I just got home from a meditation retreat hosted by a senior Tibetan teacher.

While there, we participants spent hours each day tucked in side by side on Asian style meditation cushion seats on the floor.

At one point I looked around at my fellow American participants and noticed an odd unstated discomfort. People did their best to wiggle around and find needed space.

Check this out the next time you have an opportunity:

Look at the size of the standard Japanese or Tibetan meditation cushion seat.

Look at the size of the typical older generation Asian person’s bottom and leg length.

Look at the size of the typical American person’s bottom and leg length.

Ask yourself, “What is wrong with this picture?”

Ask yourself, “Which should we adjust? Should we adjust the program to where the cushions fit the Americans here in America, or should we adjust the Americans to where they fit on Asian floor cushion seats?”

Next, think about how and what you are studying in your martial arts school and ask yourself a similar question. ”Which should we adjust? Should we adjust the program to where the lessons fit the Americans here in America, or should we adjust the Americans to where they fit into Asian training situations?”