Body, Mind & Soul

When a Wise man thought about the depth of the judgments of God, he asked, “Lord, how is it that some die when they are young, while others drag on to extreme old age? Why are there those who are poor and those who are rich? Why do wicked men prosper and why are the just in need?”

He heard a voice answering him, “Keep your attention on yourself; these things are according to the judgment of God, and it is not to your advantage to know anything about them.”
— From The Life Of St. Antony The Great (Anthony of Egypt is the Patriarch of all the Desert Fathers and of all Monks.)

How does this help us as a Martial Artist?  As a Christian it always amuses me how God gets blamed for everything yet credited for little.  We see things from our own perspective and assume omnipotence.  The funny thing is most of us don’t even know ourselves and what is in our own hearts, let alone to be in a position to judge the justness of a given situation.  Instead we should be focused on our actions and the state of our soul.  How often does a student look with envy at the abilities of another student thinking they are naturally better than themselves.  Unknown to them are the countless hours this student with “natural ability” practices.  What St. Anthony was driving at is, in focusing on things we can not control, we take away from time that could be spent in perfecting ourselves.  That is not to say we exclude thoughts of others, but that we do so without envy, we take lessons from the world around us without letting the events distract us from perfecting ourselves.  Instead, we to often use lessons from the world to justify our current selves.

This might sound a little high minded but it is the essence of Martial Arts training, perfection of ones self.  Unfortunately unlike the above passage, Martial Arts training deals with the perfection of your mind and physical self.  Many mistake Martial Arts training and this sense of perfection for religion.  The broadening of our senses through training can give us a feeling similar to that of a higher connection, it is a false connection.  Unfortunately many are willing to deceiving themselves as this false religious feeling elevates them to the station of God, even though they believe it a connection with some larger Universal force or power.  This is the trap of many pursuits, Martial Arts, Higher Education degrees, any practice which expands the powers of the mind and body, yet neglects the soul.

I will leave you with that to ponder, to comment upon, and hopefully, to stimulate awareness.

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