:: The In Side ::

:: zanshin - beginner's mind - being complete
zanshin:

When body, breath, speech and mind are broken from each other and scattered in concept and strategy, then no true action can reveal itself.

There is only hesitation, or trying to push oneself past hesitation. This is the mind of hope and fear, which arises because one is trying to live in some other moment, instead of in the moment that arises now.

One is comparing, planning, or trying to maintain an illusion of control in the midst of a reality which is completely beyond control.

Labels: attitude, meditation

:: Rule5, or be true to the thought of the moment
In the first adventure of Samurai Lapin, he is roused from sleep to protect his lord from impending danger. He reminds himself to

be true to the thought of the moment and avoid distraction

He is telling me that the vector into the moment is thought, that image to which we apply our mind, whose intention shapes our actions and deeds. Smart bunny this one!

Upon confronting two thugs, he passes between them, uttering as he brandishes his sword

you can never win because you are distracted by life

whereby he quickly dispatches them to the next life. Do I note contempt? Perhaps, but artistic lisence is needed to make the point that his opponents are easily caught off guard, being distracted by the heat of battle.

I also read in this, for myself, that if one is to not be distracted, then one must be engaged, in the moment. This is something to be discovered, and with attentive practice, become an effortless aspect of all we do, like taking a breath. Easier said than done in the beginning, but a thimbleful of such moments soon spill over.

These two phrases really caught my attention, motivating me to make a "wallpaper" for my PC desktop, not of Samurai Lapin, alas, but of this wonderful toreador, completely absorbed in the moment, as he must be, while so closely engaged with his worthy opponent. Something for me to keep in mind while engaged in trading, in life.

PS, I call it Rule 5 as the image is swiped from the website of Paul Rotter, investment guru, who no doubt paid a lotta moula for it. For your eyes only, please.

Labels: attitude

:: The Other Side - Samurai Lapin
Versa Luna being The Other Side of the Moon, it is fitting that her steward be honored by this series of animations by British animator, Mata, a self-described 'animator, PhD student, and pontificator', and who, by the sheer breadth, volume, and quality of his website, is indefatigably tapped into a deep well of creativity.

The Other Side - Twisted animations by Mata - Samurai Lapin

Labels: media, moon

:: Theodore Roethke | The Waking
Selected Poems of T. Roethke | The Waking

I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I feel my fate in what I cannot fear.
I learn by going where I have to go.

We think by feeling. What is there to know?
I hear my being dance from ear to ear.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.

Of those so close beside me, which are you?
God bless the Ground! I shall walk softly there,
And learn by going where I have to go.

Light takes the Tree; but who can tell us how?
The lowly worm climbs up a winding stair;
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.

Great Nature has another thing to do
To you and me, so take the lively air,
And, lovely, learn by going where to go.

This shaking keeps me steady. I should know.
What falls away is always. And is near.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I learn by going where I have to go.

Theodore Roethke

Labels: media

:: The Other Side of Trading
I'm excited to make the first entry in this journal, which I am calling The Other Side, a reprise of the series I wrote on the role emotions play in trading. The other side of trading, the non-technical, will be the focus here.

One quirk of blogs is that entries show up in reverse order. If you missed reading the series before, here it is, in order, moved from the market comments page to The Other Side.

Waves: Ride the Market or Ride your Emotions, You Decide Traders with extremely intense emotions had the worst overall trading performance, researchers found.

Traders are From Mars How do you recognize emotion? What is an emotion anyway?

Emotions, Can't Live without Them, Can't Trade with Them Emotions add zest to life, but when they overpower our intentions, emotions can leave a destructive path we usually chalk up to "life's tuition".

Emotional Stop and Reverse Sensing an emotion rising, you stop not the emotion, but your reaction to the emotion, and in the process reverse the destructive pattern.

Emotional Freedom Managing your emotions won't make you a better trader. But it will help clear the fog so that you can evaluate your methods and performance as a trader from a position of clarity.

Labels: attitude