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DIOPTAZ-SARBACANA-SARBAKANA

Michel-Laurent Dioptaz 1998
The breath of Zen
Zen in action

 

Michel-Laurent Dioptaz (1996)

 

What it is?

 

Le Phy (photo 1994)           This totally new and unique school teaches the art of breathing and was created by Michel-Laurent Dioptaz. (The official M.L. Dioptaz site) in France (1991). Complete symbiosis between meditation and action, breathing by the practice of the blowpipe is raised at the same time to the level of an art, a sport and a Zen meditation. (The practice of the qi gong and the zazen are closely related to it). Coming from the first awareness of the human breath, the blowgun is reborn here to accompany us in our most subtle breath of consciousness. M. L. Dioptaz reactivated this prehistoric tool to transpose it into a precious instrument, which allows exploring the most refined states of attention, intuition and decision-making.

 Dojo de Chanteloup

         The caliber of Sarbacana's blowguns, the weight and the shape of arrows were redefined for the Blower to produce a very powerful ventral exhalations, (exhalations called, in respiratory physiotherapy, V.E.M.S: Maximum Ventilation Expiratory per Second.) This was done to achieve the " arrows-of-breath " which come, quite at the same moment, from the center of the body and the center of the spirit.

It is necessary to know that the Sarbacana blowpipes are really very particular, totally specific in all the aspects of their conception: (In fiberglass and resin, then cooked a dozen hours) blowpipes Sarbacana ( 1,80m - 2 meters long, 17,2mm inside Diameter) are so light (200 grams) as the slightest emotion makes them vibrate. This detail is revealing of the philosophy of this art

 

Le Phy (photo 1994)Their profile, in the same way, upsets completely our usual notions of aiming. Indeed it offers a totally new optical process (invented by M.L. Dioptaz ©®) conceived in a way that it implies our peripheral vision at the same time as our central vision. (What allows to aim no longer by the usual process of focusing (an eye - blowpipe-target alignment), but by " defocusing ", by opening our perceptions everywhere.) Our arrows (7grams -20grams, 30cm long) are different too; they behave as sails, and, to imply our ventral breath, are 4 times as heavy as those used in the countries where the blowpipe survived. Furthermore the pupils themselves realize them and their manufacture is a part of the way of Sarbacana.

 

The firing line may be as far back as 10 Meters, 18 Meters, 33 Meters, 85 Meters (approximately 11 yards, 20 yards, 36 yards, (93 yards (darts 10g ).

  " What's the use of it "?

 

 

           The objective is to touch one's own center and not only that of the target. In fact, to reach the target is not any more the end. The magic moment of Sarbacana is situated at the time of the breath, not in that of the impact. The principle is based on the " kiaï ", (the shout which, in the martial arts, transforms the expiration into a powerful energy, revitalizing the movement in a decisive action..) just like "raaan!" which accompanies the ax of the lumberjack; in the practice of the martial arts, the " kiaï " shout should spring at the same moment as the issue of energy. In Kyudô (the archery in the way of Zen), Kiaï should be produced at the same time as the release of arrow. For Sarbacana, it's the same, and it could not be otherwise because Kiaï is the release of arrow. It is Kiaï, which revitalizes the arrow. Without this Kiaï, there is no arrow.

 

Like a tiger jumping up from the peacefulness of its passivity - springs the "kiaï" of silence. A jet of sharp silence, the shout of which is the arrow. No preparation, apprehension, before this jet of breath, just an inspiration as the others, which - just like that - is transformed into a lightning exhalation! A flash of lightning of breath in the blue sky of the breath, then the breath resumes its peaceful, deep, regular rhythm. This tremendous percussion of the breath is led without the slightest shred of aggressiveness. It is a force similar to the sculptor's hammer blow, the explosive power of which springs from a spirit, that caresses the forms of the world. During this "throw-of-an arrow", objective-intuition-decision-action are bound in the same breath, which allows to investigate and to realize this quality of presence where "release-grip" and "decision-taking" do not make more than one (with all the blooming as physical as psychic that it gets.)

        Jet de souffle "à l'infini"This jet of breath originates in the center of the body, in the same place as songs and laughter... Indeed, laughter and jet of breath involve exactly the same muscular group: the abdominal-diaphragmatic couple. But one can notice that this muscular group is very often blocked for emotional or biological reasons. So, by relaxing the diaphragm, stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system and favoring the oxygenation, this practice is a good remedy for all the confusion bound to the stress.

         For whom?

         It suits all, because besides the totally specific ends, which this discipline offers, the qualities of breath, concentration and decision taking which it develops makes of it an excellent training for any other discipline, and indeed for everyday life. With this breath, which makes the body and the spirit merge, Sarbacana places our attention at the place where the present moment delivers its education. In this, this school pertains to ways of Taoïsm, Ch'an, Zen or whichever other discipline invites us to settle on the "here now ".

 

 

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Foundations

         Every person taking the time to observe the mechanism of one's breath knows that every feeling, every emotion, every state of being come together with a specific breath.

         One knows as well that modifying our breath allows to change our state of being. Naturally, all the types of breaths can throw arrows, and one can blow arrows in all states of mind. But one can notice how every state of mind does not have the same attitude in the relation to the "purpose" which one wills to achieve. To investigate these different breaths is one of the "raison d'être" of SARBACANA.

Dojo de Chanteloup 1994And this face to face confrontation with the target reproduces ideally the quintessence of the conditions of our life of every moment: "choose", "decide", "act", " achieve " and so on... But all this be resolved, this time, by the intelligence of the breath ( Ki-Chi), the intelligence of the hara (the "stomach", in the Japanese martial arts), This target, which become a perfect representation of the different "purposes" we intend to achieve throughout the existence, is going to allow us to investigate the various types of breaths which determine our entry into the action.

Every arrow-of-breath crosses and puts in evidence our exact quality of attention, until the blowing person, the blowpipe, the arrow, the target and the surrounding space do not make more than one. There is one of the essential aspects of the practice of Sarbacana: bring the state of consciousness led by the consideration to rub, confront and merge into the spirit of everyday life.

 

Therefore, this school does not feel the need to award ranks to its pupils. All the parameters are such as, in every jet-of-breath, a Sarbacanaka knows exactly where he stands, and especially who he is. The exact gesture finds confirmation in itself. We have therefore no need to establish values, which would become "proofs" seen from the outside world, because what one aims at, what is "reached" is the center of one-self, the "Being". He proves himself seen from inside. He does not need an approval. It is life, which awards him the "Medals", "diplomas", and this takes place all the time, by the quality of the lived experience of the moment. (However, within the scope of the growth and of the perpetuity of this discipline, and to insure quality, we were all the same brought up to establish degrees of qualification, especially to guarantee that those who will teach Sarbacana in the future have the proper qualification. With this we resumed the principle of "Dan" grades such as they exist in the Japanese Martial arts (kyudo). This type of reference is at the moment very clear for all and recognized internationally.)

 

        Breath is life; the Blowpipe, by its "jet-of-breath", is the expression of this life force, the " jet of life ". But quite as life should be enlightened by consciousness, the practice of Sarbacana is a meditation, which is going to consist in enlightening every arrow of breath of our finest attention. The shot of Sarbacana is preceded by a Kata, series of gestures, very slow (a tai chi), close to the choreography of the kyudô (the art of the Japanese archery, in the way of the Zen). This preparation brings to the Sarbacana blower the peace and the concentration necessary for the quality of his shot.

So, in every arrow we investigate this subtle joint of the consciousness where is determined the just choice, the just decision. We have a fraction of a second so that objective - intuition-decision-action is totally synchronized, bound in a single breath. No more way to delay with oneself, just a fraction of a second to be completely present, body and spirit reunited in the same expiration. The intelligence in the stomach, in the " hara ".

Breath is life; the Blowpipe, by its "jet-of-breath", is the expression of this life force, the " jet of life ". But quite as life should be enlightened by consciousness, the practice of Sarbacana is a meditation which is going to consist in enlightening every arrow of breath of our finest attention.

The "shot" Sarbacana is preceded by a Kata, series of gestures, very slow ( a tai chi ), close to the choreography of the kyudô (the art of the Japanese archery, in the way of the Zen). This preparation brings to the Sarbacana blower the peace and the concentration necessary for the quality of his shot.

So, in every arrow we investigate this subtle joint of the consciousness where is determined the just choice, the just decision. We have a fraction of a second so that objective - intuition-décision-action is totally synchronized, bound in a single breath. No more way to delay with oneself, just a fraction of a second to be completely present, body and spirit reunited in the same expiration. The intelligence in the stomach, in the " hara ".

 

         During the exhalation, the blowpipe is to us as... instinctive,

tir  "à l'infini"Natural prolongation of the mouth, such as an extension of the lips accompanying the breath. Thus, with the tube of a ballpoint pen, with that of a bamboo, from the far end of the classroom, in the middle of the virgin forests, all the children of the world do not fail to invent-to reinvent the blowpipe. It is like the first gesture of the breath creating the tool. Then we hide the blowpipe in our childhood memories... This is probably why the amazing applications of this tool on our breath had been little explored .

 

         It is surprising that the practice of the blowpipe has not developed in the world at least as a sport, whereas it is the manifestation of the energy of the breath, this breath that is the basis of any sport, of any life. However this gushing, this throw of breath, is as primarily human as it is: to run, jump, fight, dance, shoot with a bow or throw the javelin...

 

Katasarbacana         So, although the practice of this discipline is quite recent, the gestures of the breath, the gestures of the spirit which it activates and rides are so essentially human that, in its practice, it's as if this education went back to the previous history of our humanity, as an ascent of recollections of a profound forgotten tradition.

 

         Very often in people's minds, the notion of "tradition" is synonymous with something immovable. And yet, we can see that the traditions of "Awakening", the traditions of Zen, have for objective to preserve the most changeable thing, which is - the moment... The present moment! So one can normalize the road, which leads to the Awakening, but its realization is a supreme non-normalization. And it is this non-normalization, which is "Awakening". Traditions of the spontaneous! Paradoxical traditions... The "Sharp edge" of the Zen is traditionally non-traditional.

 

 

         Getting off Tobacco can also be considered here, because we can notice, that "Blowpipe" and "cigarette" originate in the same place: they are placed between lips and are involved with breathing, but while the smoker inhales waste, the Sarbacanaka exhales. . Because of this similitude, the transition from cigarette smoking to blowpipe may become sublimation. .

 

PHOTO GALLERY
 
Makemono Zen-Dojo Sarbacana
 
le Zen dojo Sarbacana 2
 
Les Sarbacanakas 1996 -1998
 
Les Sarbacanakas
 
Nos Instruments 1 : Cibles-Flèches-Impermanence
 
Nos Instruments 2 : Cibles-Flèches-Impermanence
 
Nos Instruments 3: Phi -Sarbacanes
 
EPS bacccalauréatNos Instruments 3: Phi -Sarbacanes
 
 

 

 

 

see also

 

 

 

 

TABLE DES MATIERES

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