quality lifestyle blog » Spontaneity

Karate and Meditation

Charles — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 23:23:20 +0000

Karate, a rather old art, is often seen as a hard, physical form of fighting. But, it is grounded in all of the indicia of Zen- focus, being in the moment, spontaneity, and concentration- all hallmarks of both arts (Zen and Karate). At the heart of both arts is meditation- which might be defined as a disciplined way of “letting the mind go”. It is not an easy thing to do- and it does require training- but it is achievable almost immediately- at least on some small level. The karate student achieves this “letting go” by doing kata- which is a form of karate exercise- and it requires total focus- it’s a form of moving meditation- and at it’s core, yes it’s about fighting- but fighting itself contains the seeds of a greater concept- and that is the total management of one’s being in time and space. How to move economically, how to focus, how to concentrate all fo one’s power- in effect- how to “be” in the most efficient and powerful manner possible- that is the heart of karate- and the doing of that- accomplishing that- is also, a Zen moment- one of pure “being there”.

The art of karate- which is synonymous with Zen, is the central meaning of everything- at least of the student of karate- and other students of philosophy. It is about learning to accommodate current realities in light of what one has learned- and trained for- and adjusting one’s self to survive- and perhaps thrive- in that reality. So, karate is, to a significant extent, all about being a warrior- that is an important word in the lexicon of the martial arts- a warrior is a master of one’s self- way more important than being a fighting champion- it’s about doing something in a total, completely holistic manner- and that can take a lifetime to master- but, importantly, it’s the DOING that matters- not arriving there, that counts. It’s the process- not the goal.

Karate- and Zen- are all encompassing arts- that cannot be fully described in any one article- but this article might be described as the tip of the iceberg- so that the interested reader might investigate further the many layered connections that exist between karate and zen- and how to get to a good level of being.

How to Go Beyond the Fear of Change and Kick Start Your Life

Charles — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 19:06:23 +0000

Do you know many people believe that the familiar is comfortable? Do you know that this belief is based on a deep fear of change? Do you know this fear limits, constricts and robs your life away from you? Do you know that it is possible to completely eradicate/erase/delete this fear thereby releasing and empowering you to be the master of your mind, body and life? Do you know that doing so will leave you feeling confident, capable, strong, resilient, creative, courageous, spontaneous, optimistic and loving the experience of being fully alive? How does one achieve this you ask?

If you have ever seen those TV commercials where a car barrels through a large painted poster representing a rock wall you will begin to appreciate that the fear of change is exactly the same as that illusory barrier. It intimidates you at the level of your inner or subconscious mind by hypnotically seducing you with a constricting representation of what you think is reality.

It makes you “think” reality is unpredictable, uncertain, dangerous, uncomfortable, effortful, and not worth pursuing. This however blocks what is the very flow of Life Force Energy through your life. In other words it brings your life, and life itself, to a screeching halt. This is equivalent to dying!

If you suffer from such a fear and you stop and reflect on how your so called “life” feels to you you’ll notice that it feels stuck, blocked, frustrating, unfulfilling, unsatisfying, lacking creativity and spontaneity, lacks energy, enthusiasm and passion and hence lacks Life Energy itself. Well, the experience being described here is that of death itself.

There is a way to go beyond this fear of change once and for all so that you can be completely free of it and more connected to life itself. There is a coaching process developed over 10 years ago that erases negative beliefs, memories and feelings that does just this. To learn more about it kindly visit the web site below where you can also get a free e-copy of my book and request a free introductory telephone consultation.

Silence Negative Self Talk Forever

Charles — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 05:06:23 +0000

Do you know that most people walk around with a chorus of negative voices sounding off in the back of their minds causing a great deal of confusion, distraction, loss of resolve, self doubt, lack of focus and concentration, indecisiveness, loss of energy and enthusiasm, reduced confidence and paralysis to name a few? Do you know that negative “self talk” is actually not coming from the “self” (i.e. from you) at all? Do you know that it comes from unwelcome intruders that have hijacked your mind and are also trying to take control of your life? Does this sound shocking or hard to believe? Do you know that “your” skepticism is actually “not” yours but is a self protective device these intruders employ to get you from ever questioning their presence inside of you? Finally do you know there is a way to completely silence those unwelcome intruders for good? How does one do that you ask?

Those negative voices originate from a constantly playing audio tape that emerges from negative memories of past experiences stored in the subconscious mind. Many have referred to this as early conditioning and it corresponds to all of the negative messages one has received and recorded within. Many of these messages get triggered whenever an event in one’s current life in any way resembles the old past event(s).

So, for instance, if one experienced a failure of sorts in one’s past that was painful the internalized voice will be programmed to convey a message of fear whenever taking such risks again. Now some might “think” this to be a good thing but if one looks at the consequences of this they will readily experience a sense of limitation that blocks the flow of their creativity, self expression, spontaneity, and chances of achieving a fulfilling and expansive life.

Now since many of those voices reside outside of one’s conscious awareness they therefore remain outside of one’s control. That means they can erupt at any time without notice or invitation only to disrupt one’s clarity and peace of mind. As I’m sure you can see this is highly undesirable. The only way to take control of these inner voices is to banish them from with in for good.

In order to do that they and their negative memory roots must be brought to consciousness and permanently erased much like one erases outdated computer programs from one’s hard drive. There is now a new powerful coaching process that does just that.

So if your interest has been peaked and you have been searching for a way to take your mind back then you may wish to visit the web site below where you can learn more about this process, request a free e-copy of my book or request a free introductory telephone consultation that will begin to give you an experience of what it feels like to be the master of your mind.

8 Unconventional Ways to De-stress and Release Tension

Charles — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:24:47 +0000

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Jai Kai of SharingSuccess.tv.

As we move through our daily routines we are often faced with obstacles and challenges which can lead to some degree of stress and anxiety. So to become more relaxed and free of tensions it is important to break away from your ordinary routine and find ways to de-stress.

This process can be very simple or more in depth, but why not try something new and different? Here are 8, not your everyday ordinary, ways to de-stress and release tensions.

1. Massage your ears. The ear massage is a fantastic way to release endorphins in your brain and make you feel good. The beauty is that it only takes a few minutes. Start by gently rubbing your earlobes with your thumb and index finger. Then squeeze the outer edges of your ears all the way to the top. These parts of your ears have tiny reflex points that can relax specific areas of your body. Finish by using your index fingers and middle fingers to massage behind the ears on the bony part of your skull.

2. Finger paint. If you thought that getting messy and painting with your fingers was strictly for kids, think again. Finger painting allows you to have fun, be artistic and play in a child like way. It gives you permission to express your creativity and spontaneity without expectations. So why not be the creator of some new abstract art pieces. Visit a nearby children’s store and pick up a set of finger paints – ages 10 and up.

3. Strip down your living room. Take note and see how much stuff you have laying around your house, especially your living room – the place where you often wind down and relax. Then, declutter and learn the powerful art of Minimalism. Get rid of anything and everything you don’t use or need. Give away or donate decorations and household items. An open and clean space creates a place of peace and tranquility. It’s also easier to relax when you are not surrounded by stuff such as laundry, work, electronics and even reading materials because your subconscious mind doesn’t feel like you have things to do.

4. Try laughing yoga. We all know that the power of laughter has a wonderful effect on our mood and is one of the best feel good things we can do. However, the opportunity to laugh like this doesn’t always come easily and often. A fun and crazy way to make yourself laugh uncontrollably is to find (google) a class, club or yoga studio in your area that offers laughing yoga. You may have to step out of your comfort zone but you will be in for a wonderful and hilarious surprise.

5. Procrastinate. Make a list of things to do and then don’t do it. Call it your procrastination list. Then make the decision to engage in something you really feel like doing. If and when you become inspired to do something on your procrastination list then go for it. Maybe you really don’t have to do those things on your procrastination list or perhaps someone else may want to do those things for you. I believe that if you’re not accepting, enjoying or enthusiastic about what you’re doing then you shouldn’t do it. By procrastinating you often let go of resistance and become more relaxed.

6. Be brutally honest. Have you ever felt frustrated with yourself because you wanted to say something to someone but didn’t in fear of what might happen, what that person might think or how you might make them feel. Instead of bottling things up inside you, which causes stress and tensions, why not let it go through the power of honest speech. Express your emotions and tell people how you really feel without being rude or obnoxious. Be loud and bold. Notice how relieved you feel.

7. Dance in the rain. How often do you see people getting upset and running for cover when it starts to pour? Next time it rains, have a little fun, get wet and do a little dance. Engage all your senses and enjoy the moment. Even sing if you want to. You will be surprised how refreshing and rejuvenating it is. For those of you who live in colder climates, try dancing in the snow or making snow angels.

8. Enjoy a staycation. Instead of travelling somewhere on a holiday, stay at home and enjoy a local vacation. To make it an adventure, get a map of some nearby hiking trails and plan some day hikes. If you’re in a colder climate consider cross-country skiing or snow-shoeing. Try a new activity such as outdoor photography. Visit some local cafes that sounds interesting and that you’ve never been to before. If you need a break from your kids, recruit a friend or relative to baby-sit. Have fun and get to know your area.

As we get caught up in the moment of being busy sometimes we just need to step back, let go of what we are doing and pursue new little passions that dissolve tension and creates stress free, happy experiences. I sincerely hope you give one or some of these a try and remember to have fun, be in the present moment and watch your anxieties melt away.

Jai Kai is a Success Coach, Yoga Instructor and Blogger for SharingSuccess.tv. He enjoys teaching people the art of perusing passion. You can subscribe to his feed here.