Softness vs. Hardness

Softness triumphs over hardness,
Feebleness over strength.
What is more malleable is always superior over that which is immoveable.
This is the principle of controlling things by going along with them,
…of mastery through adaptation.

– Lao Tzu
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The other day, a student emailed me and asked:  "What is the point of Tai Chi practice? How effective is it at all, for self defense. Soft is weak, slow is not powerful and will not defend yourself. I don’t get, what’s the point? I want to defend myself powerfully, not be weak."

….And that, dear student,….is where your current weakness is….

Now, this student is an "external" Wushu student…..not a Taiji student….he has been around long enough to know the movements, but not long enough to know the "art" yet. I pondered for a day before responding to his email. At first, I took it sort of personally,….I thought he was putting down Taijiquan and labeling it a weak method. After thinking about his email, I realized that he was genuinely curious about something he does not understand.

I did write back, citing the above mentioned quote, and attempting to explain that Taijiquan does not teach one to be slow and weak. But how do you explain it while typing? Its something that has to be shown, experienced, and explained verbally. So, the next class the student was in, I introduced the "slow and low" approach to Taolu (forms) training. I had the whole class practice the 1st basic routine, with 2 stipulations: 1) They had 10 seconds to do each movement…they could NOT be done with a movement before the 10 second timer went off, and 2) Their upper body movements and lower body movements had to precisely timed to end at the same time….no stances being finished before the hand motions, and vice versa.

We did this exercise for about 10 minutes, and at first, I noticed that everyone "cheated", by establishing the stance first, then finishing with their arm or hand movements. After the exercise, I mentioned that they would need to work on moving slowly, in order to move quickly in an effective manner. I said "Lao Tzu has a quote…."Softness triumphs over hardness, Feebleness over strength.What is more malleable is always superior over that which is immoveable.This is the principle of controlling things by going along with them,…of mastery through adaptation." This doesn’t mean that you have to be weak, flaccid, lacking strength. It means that you shouldn’t always rely on brute strength alone. If you determine victory solely by size and strength, you’ll one day experience defeat when your strength wanes. You guys are using so much tension and strength just to do 10-second movments…..relax a little, take your time instead of timing yourself! Be aware of every movement, how it feels, where your body is in space at all times. Establish and keep your aligned posture". I then showed them some tips on how to move effectively while moving slowly.

After another 15 minutes of practice, they were beginning to get a bit more versed in moving slowly…..not quite picture perfect Taiji form, but they at least were getting the idea. I ended the exercise with "That, everyone….is Taiji. It doesn’t matter what movements you do, so long as you keep Taiji principles. You don’t know the principles by academic standards, but your felt them tonight. Now, lets do some self defense!"

I noticed, that all the students moved a little more swiftly, with a little more flow and little more agility. Without much thought, all the students applied "ting jin" (listening energy) instead of merely throwing strikes and kicks in hopes that they would hit something, or put up a blind block or blind parry.  At the end of class, I said "Thanks for practicing Taiji with me tonight. All of you fought well in the self defense drills……we do the same in Taiji class….different form movements though. Other than that, know that true martial arts use BOTH hard and soft energy…..never just one or the other."

As we were prepping the studio to leave for the night, the student who sent me the "what’s the point of Taiji?" email, approached me and said "Thanks for answering my questions".  I laughed and said "YOU answered your questions….by struggling through what you initially thought was soft and weak. Now you know how to adapt to your sparring partner’s movements and attitudes"

Hopefully, this student will understand how softness and hardness, can pretty much be the "same"……

“Perpetual state of falling”: How’s YOUR Ukemi?

Ukemi (Japanese): "Receiving", "To receive or absorb", "To turn away (from a strike)"

On my news feed today, I came upon a story about a performance artist that takes pictures of himself falling from trees, buildings, etc,….for Art. (Check out the story and pics here  http://tinyurl.com/cf62jl)  According to the story, Kerry Skarbakka was inspired by Martin Heidegger’s description of "human existence as a perpetual state of falling".

I had stumbled upon (No pun intended!!) Martin Heidegger’s philosophy of "falling", and was impressed by it. Our falls are long ones…..ones where we have to twist and turn to manipulate our bodies to avoid the obstacles in the way during the fall….or at least position ourselves such that impact with an obstacle does not kill us!

My best friend is a stunt person, and from what I’ve seen and been told, there is a method to stunt falling. You just can’t blindly throw yourself out the window of a 30 story building for a movie scene, and expect to land on the air bag. From what I understand, you have to plan your takeoff from your perch (the plan changes depending on how high up you are) and plan your landing so you 1.)land on the airbag and not do a dreaded "bounce off" from the bag onto the pavement) and 2.) land in a good position so you don’t break anything.  On the other hand, the safety crew handling the airbag is of utmost importance as well! They have to make sure the bag is positioned correctly for a safe landing, and they have to be keen-eyed so as to adjust the bag in real time during the stuntperson’s fall.  Whew.

While thinking about this today, I’ve found that in comparison there are several things in Martial Arts that might result in us falling (there are more, I’m sure…be sure to add your additions in the comments section of this blog entry):
1) We trip over our own feet (i.e. "we have no balance or coordination").
2) We’re taken off balance and thrown or swept.
3) We attempt a sweep, throw, balance maneuver, etc on someone else, and lose our balance in the process.
4) Our terrain (floor, mat, grass, ground, etc) may be uneven, slippery, or gravelly.
5) We attempt a technique, jump, throw, sweep, etc. without being formally taught it, and losing balance due to faulty understanding of the core concepts (i.e. "trying to imitate a book or a video")
6) Our own attempts at attack are neutralized and redirected to the ground.
7) We are too overconfident in our abilities, and maybe overlook safety precautions or proper execution of technique.

Let’s explore this further, shall we?

1)  In my years of teaching martial arts, I’ve found that there’s no such thing as someone who’s is truly "uncoordinated". Instead, I found people gain coordination for activities through experience, surroundings, and even social interaction. When people say "I can’t dance", I hear "I haven’t yet been taught the relationship between movement, rhythm, synchronization, and expression.". We are all coordinated in certain ways.

2) We’re taken off balance: Sometimes, in martial arts, if we space out for just a second, we are able to be pushed, pulled, or directed off balance.

3) We attempt a throw, and lose our own balance. This may be due to a good counter-technique by our opponent or training partner, or faulty technique on our part.

4) Uneven terrain. Sometimes, yes,….terrain will provide an element for surprise, even with skilled practitioners.

5) Attempting a technique without fully understanding how its done. I’ve seen this many times. Unfortunately, I also see many injuries from the falls or off-balancing.

6) Our own attacks are neutralized. It is considered a great skill to be able to neutralize an attack (instead of only blocking it) and redirect the energy back at the attacker. Although many arts are more well known for this (Aikido, Tai Chi, Judo, Jujutsu, etc), ALL arts carry this concept.

7) Overconfidence, and the tendency to not heed cautionary advice, safety precautions, etc.  Come on, folks, we’ve ALL done this……jaywalking counts as this!

Regardless of how we fall, it is a matter of how we control our perception and reception of the attack (or force that causes a reaction), descent (or positioning) and landing "receiving" the ground). "Ukemi", as these types of skills are called in Japanese arts, is truly and art in itself. When I took Aikido lessons, the basic Ukemi would never really prepare you for when you’re taken on a throw. Being thrown by a beginner Aikidoka, was a whole heck of a lot different that being thrown by a black belt.  There is no cookie cutter way to fall when thrown by an expert…..you just have to really understand the concept of Ukemi, and adjust accordingly in real time……a tough thing, sometimes.  "Ukemi" itself, is not falling…its about learning to "receive" an attack, either by blending with it or redirecting the full brunt of impact. 

When we become blinded by our own preconcieved knowledge, no wonder why we lose our balance and fall. I read somewhere long ago, that binocular vision is aided by our nose being on our face.  Why is then, than some people choose to cut off their own nose, and put out one eye with all their "know-it-all" knowledge?  I can’t help but look on in disapointement and contempt when I hear martial artists say stuff  like "Oh yeah….it was a great seminar with Master so-and-so, but it wasn’t anything I didn’t already know….it was soooo boring. Why couldn’t they teach anything new?"   I just want to say to them "Well, looks like you’re stuck with your old techniques then, even though you think you know it….you won’t attain anything new at that rate".

I’ve also seen people get thrown during sparring sessions, then get upset and blame their partner.  "I wasn’t ready yet, damn it! Why did you sweep me like that?".  Come on…..bitching and moaning isn’t going to change the fact that you were taken off balance!  Why be mad at your partner for doing a sweep or throw correctly? In those cases, the real cause of your ire is that you think you might appear less skilled or afraid of looking stupid. I’ve met many people who vehemently refuse to learn any new skill in front of people, for fear of looking "stupid"…..this is where ego can mess up our training in ANYTHING. I mean, what are they afraid of….losing their reputation? Its not a reputation if the people around you don’t know who you are!!

Learn to fall without hitting the "pointy spots" (elbows, knees, shoulders). Fall with a sense of intent….an intent not to hurt yourself, but to follow gravity’s pull safely and get back up again.  That’s the key….GET BACK UP AGAIN. Learn from the reasons why you fell. Don’t blame the ground for causing you an injury.

How’s your Ukemi? Do you practice Ukemi? Or do you just keep it on the back burner hoping you don’t trip and no one throws or sweeps you? Feel free to add your 2 cents.

See here for a great definition and description of "Ukemi", by Brad Ellin, Nov. 2002: "Ukemi- Recieving with spirit"

Philosophy of the Mayonnaise jar

A friend of mine blogged this story, and out of curiosity I googled the story and found that it is popular and has several variations. Whatever the variation, it indeed is a philosophy that gives us food for thought:
 ——————————————

A Professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. 

So the Professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

 The Professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous "yes." 

The Professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the space between the grains of sand.

 "Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things–your family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions – things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. 

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car. The sand is everything else -the small stuff.

"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18.
 
There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. "Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The Professor smiled. "I’m glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

 ————————–
Me…I do tend to swirl sand in my coffee sometimes, and trip over my golf balls because I sometimes forget to put those golf balls in a good place……

 

What’s your jar like? Feel freee to comment.

The martial arts path is a lot like exploring relationships….

Martial Arts, can be a lot like finding relationships…..sort of like "dating".  Yes, I’ve come to that realization.

 

Think about it,….when you’re attracted to someone and you’re on the "pursue" phase, sometimes we take on a slightly different persona during that time. We take on that "good behavior" persona so that the the person we’re interested in sees our good side and hopefully, is attracted to us as well. During that "dating persona" time, we generously compliment the object of our admiration, we see the great things about the other (and sort of ignore the less-than-great-things), we arrange our schedules to spend time with the other, we hang  on to their every word, and listen for the phone to ring. Sound familiar??

 

And so…two of you get together, things are going great, communication is good, you enjoy each other’s company and all is good. Then, what happens? Time goes on, and the honeymoon phase ends. Although the excitement of being with the other person is still there, it is definitely not like the first few months. Although you care deeply for the other, over time you’ve seen the other’s true self, outside of the dating persona. If you choose to be with the other’s true self, you find that  he love is indeed always there, but the feeling is not that sense of urgent pacification of the desire to be with the other person…..it is not that feeling of butterflies in your stomach when you see them, it is not that feeling of having to say and do all the right things.  Instead, if all goes well, the feeling gains a sense of deeper meaning, a higher understanding of the other, a sense of trust, and a true sense of connection. You then begin to truly enjoy the time together, instead of merely being addicted to the activities.

 

On the other hand….if the relationship gets too one sided, or if your expectations of the other person turn out to be so over-estimated that you become disappointed that he or she is not the epitomy of perfection you so thought them to be, you’ll soon be looking somewhere else to satisfy your desire for companionship. Or, you try to keep your expectations of them, trying hard to look for anything positive and ignoring anything that doesn’t fit what you’re looking for. Also, in some cases, you might meet someone that seems so wonderful, but they show an attractive personality just long enough to secure your willingness to stick around or for whatever ulterior motive they might have…..then they drop the ball and you’re high and dry.

 

Whether you stay strong in a relationship, you leave the relationship, or the other person leaves you, you learn a lot of things about yourself along the way. Some of these life lessons may not be easy pills to swallow, but hopefully, we learn to look at ourselves with an honest eye. We learn to not place the total blame on the other person, nor do we take all the credit for for a wonderful relationship. We learn that any relationship is based on the efforts of both people.

 

Martial artists will know exactly how the dating scene relates to our paths in martial arts. I see it all the time.  New students are so gung ho about their training. They come to class as often as they can (sometimes every day, and even stopping in to practice during non-class times), and they’re attracted to the benefits and challenges that the activity brings. They’re making new friends, getting stronger and more skilled every day, and they love it so much that they sometimes say "I wish the school had this class every day". They do their best to show good technique, respect, and gain favorable nods from the instructors. As instructors, we say "This gal or guy is gonna be good!".

 

Then, with some folks, the initial excitedness wears off. The interest is still great, but they realize that they have other responsibilites outside of martial arts class, and their attendance drops to a more realistic level. Their participation in class then begins to show that they’re not trying hard in practice to impress the teachers or senior students….they begin to practice for *themselves*, and that’s when we as instructors see their "true colors". If the students sticks around, they do indeed gain a sense of deeper meaning, a higher understanding, a sense of trust, and a true sense of connection with the art of their affection.  You begin to learn a lot more about yourself and how to relate to the art. You begin to truly enjoy and experience the time, not just satisfy your need for activity.

 

And…on the other hand, if your expectations of an art are overestimated (or in many cases, wrong altogether), uninformed, or stereotyped, you might be surprised when you begin to find the true nature of the art. I’ve had many people come into my school assuming that Tai Chi was merely a type of slow happy dance (really, I’m not kidding).  Or, they stereotype Tai Chi as only an exercise for the elderly, infirm, or those undergoing physical therapy. Some do learn through a bit of research that Tai Chi is a great exercise for all ages, and a good activity for stress relief and meditation. But when I pull out the combat applications of Tai Chi out of my hat, some people are taken aback in disbelief…..even when I tell them from the very beginning that Tai Chi is first and foremost, a martial art.  "What! You mean those movements can actually be used for combat? I’m outta here!".  In these cases, I try to refer them to an activity that would best suit them.

 

I’m not even going to get into studios or teachers that put forth a big attractive personality, then don’t deliver what they claim. These schools are very few, thank goodness. For the most part, martial arts schools are professional, staffed with skilled teachers, and honest with their students.

 

So, to repeat myself again: Whether you stay strong in a relationship with your art, you leave the art, or the art distances itself leaves you, you learn a lot of things about yourself along the way. Some of these life lessons may not be easy pills to swallow, but hopefully, we learn to look at ourselves with an honest eye. We learn to not place the total blame on the art, nor do we take all the credit for for a wonderful relationship with the art. We learn that any relationship is based on the efforts of both people.

 

As someone who has been been around the dating scene a little bit in the last few years, I am sort of amused by the parallels between dating/good relationships, and martial arts training / mastery.  I’m in no big hurry to find the person of my dreams at a dating service or at the supermarket and have them sweep me away. Nor am I in the biggest hurry to become an Nth degree Grand-Poobah-head honcho master. But one thing is for sure in both cases…..I’m going to keep looking, striving to be at my best and true to my personality, goals, and dreams…..hopefully, it will result in favorable situations in both cases!

 

So, I ask you, dear reader…..have any of you been through any interesting martial arts "Dating Experiences" lately? Doesn’t necessarily have to be in comparision to martial arts…….Let’s get your 2 cents! Feel free to comment.

Quote of the day…..

"Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat"

– Sun Tzu

 

How many times have you been in a sparring match, be it at a tournament or in friendly bout in class, and felt that desire to "win"? With that, Have there been times where you just threw a flurry of techniques, hoping that the blitz would "jam" up your opponent so he or she could not defend against you? I’ve been there….its worked a few times, where I just blitzed right through my opponent and they just happened to stumble backwards enough so one of my backfists could score. But one tournament, I met against a gal whose foundation was strong and whose spirit was indomitable. I blitzed in with a kiai, she sidestepped, and I found a roundhouse kick kissing me on the side of the head. I lost that bout, but not without learning something…..something about how technique, strategy, and spirit combines to form a true warrior. Its not about how high your jump kick is, or how many boards you can break….its about really understanding your art and its strategies.

 

Let’s take a hint from good handymen and mechanics……Make sure your "tools" in your "toolbag" are suitable for the job at hand. Know how to use those tools and when to use them (really, do you need a torque wrench set at 60 foot pounds to tighten the screw at the end of your Taiji sword??).  Pull out only the tools you need for any given time, depending on how the tasks change. Most importantly, know how to fix whatever needs fixing….don’t tear apart that engine just yet, if you really don’t know what you’re getting into.

 

In short….have a strategy, but also be sure to have good sound techniques, foundation, good spirit and good knowledge of fighting lines. A good fighter need not bounce around unpredictably like a jumping bean, nor does a good fighter need to go into a fight with "the blender turn on, hoping that something will fall into the blender".

 

On the other hand….a fighter could have all sorts of great techniques and know a million drills and exercises. However, if the fighter can’t make split second decisions on how to use all those techniques, then the amount of knowledge is useless. Classic case of "jack of all trades, master of none".

 

When in class or a seminar, go into the lesson with a beginner’s mind……its so much easier to glean the most important concepts that the teacher has to offer. Work the material well, without overthinking it or being overly concerned if you look good or are doing it correctly…….after all, if you’re making serious mistakes, the teacher will correct you. Take the corrections for what they are, leave your ego out of it and don’t take corrections personally.

 

With a beginner’s mind, a scholar’s study skills, a scientist’s willingness to test/experiment, and a master’s love of the art, tactics and strategy with become second nature.

 

Okay, beginners…..get out there and LEARN! 1, 2,3 GO!!!

 

(I won’t ever remember the name of that gal that defeated me in that tournament so long ago. But I want to thank her for teaching me to delve into understanding my arts and not merely doing the movements of the arts.)

An excerpt from one of my favorite books

People through finding something beautiful,

Find something else unbeautiful.

Though finding one man fit,

judge another unfit.

 

Life and death, though stemming from each other,

seem to confilict as stages of change…..

Difficult and easy as phases of acheievement,

Long and short as measure of contrast,

High and low as degrees of relation;

 

but, since the varying of tones gives music to a voice

and what is, is the was of what shall be…

The sanest mant sets up no deed,

Lays down no law,

Takes everything that happens as it comes

as something to animate, not to appropriate.

To Earn, not to own.

 

To accept naturally without self-importance:

If you never assume importance,

You never lose it.

 

                                  –Lao Tzu   "Tao Teh Ching"

 

 

“Absorbing what is useful”

We’ve heard the quote "Absorb what is useful, discard what is useless", right? (made notable by Bruce Lee)

Well, I’ve found that in the last few weeks, I’ve competely turned the quote around, and I "absorbed what is useless, and discarded what is useful".

Alot of stuff has fallen on my plate as of late….alot of stuff happening at once, and I’ll admit, I’ve been stressed out. With my Mom going in for lung surgery, making a huge mistake in balancing my accounts (that resulted in a loss of revenue that I thought I had) , and a bajillion other things has turned things all topsy turvy. Turns out that I’ve been so self-absorbed in my own whirlwind day-to-day life, that on numerous times, I’ve failed to put things in perspective….

I lost my "center" a few times in the last few weeks…..it got so bad that I was forgetting rescheduled teaching appointments and losing track of time. It didn’t help that feeling bad about missing appointments made me worry more, and in turn made me forget other appointments. I scheduled appointments right on top of previous ones. I was absorbing anxiety and negative energy, and discarding the useful concept of "flowing" with the Tao….in fact, I was trying to swim upstream against the Tao!!

Ironically, it took a stressed out student of mine, to reel me back into perspective, and allow me to shift myself back into "normal" mode. Yesterday, a student was speaking to me about wanting to find another job…she was not happy with the way that school and her job was working out, because it made her miss out on kung fu classes for a couple of months. "It’s not going the way I had planned, so I’m going to look for another job". Her voice held alot of worry and stress, and it snapped me back to "right now".

I said "So, you’re going to quit your job, just because your plans didn’t work out for only 2 months? Is that what you’re telling me?"

"Yeah. I’ve missed alot of classes".

"Correction, you’ve missed only 8 classes. You sound like you think you’re not going to make it to class for a whole year! How do you know this?"

"Well, I don’t. Work has been shorthanded for about 8 months though, which is why I’m working alot."

"Doesn’t matter" I said. "The kung fu and Taiji classes will still be around. You need to slow down, and take a look at this from outside your little box…"

*click*. Duh. That’s what I needed to do for MYSELF!! Right at that time I my Counselor/Healer friend, Reggi, called. (wow, what timing, eh??). Sort of annoyed, I told Reggi about my brief conversation with my student. Reggi commented, "Seems like this student hasn’t heard the concept of flexibility and focus. She gets so caught up in her own junk that she can’t shift out of it". I laughed to myself, because I too, was losing track of flexibility and focus.

That night, during Taiji class, I made the point to share exercises in "grounding", "centering" and "outside-looking in". At the end of the class, I felt "normal"….no anxiousness in the pit of my stomach, no scatteredness. Just peace and just "being". I had found my center again.

But, as Reggi had also commented ……as long as I realize that I’m running funky patterns, I can usually shift out of them readily.

On a cool twist though, my student came up to me after my conversation with Reggi, and she said "Sifu, you’re right, I’m just not being focused…I’m going to think this out….I feel better now…". That’s funny, because I never really said she was lacking focus. I thought it, though!

So, I thank my student for putting things into perspective for me….and kudos to Reggi for reminding me that "center" is always there…I just put myself on wierd orbits sometimes, that’s all. But each time I return from a wierd orbit, my center seems more stable…more rooted than before.

Good Qi to all of you……

Jiayo!!

“Daiki Taiyu”

This is sort of a continuation to my previous blog entry…..

 

Years ago, I read the book "The sword and the mind", by Hiroaki Sato. In the book, it speaks of the concept of "Daiki Taiyu"….A Zen term that refers to the external manifestation of mental movement.

 

Often, the term "Taiyu" is used. Literally, "Tai" may mean "body" or "something of substance", or "a thing in itself" (my Japanese is horrible and practically nonexistent, so someone correct me if I’m wrong)……and "Yu" means "application" or "manifestation".  In Kyudo, we can use the term in reference to "Tai" being the bow, and the act of drawing, aiming, shooting, and hitting a target as "Yu". In swordsmanship, Tai would be the sword, and Yu being the act of drawing the blade and cutting. (The "Daiyu" portion of the phrase, loosely means "Great mind" or "Great energy")

 

Today, I found 30 minutes of free time, and pulled the book from my office shelf. I noticed that the page with "Daiki Taiyu" was dog-eared. I tried to remember what was going on in my life or my training at the time that I dog-eared the page, as I usually bookmark pages in many books to help me remember a particular lesson learned from the page. As I wracked my brain trying to remember what I marked this page for, I realized that I needed to see this lesson right now. Didn’t matter what I needed the lesson for in the past…..this lesson was one I needed to re-learn NOW.

 

In my present situation, my Ki and my intent are "Tai", and when the workings of my intent come out, it will be "Yu".  Until recently, I’ve been doing my regular old thing, my usual routine. I had, in a way, fallen into an everyday "slump" of sorts. My mind had not kindled a focused intent. With the recent opportunities that have arisen for me, my intent got back into focus….the excited feeling of experiencing new things, the looking forward to "come what may"…..its here again. I’ve experienced these wonderful feelings many times before, and each time something wonderful came out of it. But not long after each great result, I forgot about it and slowly reverted back to my old daily patterns without ever knowing it.

 

So there I sat in my office, shaking my head and giggling at myself for reverting back to the "same old routine".  I’m excited now, I’m moving forward. I thought back on the recent weeks of my focus on my new opportunities….and realized that many great things are falling right into place. I’m going to try hard to let my goals push me forward.

 

"Today, I will commit to knowing that if I unlock the door, go outside and do something, it will depend on the decisions and intentions I’ve made before I unlock the door. I will remember that my mind and my will are of vital importance….if it works well, then great "Yu" will show outside the door."

 

 

As long as I can keep good "Taiyu", and keep my motivation fresh and meaningfull, I believe that anything I aim for, will be possible.  

 

JIAYO!!

Brush, ink, and art……

"Forget about brush and ink….then you will know the beauty of the landscapes" – Ching Hao

 

I’ve had this lecture with students before….but it doesn’t hurt to review it again…so here goes….

 

A phrase that I  like to use alot, is "paralyzation by overanalyzation"…..We’ve all done it at least once……where we think too hard about doing something, or so intent on doing something correcty "right now", that we just can’t seem to do it right.  Come on….you’ve done that at least once, right??

 

I sometimes come across students that do that…..they think too much (about a technique), and the technique never comes. Then, frustration sets in and their minds shut off and they refuse to try anymore, even though they know they should continue to practice.

 

There are only two things that bring skill…….time, and practice. And, there are two things that motivate practice….goals,and passion.

 

What’s your goal? What makes you want that goal? Do you want to do that 720 butterfly twist? Well, why do you want to do that? Take that "want" and make it yours…..drive your passion, for gosh sakes…… Practice hard, know your goal, and just know that in time, your goal will come. Don’t concern yourself in every "by the book" rule and the tools that we must have…..don’t think so hard…stop talking negatively to yourself……In a way, one has to forget about tools and even their workspace, to realize what their potential is.  Don’t overanalyze…you’ll only fill your head with un-needed stuff, leaving no room for useful stuff.

 

 I’ve got students that want to be damn good, RIGHT NOW. Some people are okay with being patient with diligent practice and the passage of time to bring the skill, while others want a magic wand to make them good RIGHT NOW. Just from what I’ve seen, there’s no magic wand…..but rather, there’s the "magic" that makes us motivate ourselves and kindles that ever-burning desire to perservere. Motivation, in my opinion, is the greatest self discipline of all. When motivation wanes, often the goal fades too.

 

Here’s your brush, here’s your ink….

 

 

 

 

Can you tell that I’ve dealt with "overanalytical students" as of late????   😉

 

 

 

 

“Mizu ga nigotte imasu”

Translated, "Mizu ga nigotte imasu" means "the water is dirty". (literally, ‘water becoming muddy’)

 

Put some water in a jar, add some mud, shake it up, and you’ve got a jar of yucky water. But you let it sit, and eventually the mud settles to the bottom, revealing the clear water on top.

 

Does that happen to you?….getting all caught up in stress, negative emotions and such? Do you get "all shook up" and rushing around wondering incessantly "who-what-when-where-why"?. I’m as guilty as the next person of "shaking up my jar", that’s for sure. Sometimes when I shake myself up, I inadvertently keep shaking the jar myself. *sigh* Not the best choice.

 

Meditation has been a way for me to reflect….to (as Bruce Lee once said)  "absorb what is useful, and to discard what is useless". Personally, I prefer Zhan-Zhuang (standing meditation) and Zazen (seated Zen)….either method allows me to find my center, still my body, and most importantly, still my mind enough so that it may look at things as they really are, as opposed to perceiving things based on my own stereotypes, doubts, or expectations.  Its a wonderful sensation, to feel your "center" again, to just "sit" and have your mind not be so hung up on the hustle and bustle, to allow yourself to "be, see, and go".  It is such a release to "discard the useless", leaving room to absorb what is useful.

 

 In Japanese martial arts, there is a concept called "Mizu no kokoro" (mind like water). It said that if we possess Mizu no kokoro, we can be sensitive to all real impressions, not "reflections" of what is. Just as water is sensitive to the slightest wind, or the smallest leaf that alights upon it, such is our own energy that is in harmony with all things.

 

Ii desu ne! Mizu o kudasai!

 

How’s YOUR water?