The Daruma Taiso (translation: gymnastics of Bodhidharma) consists of a series of exercises that have their origin in the Yoga, in the Do-In (Chinese exercises for health) and in the Kaisai.
Legend has it that Bodhidharma, a Buddhist Monk, native of India, realizing that the body of his students was weakening due to the practice of meditation alone, developed a system of exercises based on Yoga to remedy the problem. To try to ensure the safety of itinerant monks, often the target of attacks and ambushes by robbers, changed those same exercises and so was born the Shaolin fighting style. He decided, as a result, to personally go to China to introduce Buddhism Chan. From there in Japan, where the name became Zen Buddhism.
DARUMA TAISO
Of course, as in all the legends, the meaning is not literal.
Over the centuries, some knowledge: Buddhism, fighting techniques and yoga, were introduced from India to China, where they mingled with the culture, traditional medicine, native fighting techniques and chinese Do-In. The result of this mixing was probably something like the Shaolin. The next step was to Okinawa, the first Japanese outpost to China, where the so-called Shaolin was combined with the culture, the customs and traditions of the island. Over time, the fighting techniques became the Okinawate and exercises for health became the Daruma Taiso.
The Daruma Taiso is a vast system of breathing exercises, stretching, joint mobility and muscle strengthening.
The merit of Master Toshio Tamano is to have systematized the Daruma Taiso to make it not only an excellent athletic training for Kaisai, but also a practice suitable for all ages and whose benefits to the health are amazing.
The gymnastics of Zen monks
(and not only)
Bodhidharma - Painting