We need to take matters into our own hands. There is no time to wait. There is no way to defer responsibility. There is no one else who can do it.
We are in increased jeopardy right now:
The normalization of violence.
Fabricated food which does not nourish.
Manipulated cultural environment, which is disorienting and disturbing.
Disconnection from the natural world.
Deprivation of meaningful work and property.
The devaluation of family life.
Isolation from community.
Obstruction of spiritual meaning and purpose.
Obscured distinction between right and wrong.
All of these are part of a single trend, the disintegration of society. Every exciting new technical innovation contributes to the isolation of individuals, the stripping away of our personal worth, our sense of meaning and purpose.
Training restores these.
It strengthens our connection with our friends and family.
It supports good health – fitness through our physical training, and an appreciation of the need for good choices in food, rest and the avoidance of poisons like drugs, alcohol and harmful medicines – so we can stay healthy and perform well.
By forming healthy, mutual relationships, we can spot and avoid toxic online activity, social media and amusement.
By having a strong sense of purpose, we can tell the difference between staying informed about important issues and being hypnotized by sense stimulation, argument, and images which devour our lifetime and exhaust our minds.
By training our bodies to be strong, our minds to be focused and both under our control, we are alert to physical danger as it arises, so we can deal with it effectively. By avoiding it or de-escalating it if possible; with a demeanor that is strong and confident that may deter threats before they appear; by being effective if we need to engage.
By extending our training beyond the physical into the realm of mind training we learn to transform every moment into a purposeful training moment. That way, every moment elevates the condition of our life right now. Each moment becomes a step toward our ultimate goal.
So, when we are waiting for a download, waiting on a line, waiting in traffic, waiting in the airport, waiting in a government office, waiting for an appointment, whenever we encounter the obstacles strewn across our schedule, we can use that time to cultivate our hearts and minds, instead of allowing the burdensome, monotonous, chaotic, threatening, meaningless demands of living in a culture in decline to drain our life of vitality and joy.
We can detach from machines and networks and train every day. Alone or in a group.
For millions of years for millions of people it was completely natural for people to be quiet. To walk, to work, to ride on a cart or a horse, and to be present in one’s own mind. To think, reflect and plan. To notice the world unfolding all around us and to see the people and all the creatures in it. We can still do that.
We can share what we know with the people who depend on us, with anyone who is interested. Our martial arts. Our mind training. Our perspective on this moment. On how to live.
We can substitute anomie, accumulation, agitation, and irritation with purposeful action, the refinement of our bodies and minds, and at freedom.
When I asked at the beginning of my book True Karate Dō that people consider the value of their own lives, when I encouraged everyone to discard the confusion and addiction imposed on us by convention, and instead to use their training to fulfill our potential, this is what I was referring to.
Don’t get caught in the spirit of confusion. We use our training to remain free. The stakes are high. But this is not a game of chance. We choose. Exaltation over degradation.
We have the means to do it. And we still have time.
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Post Copyright © 2024 Jeffrey Brooks, MountainKarateNC.com, Yamabayashi Ryu, Mountain Karate, Saluda, NC
Photo by Oleksandr P via Pexels
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read True Karate Dō by Jeffrey Brooks
“One of the best books I’ve read in years, inviting and compelling. Jeff Brooks moves effortlessly from martial arts to Buddhism to consciousness studies, self-transformation, and related fields in this wide-ranging and Illuminating study that has much to offer both novice explorers and veteran practitioners. A splendid achievement.”
— Philip Zaleski, Editor, The Best Spiritual Writing series