Re: "Off-The-Mat" Forum
Pay attention! Live in the moment! All that exists is an illusion. Are all we see, hear and do really an illusion? Or are we being deceived by the illumined? Scientists using electron microscopes can find nothing substantial so what are we standing on? Our belief system has many rules and requirements but do not explain why we must obey them. These are simply mind games. Martial arts training follows along that same path.
Fighting systems developed during battlefield conditions seem illogical in today’s environment. Are these ideas relevant today? If a brick is mostly empty space and my hand mostly empty space shouldn’t I be able to put my hand straight through that brick? Or is my mind playing tricks? Self-determination and freedom of expression should be alive and well in the martial arts but they are not. Say or do the wrong thing and you are out on your ear. Practice incorrectly and you will have a problem with many teachers. Are we not standing on the shoulders of giants? The answer is yes and no. We were at one time. Mind games.
Religious leaders set up stringent guidelines to follow. Watch what they do, not what they say. Martial arts instructors say what you should do and how you should act. Watch what they do, not what they say. Our current civil environment in this country as well as around the world is the way it is because our youth are doing what adults, including local, national and international leaders, are doing and ignoring what they are saying. You say those kids are not copying your actions? Before you say another word consider your non-action the last time you saw or heard some elderly person being disrespected by an unruly youngster. In the east, non-action is an action. And you wish for peace. Mind games.
Getting better at Aikido and worse at life is common these days. Frustration with progress or the lack of it causes many to quit. Some at the 3rd, 4th or 5th dan levels. Or could it be they’ve achieved satisfaction and made the decision to move on? In reality, I think it’s because of too many rules, otherwise the training could enhance that other pursuit. Why not practice for the simple joy of it? Why are there belt exams? Mind games.
What’s your game?
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