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At what point does one realize that the ritual is made up of nothing but lines and circles. At what point does one realize that lines and circles exist outside of the ritual. At what point does one realize that before the ritual, one was not able to taste the tea. At what point does one realize that tea will be tea, whether tasted or not tasted, it will be green and steam will slowly rise from the cup.

Epiphanies happen one right after the next. The longer you study and the deeper you dig, the more that comes of it.

Or not...

You don't want to be that guy who studies for 40 years like one year 40 times. It has to evolve as you evolve. And it will only do so when you go beyond the literal of what you were taught, and have the courage to see more without thinking that the ritual was all junk. Because it wasn't. It was just a means to the end that was intended all along.

- Bill

Thank you, Bill. The older I get, the more I see that life is a ritual. And a beautiful thing it is.

It is a great thing when people take responsibility for what they have been taught, and make it their own. I cannot think of a worse feeling than to pour my heart out in order to teach someone, only to see them continue to live under my shadow, and miss the one lesson I had to teach.

we are creatures of habit , and ritual is a powerful tool

As a guy that's challenged pretty much everything in tradition , it's what's made me come to appreciate it

some times you got to break out before you know how you fit in.

there's one quote of Bill's I've taken and used ...



nothing wrong with appreciating that.

Kata is kata (even though I broke it. completely unacceptable.) Conditioning is conditioning. Exercise is exercise. Meditation is meditation. ##### around is ##### around. Violence is violence.

It is what it is.