POWER AND CONTROL

POWER AND CONTROL

I just watched the movie MAN OF TAI CHI last night, and even though some critics are very hard on Keanu Reeves as a director, I thought it was brilliant. It is actually my favourite martial arts movie so far. What I appreciate about it, is that women are not portrayed as victims to be rescued by a male hero, and the message is consistent with what traditional martial arts is about! 

I'm fascinated by how violence and sex are the primary focus in many films like with Steven Segal's work for instance. Many other actors I highly respect for their skills, also seem to promote aggression and machismo onscreen. Isn't it suppose to be about Peace and Harmony as opposed to revenge and chaos? It often turns women off self defence for that reason. And guys wonder why we don't want to sit through that shit…

I can only watch so much tits and ass, rape and powerless women on a big screen before I want to scream and hit something! 

I know Bruce Lee was very keen on becoming an actor and promoting martial arts, but I don't know that it truly serves people like myself. Violence itself is something I accept, but I also know that movies do not accurately represent my own training practice. I invite all men to look at how these movies are supposed to inspire us, and to rethink their strategy on getting our asses on the matts. It is a worthy discussion to have!

There is a gap between our experience and ability to communicate our convictions. An excellent movie to watch about this topic is DON JON, with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Scarlett Johansson.

Unfortunately, action is what many of us want to see in a movie and what keeps us engaged. That reality transfers into the dojo, where students value movement over introspection, and kicking ass over mindfulness and prevention. Since business owners make more money when serving patrons what they want, many fail to reflect on their legacy and give their students what they need. 

 The guidance of an emotionally mature and responsible teacher is like mentorship for many, so I think it's crucial to be self aware and honest about what we teach. Focusing on techniques and fitness alone will not serve our world as well as a more wholistic program would. In rebelling against traditional martial arts, some of us have left being some basic educational values, like compassion, respect, courtesy and patience. We have an opportunity to set an example for many who do not get those virtues at home or at school, We have an important role and should be more mindful of the seeds we plant by all our actions.  

Money and survival being such a focus, I see sacrifices everywhere in our choices for creating a happy and balanced existence. We are consumed by fear, consequently getting us to move in directions that may not support our wellbeing and the one of others. That being said, I am a firm believer that everything serves, so I am not alarmed. I promote zazen and inquiry as practices to guide our choices.

Byron Katie says: "A healthy mind makes healthy choices, no decisions involved." So if that's true, and I trust her experience, how do we know if our mind is healthy or not? I guess that is a question for all of us to ask ourselves.

LETS LOOK CLOSELY AT OUR LEADERSHIP

Share your deepest truth instead of being a slave to ego.
There is a saying I HATE: "Leave your ego off the mats."My thoughts on that is that if we could leave our ego at the door, why on Earth would we want to pick it back up! We need to explore what ego is, and how to train our mind accordingly.Aggression is better expressed in a dojo among peers who learn about control and express that energy in a positive way, with the guidance experienced teachers who are responsible ON AND OFF THE MATTS. 

Training is a path of self discovery. Many people who would benefit from this practice, shy away from dojos due to misconceptions promoted at large. To make matters worse, many schools advertise the benefits of martial arts, only to serve us and our children a generous spoonful of ego driven goals as opposed to effective safety skills!

What is the solution? 

Meditate on it yourself, make choices with a healthy mind.

BE MINDFUL

BE AWAKE!