Hello!

I've been a long-term anime addict.

My childhood, of whatever I can remember, was filled with watching anime and cartoons.

For a very long time, we didn't have cable and had a black-and-white television set. I used to watch DuckTales and TailSpin, on DD Metro. Many evenings, I used to go to my friend's house to watch cartoons on the Toonami segment on Cartoon Network - Centurions, Dragon Ball Z, and Pokemon. I vividly remember rushing from school to my friend's place, not to hang out with him but to watch cartoons with him.

We finally got cable, and my addiction to Toonami and anime in general only grew further. I fell in love with Flame of Recca (enough to watch it again as an adult), where I learnt what it means to be a ninja grow and discover what you're capable of. I convinced my friends at school that the Ninja Run was the best way to run. I learnt self-reliance with Dragon Ball Z, what treating friends should be like with Pokemon, having larger-than-life goals with Centurions, and fell in love with tech with SWAT Katz. There are a lot more I indulge in with cartoons, and this is something I want to be able to expose the next generation to as well.

On to the newsletter!

-Teej

PS: Just a random thing: collecting some anonymous feedback here, let me know what you think of the newsletter so far!

🧘🏽 Breathe like your life depends on it

Demon Slayer is an anime that follows Tanjiro (the protagonist) in finding a cure for his sister who was turned into a demon after an attack at his home.The anime is top on my list for anyone getting started with anime in general - mostly because of the style and direction it has.

One of the coolest things about the anime is the fighting style, which showcases a lot of breathwork. This breathe-work stuff seems a lot more possible to achieve and even master, as compared to the power systems of other anime like Dragon Ball Z, or Hunter x Hunter.

This video which goes a lot deeper, talks about how Demon Slayer's power systems have strong roots in what's possible in the current world.

Breathing is the most fundamental thing we do. And controlling how we breathe affects us in many ways consciously or otherwise.

Again, I was a child when I learnt that animals with longer lifespans breathe slower, thank you NatGeo. Hummingbirds breathe 250 times per minute on average, while tortoises breathe 4 times. Hummingbirds live for 3 - 5 years, while tortoises live 30 times longer. I trained myself to breathe slower, and I feel I'm relaxed most of the time because of this.

Wim Hof, renowned as The Iceman completely credits a style of breathing to his achievements. Dedicated training and hyperoxygenation are what helped him survive the Arctic ice, and also enabled people like David Blaine to set records. This technique which involves 30 deep breaths, holding your breath till you feel the urge to breathe, and then a deep inhalation to fill your lungs and belly with fresh air - has roots in Tibetan Tummo Breathing where monks have truly mastered the cold. Wim Hof also claims this technique has helped him (and others) heal from various illnesses and symptoms.

Holotropic Breathwork is a technique that was developed in the 60s to achieve a psychedelic-like state without the use of psychedelics. People claim the experience has given them spiritual awakenings, and mystical visions.From the short time I've spent learning Sudarshan Kriya by Ravi Shankar, I've felt similar episodes in the past. It could be from the reset the breathwork talks about, or the hyperoxygenation similar to Tummo.

Regardless, there's a certain mindfulness property that breathing has, and the meditative effect it has is truly calming.

Have you practised breathwork in the past?

Also, just a friendly reminder… Breathe. 😄

👁️ Gazing is Trataka

Trataka is continuous gazing. It's a form of meditation, where you don't allow your mind to wander, till it calms down and everything else disappears. It is described as one of the six cleansing processes for the body and mind - and often the last one as it prepares the practitioner for higher awareness (which wasn't the case for me).

As told in a story of Arjuna; Dronacharya has an elaborate setup where his students were supposed to shoot the eye of a wooden fish tied to a tree by looking at its reflection in the pool of water below. When Dronacharya asks his students what they see before making the shot, everyone except Arjuna answers tree, fish, pool of water etc. Arjuna says "I only see the eye of the fish". That is Trataka. Where everything other than the object of focus disappears.

A way to practice this is to sit in a calm room and stare into the flame of a candle. With practice, the duration you're able to stare improves. And so do the benefits - improved concentration, better sleep, and more grasp on compartmentalisation.

Have you tried this?

𐂫 Samurai Your Way Out of Laziness

It should be obvious that I love all the culture that has come out of the Land of the Rising Sun.

The 7 ideas shared in this video to overcome laziness:

* Kaizen - to improve continuously. Like Atomic Habits outlines, start with small goals and build on them. Consistency is key.

* Mushin - focus on the now. This is a Zen concept that means being undistracted and fully present. Meditation helps.

* Fudoshin - adapt and accept. This is about maintaining mental and emotional stability no matter what happens externally. Focus on what you can control, and take action to put yourself in a more favourable position. Journalling has helped me with this - especially the morning pages variant.

* Hoshin - prep work. Staying calm and composed is how anyone can handle escalated situations, and this concept emphasises being prepared for such scenarios. Weekly/Monthly reflections help with this, something I haven't done in a while, to be honest.

* Shoshin - beginner's mind. Staying curious is the only way to learn. Having an open mind, and an eager attitude creates growth opportunities. Often I've said - there are no stupid questions.

* Wabi Sabi - beauty in imperfection. Don't chase perfection, the ideal is unattainable. Appreciate the flaws, see value in the things as they are, forgive yourself and practice self-compassion.

* Zanshin - awareness. Humans aren't built to multi-task. Single-task. Focus on the task at hand. I know this digital world makes this more difficult to practice - and I've been working on this. Slowly.

💎 The 98/2 Rule

This thought on Farnam Street made me think a lot.

People spend 98% of their time talking about flashy things that contribute only 2% to the results while overlooking the fact that 98% of the results come from consistently doing the boring basics that few notice.

Also known as the Shiny Toy Syndrome.

The past year, I've spent a lot of time looking at new frameworks, new ideas, new ways of growing a community etc. And very rarely given each of them enough time, energy, and love to see something to completion (or some celebratory milestone).

This letter by an unfinished project by Peerlist hit a similar nerve.

How long is your to-be-done list?

🤔 IshaRumi Beyond Form

We went to a fun theatrical show that combined Ishavaysa Upanishad with Masnavi of Jalaluddin Rumi. The show was put together by Sunaad - a group of singers from Bangalore with artists from all walks of life who are passionate about Hindustani classical music.

There were a lot of ideas presented - in song, dance, and a bit of drama ...

34.04 - Philosophy from the Idiot Box