Kotsu Kotsu

In his book " Peace is Every Step ," Thich Nhat Hanh writes: "When I see someone smile, I know immediately that he or she is dwelling in awareness. This half-smile, how many artists have labored to bring it to the lips of countless statues and paintings?.. Mona Lisa 's smile is light, just a hint of a smile. Yet even a smile like that is enough to relax all the muscles in our face, to banish all worries and fatigue. A tiny bud of a smile on our lips nourishes awareness and calms us miraculously. It returns to us the peace we thought we had lost." Remembering to bring this small smile to the face can do wonders, not only for our own mental state, but also for the way we treat others. But how much harder is it to retain this relaxed, calm state when engaging in self-defense? I remember about 10 years ago watching Maruyama Sensei experimenting with this half-smile. I would see him in quiet moments at the side of the mat, smiling a little more, a little l...

Have you ever caught sight of your face in the mirror and noticed that your face looked tight and kind of...frowny? Everyone has heard the benefits of smiling: 1. It's less work (This is the one that's quoted all the time. It's probably not technically true that it takes fewer muscles to smile, but it sounds good!) 2. Smiling actually changes your mood and makes you feel better . There's lots of research on this. 3. People respond better to you when you smile. Good telephone salespeople will tell you that smiling on the phone makes people respond better - but the best research is to try it. 4. Smiling is good for your health. Research has linked smiling to everything from lowered blood pressure and a healthier immune system to  longevity , and more likelihood of finding a life-partner . 5. It makes you more attractive. There's lots of research on this, too, but it's so obvious you wonder why anyone wasted the research money. 6. Smiling will keep you...