Before getting upset with someone who we perceive to have wronged us, we should ask ourselves if we would have behaved the way they had if we were in their position. It is easy to criticize others for the decisions they make or the stances they take. But their circumstances may have given them no … Continue reading Exercising Empathy
We prove what is important to us by how we choose to spend our time, energy, and attention. We may claim that we value something, but if we constantly ignore it, put it off, or place our priorities elsewhere, our actions prove otherwise. This also means that we are able to change our values by … Continue reading Changing Values
In Brazilian jiu-jitsu, we learn over time that overextending ourselves has very real, even painful, consequences. One of the greatest benefits of jiu-jitsu training is the near-immediate feedback we receive from rolling (grappling for submissions). When we make mistakes, if we are rolling with someone of equal or greater skill, there are consequences in the … Continue reading The Consequences Of Overextension (A Jiu-Jitsu Lesson)
It is difficult to worry about our day-to-day problems when someone is trying to choke us unconscious or punch us in the face. Aside from simply learning how to fight or defend ourselves, there are many psychological, physical, and emotional benefits to be found in sparring based martial arts, martial arts wherein practitioners regularly pressure … Continue reading The Martial-Mystical Experience (Rolling Into Transcendence)
As long as we have choice, we have hope. One of the most powerful lessons martial arts teach us is that very difficult, seemingly insurmountable problems can be solved by applying the right combination of posture, balance, angles, and leverage. What at first feels like a hopeless challenge becomes less and less so the more … Continue reading Martial Arts And The Freedom To Choose
