| Thanks to several centuries of | | | | most real, sublime, and ultimate. |
| enlightened teachings by extraordinary | | | | Recognizing the limitations of the |
| men in the martial disciplines, we don't | | | | intellect, martial training traditions |
| have to be restricted to lives of | | | | guide with the lamp of direct |
| getting and spending, waiting in quiet | | | | experience. The fool wastes energy |
| desperation for the pain to cease. | | | | talking, while the Master gets on with |
| Most of us in the Arts focus on the | | | | the work-usually outside. |
| tasks in front of our noses (the correct | | | | * Change or die. You are here to evolve, |
| hand forms/kicks/body alignments), | | | | and that means transformation-rarely |
| forgetting our option to consciously | | | | pleasant, always necessary if we wish to |
| evolve along the way to physical | | | | do more than languish in a past of |
| perfection. | | | | illusions. That which does not change |
| Words are easy, but we can avoid just | | | | dies soon thereafter. It's important to |
| blowing mouth-wind here by listing some | | | | keep your training fresh and |
| timeless guides for self-growth, | | | | stimulating; this usually will mean |
| followed by training suggestions: | | | | putting some quality hours into solitary |
| * The physical and cerebral functions | | | | disciplines. |
| die, while the spirit continues to grow. | | | | * Comfort is dangerous, seek the |
| This is a no-brainer, but it's amazing | | | | difficult. In training, eat bitter every |
| how many clubs are satisfied with | | | | day. Don't forget to hammer the basics: |
| learning only to kick butt. What's left | | | | they will keep your workouts honest-and |
| when full contact is a thing of your | | | | provide you with powerful tools to |
| matured past, with only knee pains to | | | | manifest new ideas. |
| jolt a dim memory? Lots of ways to | | | | * Bitter alone is a poor diet. Eating |
| answer that one-and it's better to | | | | bitter every day is only one side of the |
| cultivate chi and meditation practices | | | | tri-lateral equation. One thousand |
| now. | | | | kicks daily will not stretch your mind's |
| * Assume you know nothing-then the | | | | rational capabilities, nor will it feed |
| Superior Man will appear. The most | | | | psychic circuits of intuition. A |
| formidable opponent is your own ego. In | | | | complete Art of leg maneuvers combines |
| training, first learn to listen and | | | | proper attention, visualization, and |
| watch carefully, then proceed with | | | | conscious breath control patterns, along |
| selfless attention and caution. Your | | | | with repetitions of well-aligned kicking |
| higher functions will then operate | | | | form. |
| without impediments. | | | | * Suffering is a great Teacher, but |
| * No authority exists outside of your | | | | life-threatening poverty is not Noble. |
| Self. The successful student-master | | | | It is a fact of human existence that we |
| relationship is necessarily a symbiotic | | | | learn a great deal more from our |
| one. Each needs the other in order to | | | | struggles than from complacency. But if |
| bring the task at hand to fruition. Many | | | | we are to advance in training, we must |
| modern followers of the martial arts | | | | maintain a decent standard of living, |
| have forgotten that the grading system | | | | thus guarding the Three Treasures of the |
| produces no absolute ranks. The system | | | | Temple. |
| is circular: the student must decide by | | | | * Chasing the illusions of wealth, |
| what criteria he wishes to be graded, | | | | position, status, social power will |
| and then he finds an acceptable person | | | | stunt your evolution. Modern men have |
| to confer the content of the desired | | | | been divested, emasculated, and tamed |
| curriculum. Similarly, the teacher must | | | | through social programming by the |
| decide the qualities of a potentially | | | | culture of commerce. We are told to |
| desirable student, then contract with | | | | defend marketing strategies, bottom |
| that candidate. Both are dipping from | | | | lines, and aggressive growth policies of |
| the same well, both are reflections of a | | | | business cartels. These social |
| Being offering meta-cultural sustenance. | | | | programmers love money. What do you |
| * Nature points the Way. It is not | | | | love? |
| possible to express in words what is | | | | |