Advice from Sensei— Compassion

Compassion is the sympathy and understanding that comes from having a keen awareness of the relationships between all living things and the challenges and pitfalls we all face, everyday.

As Martial Artists, we possess strength inside and out, which helps us to manage the physical, emotional, and psychological challenges we face in our own lives. As strong as we may be, sometimes it never feels like we are strong enough; it is in those times of personal weakness that we most need the understanding and compassion of others like family, friends, and strangers. When you feel weak, it is hard to ask or accept help from others, but you know you need it.

The Black Belt knows his or her limits, and knows when he or she needs help, but most importantly, knows that the people around them are going through their own struggles. It is at this time that it is so important for us to show compassion. We have a responsibility to use our strength to lift up others who are going through their personal burdens.

As different as other people are from you, there are so many ways that you are the same. The compassionate person knows that we are all the same, save for the individual circumstances of each of our lives. As a community, we can all do better if we can do it together as a team with care and compassion for one another. Because, as the Dalai Lama says, “Compassion is not religious business, it is human business, it is not luxury, it is essential for our own peace and mental stability, it is essential for human survival.”

Remember, just as you find you need the compassion of others, others need compassion from you, and as a Martial Artist, strong in body and mind, you have a responsibility to show caring and compassion at all times.

#WordsOfWisdom

Advice from Sensei—Self Control

There is an ancient Chinese saying, sometimes attributed to Lao Tzu, “The best fighter is never angry.” This saying truly gets to the heart of what it means to have self-control, especially in the context of the Black Belt. What it does not mean is that anger is an emotion to be avoided; it is actually saying that the best fighter, or best person, is a master of his or her self-control and is able to separate their emotions from their actions.

When a Black Belt masters his or her emotions they are not suppressing them; instead the emotions are recognized, understood, evaluated, and channeled appropriately by the conscientious student. It is ok, often expected, to feel strong emotions, be they happiness, sadness, fear, or anger. Feeling those emotions helps you to validate and understand what is happening to you, but acting on those emotions can lead to foolish or rash decisions.

Understanding your emotions and identifying them allows you to channel them. All of that work put into getting in front of your emotions teaches you to channel them when you need to. You can punch like you mean it, run like you’re being chased, empathize with a friend who’s having difficulties, or show everyone how amazing something is by bringing out your happiness!

Building self-control requires introspection. You must practice acknowledging your emotions, figuring out why you’re feeling those emotions, and then ask yourself what the right decision is without them. Having a clear mind to do so requires having a clear body. Your health and well being have an impact on your emotions and your self-control. Regular exercise, and a diet rich in vegetables, proteins, fruits, and nuts keep your whole body operating as a well-oiled machine with a motivated state of mind.

Practice thinking about what you are doing before you do it. Don’t be impulsive. Exercise self-control. Eat well and exercise.

Be in control of your emotions, attitudes, and actions; don’t let them control you!

#WordsOfWisdom

Advice from Sensei—Perseverance

The famous football great, Vince Lombardi, once said, “The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.” What he was talking about was perseverance, seeing things through to the finish no matter how difficult it is or how many barriers stand before you. That perseverance of will is the key to success in all things.

Perseverance is not only an important attribute for a Black Belt to have, but is something that all martial artists need to have to become a Black Belt. It is important to acknowledge that perseverance is not your passion, intensity, or desire to succeed while making an effort. It is getting back up when you fall down. It is using a failure or shortcoming as a lesson and practicing, learning, and trying again, and again, until you succeed.

As the famous idiom goes, “where there is a will there is a way.” What it is saying is that through perseverance, the active embodiment of determination, you can achieve whatever you set your mind to, regardless of how challenging it is. Being a Black Belt is about so much more than being a skilled martial artist. It is about being in complete control of yourself, and maximizing your potential. It is about being a leader, a success, a friend, a community member, and a role model. And mastering your perseverance is key to being all of those.

You will face obstacles, sometimes seemingly insurmountable, in all aspects of your life. While walking away, avoiding, or redirecting a problem onto someone else may make the problem go away or delay it for another day what it won’t do is get you closer to your goal.

When you train yourself to persevere (yes, this takes practice) you build the good habit of doing whatever you can to achieve what you need. And when you combine that habit with the others you practice, like courtesy, modesty, commitment, respect, selflessness, compassion, etc…, you better yourself and everyone around you. You will become a role model for success, leadership, and community. You will become a Black Belt.

Just remind yourself when something gets in your way, “go over, go under, go around, or go through, but never give up.”

Advice from Sensei— Integrity

There’s an old saying that “integrity is what you do when no one is watching.” When you think about it, that definition makes a lot of sense. After all, having integrity comes from within, from a source of deep conviction that doing right is more important than being seen doing right.

Integrity, which is rooted in the Latin word integer, meaning “intact,” is very important, especially for a Martial Artist. Integrity can be understood as a person with his or her morals intact, or a nation with its territory undisrupted and whole. Both meanings are helpful when we think about the importance of integrity in our lives as Martial Artists.

Simply put, integrity means you do what you say you’ll do, and what you say and do are deeply rooted in strong personal values. Integrity really means being in harmony with your core values.

Confucius said, “The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home.”

When you think about it, the sage was indeed very wise in offering those words; only people of strong integrity can sustain a strong nation. Rousseau’s “social contract” relies entirely on the integrity of each individual citizen. What would happen to society if everyone lacked integrity?

Integrity is a powerful and important ingredient in becoming a leader—in and out of the dojo. As Martial Artists, we are in a unique position to cultivate our own integrity and, by doing so, to improve our home, our community, and our nation.

When you take the lessons you learn on the mats to your home and community, you establish yourself as a leader. And, because you operate in harmony with your core values, having integrity earns you the respect and trust of others. If you live your life with integrity, you may well find yourself leading your team, your class, your community—even your country. Integrity is where leadership starts!

As leaders and dedicated students of the martial arts, we must constantly remind ourselves to go beyond physical training and to also practice the mental and character developing aspects of the Martial Arts. A Black Belt is a symbol recognized worldwide that represents a high level of excellence, not just in physical skill, but also in attitude, behavior and character.  Sustaining the excellence of a Black Belt is one thing: Integrity.

This week, lead with integrity. Strive to be in harmony with your moral compass, and make sure everything you think, say, and do is in harmony with your core values.