When we were teenagers, my friends and I would sneak out at night, lie down at the bottom of my driveway, and stare up at the stars.
…and it was enough.
‘It Was Enough’ by Robert Van Valkenburgh
HOLISTIC BUDO: As in Life, so too in Budo. As in Budo, so too in Life.
“The opposite of scarcity is not abundance; the opposite of scarcity is simply enough. Empathy is not finite, and compassion is not a pizza with eight slices. When you practice empathy and compassion with someone, there is not less of these qualities to go around. There’s more. Love is the last thing we need to ration in this world.”
—Brené Brown
When our hearts are full our interests change, our desires change, and our motives change. We become more proactive and less reactive. Our fears about not being enough, not having enough, and not being able to keep what we have begin to quiet.
Our thought processes begin to transform, shifting away from selfish plotting, scheming, and negotiating ways for us to acquire more for ourselves, and toward giving, sharing, and contributing. Instead of imagining ways to accumulate, horde, and protect material goods and wealth, our minds open to the possibility that there is truly enough for everyone, if only we work together toward that goal. It is up to us to go first, however, to lead the charge, and to offer of ourselves so that others may see that kindness and generosity are the outward manifestations of gratitude.
If we are grateful in our hearts, for the lives, the love, and the opportunities we have received in the good times, the truest expression of that gratitude is to give of ourselves during the hard times in whatever way we can, when it is not easy, when it is not convenient, and when there may be no reciprocity. This may simply mean showing up, being present, offering a kind word, a shoulder to lean on, or an ear to listen, even if virtually. Sometimes all we have to offer is time, but the act of offering is the first step toward transcending the fear of scarcity.
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 (artist unknown, unless otherwise noted).
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“I have only ever asked God for enough and he has always provided.”
—Joe Sheya (my first martial art instructor)
I am have never been shy about discussing the large degree to which my late hapkido teacher, Joe Sheya, impacted my life. He passed away in 2014, but some of the lessons he passed onto me and others near me still resonate within me as being as, or more, true than ever. Recently I am reminded of the above statement I heard him say on many occasions.
Joe was not a financially wealthy man. He was a career school teacher who took side jobs so that he could enjoy his hobbies of motorcycle riding, scuba diving, and later flying airplanes (a hobby cut short for medical reasons) and boating. In addition to these, he enjoyed wearing nice clothes, going to the movies, and going out to eat whenever the mood suited him, but he always worked hard in order to be able to afford what he understood to be luxuries.
In spite of running a dojang (Korean martial art academy) for essentially his entire adult life, he never made money off of martial arts, even though he tried to in various ways throughout the years. He lived in a small home built just for him that had everything he needed, nothing more, and nothing less. Every time the subject of money, and especially wealth, came up, he would, at least to my memory, always say the same thing, “I have only ever asked God for enough and he has always provided.”
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 (artist unknown, unless otherwise noted).
If you found this post helpful or meaningful in some way, please feel free to Share, Comment, and Subscribe below.
Meditations on God 