awareness is objective, it is without blame or judgment – a simple observation of the facts. Paradoxically, we are building a habit to become aware of our own habits.

Doorways are a good memory objects because we go through hundreds of them every day. Upon walking through the doorway, immediately come into the present moment and bring awareness to the five senses to soak in the new surroundings. Remember to notice!

2. Breath

We must breath to live, it is something real, concrete and ever present within ourselves. Breath awareness is one ofthe fundamental steps to raising awareness, learning meditation, or any other internal study. Take a moment right now to focus on the breath. Notice the subtle qualities of depth, speed, location in the body, and even the texture. As often as possible throughout the day, remember to bring attention to the breath. Become curious to discover what is the quality of the breath when there is anger, sadness, joy, excitement, or calm?

Explore, have fun, be playful in figuring out what works best for your life and circumstances. Keep in mind that for these techniques to be effective one must be vigilant to remember to practice consistently, frequently, and for a long time util awareness becomes a natural state of being. Many negativities can be compared to shadows, they are a the darkness outside that stem from within. Awareness and mindfulness is the sunlight that has the power to drive away this darkness. Simply remember and let the sun shine.

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The Tao Te Ching offers us many insights into how to live and go about our day. The simplicity and wisdom is encapsulated in short poetic stanzas. This is one of my favorites because it relates the the practice of non-attachment. A core principle in Yoga philosophy that has brought me much joy and has made great difficulties a little less difficult.

In the pursuit of knowledge, every day something is added

In the practice of the Tao, every day something is dropped

Less and less do you need to force things, until finally you arrive at non-action

When nothing is done, nothing is left undone

True mastery can be gained by letting things go their own way

It can’t be gained by interfering

(Stanza 48, translated by Stephen Mitchell)

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At this West Oakland School, every youth is taught mindfulness meditation, yoga, and mindful listening. This under-funded inner city school is taking a radical step towards preventing further violence in it’s community by teaching  students to seek more peaceful and harmonious ways to live.  Growing Up Mindful, is a program designed to teach students mindfulness, open and honest communication, yoga, and other consciousness raising activities. Knowing that this class is now integrated into the school curriculum with the approval and encouragement of the staff and principal is a dream come true.

This program is no singularity, similar programs are sprouting in many elementary, middle, and high schools all over the country. Yoga and Mindfulness are also being taken into jails, juvenile halls, and hospitals. With so much research to back up the claims that Mindfulness meditation and yoga improve concentration, memory, attention, reduce stress, and improve overall health, its no wonder that these ancient practices are finally making their way to public schools.

In addition to the benefits already mentioned, in a school setting students experience a radical boost to their self esteem and improved self image and confidence. By practicing yoga students are able to gain confidence in their own abilities to overcome physically and mentally challenging poses with a peaceful mind. The curriculum also focuses on establish mutual respect, kindness, and understanding- crucial to students facing inner city violence and oppression in their own communities.

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~Upanishads

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When encountering a happy person, be kind and friendly to them. Often when people see someone who is happy, their initial reaction is to feel jealousy and dislike for that person. They may even blame that person or “that type” for their own problems. This attitude never does us much good. While that person may walk away, we are burning up inside with hatred and rage against that person. Instead, be friendly and think, “Wow, how nice it must be to be that happy, isn’t it wonderful. I want to be that happy also.” Frequently, people think of emotions as something that just comes up, as if they have no control over them. But like anything else in life, the more we practice something the better we become so always strive to practice positive emotions of joy, friendliness, and kindness.

The next type of person that we may meet is the unhappy. When we meet such a person, we can practice compassion for their situation and perhaps try and help them if this is within your means and appropriate for the situation. I am frequently astounded at how much I can do just by acknowledging somebody, offering them a smile or a helping hand. Somebody may be having a bad day or upset about something and they may be very focused on the story going on inside their head. Just a bit of compassion can snap them out of their mental misery and bring them into the present moment. Sometimes it takes just a little – to do a lot.

Then there are the virtuous, these are people that we can learn from and look up to. With these people we can show delight and admire them for their virtuous qualities. Don’t try to criticize them or pull them down, you will only cause yourself mental turmoil. Instead, find the qualities that you wish to possess that they have and use that person as your role model. They will be flattered and might even offer you some guidance or advice.

And lastly, there are the wicked people. Every once in a while we will meet such a person and the best thing to do is to stay away from them and disregard them completely. There is a story of a small sparrow that has built a warm and cozy nest in preparation for the rain and across from it is sitting a monkey. As the rain starts, the sparrow is dry and happy in it’s nest while the monkey is getting drenched. The sparrow decided to offer the drenched monkey some advice on how to build a nest but instead of gratitude, the monkey becomes enraged thinking that the sparrow is proud of it’s position and proceeds to tare the sparrow’s nest apart. The sparrow has to fly away and it too gets drenched in the pouring rain. When you recognize such a monkey, do not try to help it or offer it advice, it will always result in disaster. The best thing to do is to disregard them – they must learn on their own.

With these four keys of friendliness for the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous, and disregard for the wicked, we can approach any situation with a peaceful mind and maintain our calm.

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