Autumn and Winter Ages

A human life consists of four seasons, spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Each has its own characteristic features that are neither positive or negative. The stages of human development. Spring: Birth - 20; Summer:  20 - 40 years; Autumn: 40 - 60 years; Winter: 60 and over.

Spring: Birth - 20: This is the most emotional stage of life for it is most difficult for children to achieve any control over the emotions encountered as they age. They fall prey to compulsive responses due to feelings and emotions all triggering a variety of chemical and psychological responses that they must either learn from or suffer from as they experience each. At this stage they lack "hara."

Summer:  20 - 40 years: When we reach the summer of life we start to put all the experiences of the spring stage together into a more cohesive situation and our overall "ethics, morals, culture and beliefs" gain momentum. We learn more emotional control which is our first step into a master of haragei. We begin to learn about patience and discipline, our self-discipline.

Autumn: 40 - 60 years: Our adult life. Parenthood and hara developed stage. This is the stage where we hold ourselves accountable for self and offspring. We must be accountable for what our "hara" leads us toward. We finally understand that changing the mind is possible; but hara must be preserved, private and firm. For humans, males in particular, hara  is his bond. This stage requires us to stand on our principles whereby we must remain more present, allow interval/space to communicate with words and most importantly actions and we take more responsibility for our actions, deeds, words and haragei.

The meta-physical hara develops during these three stages. We don't fully comprehend the significance of hara and haragei until this stage of life. We learn that the spiritual and physical are not separate but rather a closely linked singular form of haragei within the realm of hara. Hare being the seat of body and soul.

Physical development of hara support and promotes greater development of the spiritual aspect of hara and vice-versa. At this third stage, autumn season of human life, is where one either achieves a level of proficiency in hara/haragei leading to a Winter stage of human life that can achieve "mastery" or not, neither positive or negative is the trait of this development.

It is or should be known by this time that breathing is haragei and Zazen meditative practice is breathing leading to greater haragei. Correct breathing leads to correct mindfulness, i.e. right thinking, and that leads the body, hara, to lead the metaphysical of hara and that promotes mastery of haragei.

This is rudimentary thinking to atomistically achieve an understanding of hara and haragei that is human life as explained by the metaphor of the four seasons. To achieve understanding of haragei one must take the atomistic and develop a holistic through this understanding that one is the other, the physical and spiritual, and that with out balance in both the one is not attainable.

The importance of allowing the gradual practice of life to achieve the levels or stages in nature's intended way, path or "michi," is the only way to achieve mastery of haragei. This lesson teaches the practitioner of karate-jutsu-do that circumventing the natural way of practice and training may achieve temporary satisfaction but to achieve satori, enlightenment, and proper learning, understanding and proficiency it takes time - and practice - not skipping the critical necessities to reach a Winter stage of life with peace, tranquility and enlightenment.

p.s. following this cultural belief I am in my late "autumn" of life :-) and I am on the cusp of entering "winter."