Category: Mind

Benefits of Achieving Balance

7/30/2013

It's been a while since I last wrote. I've been involved in some introspective work and have been re-reading the Bubishi. If you are not familiar with the Bubishi, it is the classic manual of combat and was once considered a secret document passed down from master to student for centuries. The Bubishi is a classic Chinese work on philosophy, strategy, medicine and technique as they relate to the martial arts. It is sometimes referred to as the "bible of karate." There are several translations, the one I recommend is by Patrick McCarthy.
One section that especially struck me was on the topic of balance.
It goes on to state that "Perfect balance is a reflection of what is within." Balance can mean your physical capability to stand on one leg, for example. It can also mean the internal balance of your emotions and serene focus. In the Bubishi, physical and internal balance are one and the same.
Balance is a requirement to be proficient in combat. If you have mastered balance, you are able to easily take advantage of or create a weakness in an opponent's posture. In the dojo we call this Kuzushi. Kuzushi is the Japanese term for unbalancing an opponent. It is the moment of weakness in which you can quickly overtake an opponent. The description that the Bubishi gives for the qualities contained in a balanced individual is poetic and beautiful...

Like the sun's strength, your energy must radiate outward, your eyes should be as clear as the moon, and your legs should be like the rolling wheels of a cart. Your posture too, from head to toe, must be evenly balanced so that footwork and hand techniques support each other. If everything is in balance, no one will be able to defeat you.

What I found most fascinating is that in order to have physical balance, you must first have internal balance. To cultivate internal balance one must grow in wisdom. The Bubishi lists nineteen laws of Wisdom. Here they are:

Let anger be your enemy.
Remember, an empty vessel makes the most noise.
Patience is the foundation upon which security and long life rest.
Know well your station in life.
Trustworthy reputations are only gained from virtuous merit.
Success is the fruit of the strong and wise.
Delay is the best remedy for anger.
Those who will be enlightened are the ones who live moderate lives, have simple tastes, consume natural foods, and pursue the wisdom of the sages.
Remain honest in your heart, true to your discipline, and refrain from overindulgence, and you will enjoy great rewards in life.
Mind your manners and your own business.
Discretion is the better part of valor.
The barriers of human achievement lie only in the mind.
An idle mind is a demon's workshop.
Justice exists for those who live according to the Way, as these are one in the same.
Be happy without cause and make the best of what you have.
True friendship knows no boundaries.
It is a humble virtue to be wealthy and not affected by it.
Cause and effect are mutually consistent.
Despair is the conclusion of fools. Tomorrow's success is built upon yesterday's failures. Live in the here and now. Do not seek more but learn to enjoy less.

Balance is sought by not being in a hurry. Patience is a virtue. Strive to be honest with yourself and not to deceive others. Live life modestly. This means to live a life free from vanity, ego, boastfulness or pretension and always, use your words for good. It is then that true balance and wisdom will be achieved.

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Change your life in 30 days

5/1/2013

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It may sound like the lead in for an email in your Spam box, but you really can change your life in 30 days. The secret is selecting a single, meaningful change, goal or project that you commit to doing for 30 days in a row.
I was inspired when I watched a TED talk by Matt Cutts. If you are not familiar with TED, it is a Web site that contains a full library of "riveting talks by remarkable people, free to the world." You can watch the video that inspired me here:

If you can't see the embedded video, you can navigate to it with this link: http://www.ted.com/talks/matt_cutts_try_something_new_for_30_days.html

Come to think of it, watching one TED video for 30 days could be a positive life changing endeavor. I challenge you for the next 30 days to do something amazing. If you are short on ideas here are just a few in various categories. (Thank you to my students who offered up a number of these!)

Martial Arts

Perform kata 10 times each day for 30 days. That's 300 performances at the end of 30 days!
Practice all kicks for 30 minutes each day
Practice all blocks for 30 minutes each day

Fitness

Burpies in steadily increasing increments each day (What's a Burpie?)
From Couch to running a 5k in 30 days (Cool Mobile App)
20 minutes of splits stretching each day

Health

No sugar or High Fructose Corn Syrup
No pre-packaged or processed foods
Meditate for 15 minutes each morning

Community

Help someone without expectation of anything in return each day
Pick up the phone and call or visit a friend/neighbor/family member each day for 10 to 30 min.
Write and send a thank you letter or letter of encouragement to someone each day

Inspiration

Write a chapter of a book each day
Take a photo each day
Cook one new recipe each day

I'm sure you can think of many others. The key to success is to pick just one item to focus on for 30 days. It is also important to tell at least one other person of your 30 day challenge to help hold you true to your word. Have a reward or something special planned that you will do for yourself at the end of the 30 days.

I welcome your comments on this blog as to what you selected as your 30 day challenge, what happened along the way, if it was successful for you or how it changed an aspect of your life.

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Developing the mind, body and spirit

3/9/2013

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My philosophy of the martial arts is based on three things: Mind, Body and Spirit. My goal as a Sensei (teacher) is to facilitate growth in all three areas for every student that comes into my dojo. For good health I believe it is important to strive to improve these three areas of ones life.

First, it helps to understand the meaning of each of these elements:
The Body = represents your physical health; strength, flexibility and stamina
The Mind = represents your mental health; alertness, expanding ones knowledge through learning new things and stretching the mind with new challenges, ideas and thought processes
The Spirit = your spiritual health; development of strong character, positive attitude, slow to anger, a purposeful life, belief in a power greater than yourself.

I believe that each of us, myself included, must constantly work to hone our minds, bodies and spirits. Karate and the martial arts are methods for improving all three. But, it is important to also seek opportunities for improvement outside of the dojo.
Just for today, do something healthy for your body.
Just for today, read or talk to someone about something that expands your mind.
Just for today, take time to meditate or pray to your higher power. Focus on finding the positive aspects of any situation.
If you choose to do these three things each day, you may soon find peace and the rewards of a healthy and fulfilling life.

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Benefits of Achieving Balance

Change your life in 30 days

Developing the mind, body and spirit

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