Meditations on God

On Comfort And Struggle
Do not envy others for their comfort.

Envy does not bring us closer to what we want to have or achieve, where we want to go, or who we want to be.

It is nothing more than a distraction.

Our focus should be on what we can do, what we can change, and on how to make that happen.

There is no satisfaction in that which comes to us too easily anyway.

Satisfaction is inextricably tied to struggle.

It is impossible to truly appreciate that which is not earned, toiled over, and fought for.

Comfort without the struggle to achieve it is a hollow victory.

It has no meaning.

The struggle is what we should seek, embrace, and rejoice in.

Life is lived through purposeful effort.

Comfort is for the dying.

Do not envy the comfortable.

Holistic Budo: As it is in budo, so too it is in life. As it is in life, so too it is in budo.

Robert Van Valkenburgh is co-founder of Taikyoku Mind & Body and Kogen Dojo where he teaches Taikyoku Budo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

All photos by Robert Van Valkenburgh unless otherwise noted.

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September 11, 2020

achievement, comfort, difficulty, effort, envy, satisfaction, struggle, success, toil, trials, turmoil
On Improving For Our Community
When we find ourselves apologizing for the same things over and over again, it is time to make a change.

We all make mistakes.

The goal is to not make the same mistakes over and over again.

As humans, it is our responsibility to recognize the patterns of our behavior that do not serve us or those around us and to take positive action in their opposite direction.

This is required not only for our personal growth, but also for the benefit of our family and community.

Even if we are comfortable in solitude, we are not solitary creatures.

Each and every one of us has some degree of dependance, interdependence, and codependence with regards to the other people in our lives.

We may be able to survive on our own, but we cannot truly thrive without being part of some kind of community.

But, in order to be part of a community, we must be responsible for our actions and accountable to the other members of that community.

Without personal responsibility and group accountability, we are not really with people, we are just around them.

This means that our words, attitudes, and actions must adapt to the group’s needs and, when we repeatedly say or do things that are detrimental to the group’s well-being, we must acknowledge and correct our behavior.

Our growth should never come at the cost of our integrity, however.

A community that demands that our integrity be compromised in order to be a part of it is not truly our community anyway.

Typically, the only price evolution asks us to pay, so long as we are willing, is to give up some of our pride and replace it with effort.

Holistic Budo: As it is in budo, so too it is in life. As it is in life, so too it is in budo.

Robert Van Valkenburgh is co-founder of Taikyoku Mind & Body and Kogen Dojo where he teaches Taikyoku Budo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

All photos by Robert Van Valkenburgh unless otherwise noted.

Follow Robert Van Valkenburgh and Holistic Budo on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, and LinkedIn.

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September 10, 2020

change, community, evolution, family, friendship, growth, improvement, life, purpose
The Seasons Of Emotion
Just like everything around us, our emotions are in a constant state of change.

In this way, they are not much different than the seasons, nor should we expect them to be.

Happiness and sorrow, excitement and frustration, love and pain, will all come and go throughout the days, months, and years of our lives.

Our feelings are part of us, but they are not us.

There is more to who we are than our emotions.

For this reason, we should not allow ourselves to be ruled by the way that we feel.

Instead, much like we prepare for the summer heat or the winter snow, we should be prepared for our feelings to change.

This means not only acknowledging that they will change, but also taking note of what causes them to change and the affect that these changes have on us, on our words, and on our deeds.

The goal is not to be unfeeling, but to be more than our feelings.

The fact is that a life worth living requires that we feel very deeply.

But, a life worth living also requires that we speak and behave in a way that is consistent with what is true and constant.

We must learn to be more reliable than our feelings.

Holistic Budo: As it is in budo, so too it is in life. As it is in life, so too it is in budo.

Robert Van Valkenburgh is co-founder of Taikyoku Mind & Body and Kogen Dojo where he teaches Taikyoku Budo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

All photos by Robert Van Valkenburgh unless otherwise noted.

Follow Robert Van Valkenburgh and Holistic Budo on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, and LinkedIn.

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September 9, 2020

change, consistency, constant, emotion, emotions, feelings, integrity, reliability, seasons
Honoring Support
Sometimes all we need is the knowledge that someone else is willing to help us in order to gather the strength with which to help ourselves.

It is important to know that we are not alone, that we have support, and that we have something or someone to fall back on if and when we fail.

This knowledge is powerful.

It gives us courage, strength, and ambition.

It affords us the opportunity to take risks we may have otherwise avoided, to test the waters on new ideas, adventures, and opportunities, and to pursue our dreams.

If we have such support, it must not be taken for granted or taken advantage of, however.

Support must be nurtured, cared for, and respected as the precious gift that it is.

Implicit in this is a mutual sense of trust.

As with all trust, our desires, intentions, and actions must be honorable in order to earn it, maintain it, and do it justice.

We are not owed this.

Our good fortune should be at the forefront of our thoughts, acknowledged and honored with gratitude through action.

Holistic Budo: As it is in budo, so too it is in life. As it is in life, so too it is in budo.

Robert Van Valkenburgh is co-founder of Taikyoku Mind & Body and Kogen Dojo where he teaches Taikyoku Budo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

All photos by Robert Van Valkenburgh unless otherwise noted.

Follow Robert Van Valkenburgh and Holistic Budo on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, and LinkedIn.

If you found this post helpful or meaningful in some way, please feel free to Share, Comment, and Subscribe below.
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September 8, 2020

caring, community, courage, gift, graciousness, gratitude, help, nurturing, strength, support, trust
Some More Unsolicited Advice
Take advantage of every moment.

Do not waste a second.

Even if doing nothing, do it intentionally, consciously, and deliberately.

Busyness without focus is procrastination.

Make a plan. Make a decision. Take action.

Mistakes will be made. Try anyway.

Failure is inevitable. Failure is a teacher.

Learn to pivot. Make a new path. Make your own path.

Move decisively, but not hastily.

Pay attention.

The details matter. The big picture matters more. People matter most.

Be of service. Be kind. Expect the same from others and do not settle for less.

Holistic Budo: As it is in budo, so too it is in life. As it is in life, so too it is in budo.

Robert Van Valkenburgh is co-founder of Taikyoku Mind & Body and Kogen Dojo where he teaches Taikyoku Budo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

All photos by Robert Van Valkenburgh unless otherwise noted.

Follow Robert Van Valkenburgh and Holistic Budo on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, and LinkedIn.

If you found this post helpful or meaningful in some way, please feel free to Share, Comment, and Subscribe below.
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September 7, 2020

action, advice, consciousness, failure, kindness, lessons, life, life lessons, mistakes, service

On Comfort And Struggle

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On Improving For Our Community

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The Seasons Of Emotion

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Honoring Support

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Some More Unsolicited Advice

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