Meditations on God

Three Pillars for Practice
Tradition gives us roots into the past, innovation keeps us reaching into the future, and etiquette gives us a way to behave in the present.

There are three pillars to any worthwhile practice, martial or otherwise. It must have roots that tie it deeply to some real human need, desire, or problem. In addition, it must also be forward thinking so as to address these in a way that does not become obsolete over time. Tying these together, it must also include a framework for mindset and interpersonal behavior, such that the practitioner finds value and meaning in the practice beyond the practice itself.

Tradition ties us to history, but not for its own sake. Ideally, tradition tells us who we are by telling us who we were and who we should try to be with regards to our essential natures and needs. While tradition binds us to what is necessary, once our most fundamental human needs have been met and our basic natures satisfied, we are driven to innovate, to create, and to reach for that which was previously thought impossible. As creative beings, we must try to make positive change in the world.

It is our code of behavior, however, our social morality if you will, that guides us so that we relate to tradition and express innovation in a way that is useful to the community we are a part of. Etiquette is more than simply a set of socially acceptable behaviors. It is an unspoken bond of trust, a tightrope of mutual compassion expressed between individuals for the common good, and it is through etiquette, partly informed by tradition, that we build a foundation upon which to move into the future together.

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, as well as a founding member of the Severna Park and Baltimore Holistic Chamber of Commerce.

Street art photo taken by Robert Van Valkenburgh, artist unknown unless otherwise noted.

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January 28, 2020

creativity, etiquette, foundation, innovation, morality, society, tradition
Reasons for Starting & Continuing (Martial Arts)
“I often recommend to people, even if they never have the opportunity, hopefully never have the opportunity to use kickboxing or Brazilian jiu jitsu or some martial art outside of a practice environment that they should train because the way they will carry themselves through the world — male, female, it doesn’t matter; age doesn’t matter — will be different and there will be a certain quiet confidence that I think can be built and added to, with many different skills that demonstrate an ability, demonstrate to yourself an ability to learn, be self sufficient, survive, whatever it might be.” —Tim Ferriss to Edward Norton on The Tim Ferriss Show Ep. 393

Photo by Mike Oswald Photography

People do martial arts for many different reasons. As a person continues to train, much like the person him or herself and the art itself, these reasons change and evolve. What got a person into martial arts is not necessarily the same thing that keeps him or her training over a long period of time.

Some of us got into martial arts as kids because our parents put us in classes or maybe we because of our friends or because we saw a movie or a tv show. Maybe we began training for self defense, for fitness, for confidence, or the mental-physical challenge that comes from training, or maybe simply because we were bored.

Whatever our motivation for starting, the thing that we were looking for and must continue to find if we are to continue is improvement. We all need to feel like we are getting better at something, that we are moving forward, and that our lives are better for the time we spend dedicated to some activity. For this reason, the best martial arts for a sustained, lifelong practice contain some combination of of tradition, innovation, and character enrichment.

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, as well as a founding member of the Severna Park and Baltimore Holistic Chamber of Commerce.

Street art photo taken by Robert Van Valkenburgh, artist unknown unless otherwise noted.

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January 27, 2020

bjj, brazilian jiu-jitsu, edward norton, enrichment, innovation, Martial Arts, self defense, taikyoku budo, tim ferriss, tradition
Preference Beyond Choice
That which others are passionate about may feel totally hollow and empty to us, but that does not mean we cannot enthusiastically support their passion.

“I Choose Love” painted on a wall in Chinatown, NYC – Photo by Robert Van Valkenburgh (artist unknown)

We are not all the same. We do not all enjoy and value the same things, the same activities, the same music, the same movies, the same art, the same style, the same food, or even the same people. Not only is this okay, but it should be embraced and celebrated, for it is our differences that make us interesting.

As much as preferences are based on our life’s experiences, how we were raised, our cultures, and our personal philosophies, they are also a bit of a mystery. We cannot know all of the reasons we like one thing over another, why some things move us, frighten us, attract us, repulse us, excite us, or bore us. Our feelings go deeper than our conscious understanding.

When we see that others enjoy something we do not, so long as it is within the realm of reasonable morality, instead of dismissing them or their preferences outright, we would be well-served to pause and to consider that perhaps their preference for that thing is no different than our preference against it. It may not be a matter of their choice to like it any more than it is our choice to dislike it. When we care about someone, we do not have to enjoy the things that they enjoy in order to support their enjoyment of those things.

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, as well as a founding member of the Severna Park and Baltimore Holistic Chamber of Commerce.

Street art photo taken by Robert Van Valkenburgh, artist unknown unless otherwise noted.

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January 26, 2020

caring, choice, compassion, empathy, love, passion, preference, taste
Solutions Take Less Time Than Complaints
It takes longer to complain about something that it does to take action toward a solution.

Street Art Photo by Robert Van Valkenburgh (artist unknown)

The thing about complaining is that it does not really begin or end at the complaint. It is a much longer process than that. Often, whatever feelings led up to the actual complaint have been festering for a while before coming out and, once expressed, instead of finding resolution, our negative feelings begin to reverberate throughout our life.

Sometimes, the resentment that leads to us expressing a complaint is something we live with for days, weeks, or even years before and after we have verbalized it. In addition to that, the more that we complain, the more these negative feelings begin to seep into the way that we view the world, even affecting our relationships, especially the relationships with those who we are complaining about and to whom we are complaining.

Usually, the solution to whatever problem we find the need to complain about is simple and would take little to no time to address directly and expediently. A lot of times, the solution is as easy as a conversation with the offending party, but, for whatever reason, most likely fear, we find it easier to create general conflict resonating throughout our whole life than to face the risk of specific conflict with what and who is really bothering us. The action required to solve a problem, however, is usually much easier and more expedient than a lifetime of resentment, regret, and complaining.

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, as well as a founding member of the Severna Park and Baltimore Holistic Chamber of Commerce.

Street art photo taken by Robert Van Valkenburgh, artist unknown unless otherwise noted.

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January 25, 2020

complaining, conflict, conflict resolution, fear, problem solving, problems, resentment, solutions
A Crossroads Between Potential and Distraction
Every urge we feel toward betterment, whether the betterment of ourselves, our relationships, or the world around us, is a crossroads whereat we must choose between reaching for our potential or settling for distraction.

When we find ourselves in a quiet space, alone with our thoughts, a glimmer of inspiration may crop up. These moments of inspiration require our attention, but inspiration does not beg, nor does it yell. It is a passing thought, and it is left up to us whether or not we capture it and act on it.

As inspiration arises, if we are aware enough to notice it, we owe it to ourselves and to whatever forces are behind such moments of clarity, to listen, to observe, and to take note. These moments are gifts and gifts should be met with graciousness and gratitude. Graciousness is expressed in how we receive a gift, but gratitude is expressed in what we do with it.

As has been said before, gratitude is expressed through action. When we feel inspired, we are given a glimpse through a window to our potential selves, our potential lives, and our potential impact on the world. We can either ignore this new vision by allowing our attention to give way to distraction or we can reach into the future, anchor ourselves to the vision of a life not yet lived, and pull ourselves forward into all that we can and should be.

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, as well as a founding member of the Severna Park and Baltimore Holistic Chamber of Commerce.

Street art photo taken by Robert Van Valkenburgh, artist unknown unless otherwise noted.

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January 24, 2020

action, crossroads, graciousness, gratitude, Inspiration, muse

Three Pillars for Practice

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Reasons for Starting & Continuing (Martial Arts)

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Preference Beyond Choice

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Solutions Take Less Time Than Complaints

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A Crossroads Between Potential and Distraction

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