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3 mindset keys to a healthy and productive life

Sun, 02 Feb 2025 15:22:04 GMT

3 mindset keys to a healthy and productive life

As you may know I have been training, researching, and teaching martial arts for most of my life. I'm 45 years old, so this is a lot of years we are talking about. Still, I don't consider myself a master, or an enlightened teacher, mainly because I don't want to stop improving (otherwise I would as I’m pretty awesome ��).

I have seen this in so many people, that when they reach a certain level of proficiency in a field, they tend to consider themselves a learnt (and sometimes snobby) individual and just do their thing, leaving no room for improvement or change.

On the other hand, there are many people, like me up until I got the confidence boost from my lovely, amazing, beautiful and super-smart wife (she’s the one checking and posting these on the blog, so this is for her own benefit everyone please indulge me), who never consider themselves adequate to get out there and act.

Both ways of action are flawed as you can understand. People who don't adapt to change are bound to stay behind, especially in our modern-day fast-moving world, whereas people who are never acting are out of the game altogether. And neither sounds healthy or productive. How do we find this balance between overconfidence and being overly timid?

I see people becoming teachers after a summer course, especially in unregulated disciplines (this is in Greece) such as Yoga, Taichi, Qigong, meditation and mindfulness, and then I know extremely able teachers that keep a low profile and shy away from any kind of publicity. It is a narrow line that we must tread on, and I believe that a proper mindset is tantamount to finding this everchanging silver lining.

To me, the most important thing is to have the beginner’s mindset, the mindset of a student. As Einstein said: " We cannot solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them." Therefore, my efforts fall on making my students realize this. Always be a student by cultivating an open minded, inquisitive, and self-humorous approach in your every endeavour.

-1- open-mindedness

Open-minded means listening without prejudice, so that if something sounds interesting you try it out for a reasonable amount of time to see if it works for you and then decide whether it suits you or not. We usually start with the latter, and even that with an average attention span of 8 seconds (thanks social media!!), missing out on a lot of useful and interesting things. Truth can come from any person, regardless of what we may think of them (your feelings don’t matter in this case, most of the times they are just in the way).

When Banzan (a Zen practitioner) was walking through a market he overheard a conversation between a butcher and his customer.

“Give me the best piece of meat you have,” said the customer.

“Everything in my shop is the best,” replied the butcher. “You cannot find here any piece of meat that is not the best.”

At these words Banzan became enlightened.

Now I know you are not Banzan, who was an ardent Zen meditation practitioner, so maybe a random conversation might not get your Qi flowing like it did for him, but how many times have you found inspiration to a problem at a place where you never even would have considered? Life can surprise us, if we are open to that. But to remain open you must also have a bit of an inquisitive spirit, looking for ways to better understand yourself and others hence the second mindset key:

-2- inquisitiveness

Inquisitive means not to do everything on auto pilot. A quote by Eleanor Roosevelt fits here:

“Life must be lived, and curiosity kept alive. One must never, for whatever reason, turn his back on life.”

Of course, you cannot question every action you take all the time, but it is necessary to review occasionally, the way you deal with things both internally and externally. If something works okay, why not make it better? If something works very well, why not see what it is that makes it work? Maybe you can apply this to other things as well.

And of course, if something doesn't work, well isn't it about time you change it? The moment you are no longer looking at life as a child who wishes to understand how and why things work like they do, then it is a dull and uninteresting existence you are living.

You are taking everything for granted thus making the opportunity for change and growth very difficult. And change, although it scares us and we are pretty bad at it, is not something that needs to be taken so seriously. That is why I find this last mindset key so important.

-3- self-humour

Self-humorous means not to take ourselves so seriously. Why is that so important? Well, if you take yourself too seriously, how can you accept the fact that you might be wrong, and then how can you change when changing this super important self is what is required?

Our bodies change every day, so why is it so hard to have our minds follow, if that is what is required to move forward? Well, the reason is of course that we have invested so much on our sense of self, this hodgepodge of beliefs, ideas and the emotions that come with them, that we find it nigh impossible to let go. We are totally invested, and God forbid if anyone takes it lightly.

Relationships have ended, business partnerships hell even wars have started for a slight on a leader’s Ego, especially in countries where honour is a high held value. At the same time, we can see that this is also such a burden, and one that is keeping us from reaching our full potential.

So, a healthy way to poke holes in this construction and see it for what it is, a made-up construct for social interactions, is to allow ourselves and others to make fun of it. Laugh at yourself, laugh at your silly mistakes and laugh at your long-held ideas that are no longer working, hell laugh at those that are also working, because in the end, life is way more fun when you realize that you are not the centre of it.

To sum up, if you are in the process of self-exploration (and not just in the kinky way), try to remain open-minded, inquisitive, and self-deprecating as much as you can.

It can really help in making your life a healthy and productive one.

Don’t tell me to relax! I am relaxed

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 18:28:33 GMT

___

How many times have I responded like that whenever my teacher has told me to relax...(most of them inside my head as my teacher doesn’t really tolerate being talked back to, being a Chinese old-school martial arts master).

But why is it so important to relax when practising Tai chi? Let’s put aside (but also mention in case you don’t know) the many scientifically proven benefits of relaxation such as lowering blood pressure, slowing down breath and heart rate, improving digestion, increasing blood flow to major muscle groups, controlling blood sugar levels, getting better sleep quality, lessening stress etc., and let’s look at how relaxation works specifically in Taichi practice.

Relaxation will help you first understand what kind of tensions you have created through your habitual movements and stances, like for example, sitting in front of a computer or any other screen, and it will help you relax them and dissolve them. At the same time, your natural way of movement, the innate intelligence of the body which we have from when we were born, requires the body to be relaxed in order to be connected. See for example how kids aged 2 to 3 use their body to their full potential.

Their stance is perfect, and they can generate a lot of power relative to their muscle size. I remember distinctly my three-year old son, who was sitting in his baby chair still high above the ground, pushing a wooden table which was at least twice his body weight. The more you relax and stand and move correctly aligned, this innate ability to move the body will start emerging and you'll be able to move in a natural way. By applying the Taichi principles in stance and movement, you will rediscover your natural way of movement. And that will affect other aspects of your being as well.

Taichi is a meditative art which starts by us looking inside our body first and then at the same time our mental and psychological aspect. This introspection brings to our field of awareness the long held dysfunctional habits, be they physical, mental or psychological patterns such as disruptive thoughts, automatic negative emotional responses, and of course injurious ways of standing, sitting or moving, you know, doing things that we do every day in a wrong way because the body is compensating for various reasons, such as past injuries (both physical and emotional) or a sedentary lifestyle.

Taichi is an art that requires our full attention on all physical, mental, and emotional aspects of our experience. These three are intertwined as they are, you guessed it, you! Focusing on the physical, practice makes us realize that these patterns in the body, which lead to having other muscles in the body work more or work less, are creating this disharmonious way of movement which lead to the aches and pains we’ve all come to love and hate, that come from continuous use of the body in the wrong way.

Zeroing in on these patterns, releasing them by moving the body in accordance with the Taichi principles takes time as you may understand, depending on how wrong you've been sitting or moving and for how long, so patience is definitely a virtue one cultivates with Taichi. Don’t practice Taichi if you’re looking for a quick fix!

But if you practise correctly, you start seeing results, and then it gradually gets better.

This is why we strive to learn the form and each movement in itself is practiced repetitively for hundreds and thousands of times. This may seem boring and at times it is, but mostly in the beginning. If you do it correctly, following proper instructions and principles, it becomes another experience. Those instructions require you to keep your mind on every aspect of your experience, physical, mental, emotional. So for example you can start with why you find it boring, or stupid, pointless or whatever other adjective you want to put there. What good will that do? Well you’ll be getting a glimpse of one thing that’s holding you back, which is for this example, the concept of being bored. I was bored as a teenager for a while, but then I started training martial arts and became more engaged in what I was doing.

Still I find some repetitive aspects of everyday life boring at times. But then it only takes me a second to remember the bliss of being alive and the finite time we all have in this world to enjoy its wonders, and then I’m no longer bored. Taichi and its practices and principles help you get past that or any other obstacles towards understanding yourself and the world around you, and then another way of experiencing reality opens.

So as you can see, if you start applying these principles, you are already following the way. If not, you’ll power through the repetitions, and you may fall in relaxation by doing the moves but most likely you’ll stop as it will seem pointless. It’s not only about the moves. Taichi practice is a journey that starts from the physical goes to the mental to the emotional, it practises all the three aspects that I understand make us human. And it all starts from relaxing, slowing down and stepping into the now.

Tai Chi Alphabet - The letter X: Xin - Heart, mind or somewhere in between?

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 09:27:10 GMT

What does ‘Xin’ 心 (pronounced: shin) really mean?

It always used to strike me as strange whenever my Chinese kung fu Master would say “relax your mental and psychological...” and would point at the area of the heart. My then teacher would explain that according to Chinese thought, mind or ‘xin’, is located at the heart. I had taken that at face value and didn’t really question it until I started reading and researching traditional texts on martial arts and its relevant philosophy. The word ‘xin’ would often come up and was either not translated or translated sometimes as heart, other times as mind. I found this interesting and wished to find the actual meaning of this concept that is so tied with Chinese martial arts and their philosophy.

People perceive reality mostly based on their language. While I am not an expert in neither linguistics nor, God forbid, Chinese, this term that pops up so often in traditional and modern Chinese literature has me searching about to find its meaning, as I believe it will help me deepen my understanding of the arts I learn and teach. And if it does not, I will at least have something cool to talk about at parties and show how amazing I am.

First paper I looked at, was by Li, Ericsson and Quennerstedt. They state that “In English, xin is often translated as ‘heart’ or ‘mind’. This translation fails to transmit the full meaning of the word that is deeply rooted in Chinese culture, thereby omitting, or obscuring much of ‘xin’s’ significance in cultural knowledge.” (2013). Chen is very kind to inform us that ‘xin’ in dictionaries is often translated as ‘heart, mind, feeling, intention or centre’ (2001). As a concept it is used as “the centre of a phraseological cluster” (Li et al., 2013) meaning that it is often used with different ideograms and can mean “soul, wisdom, devoted, filial piety, trust, confidence” etc. (Li et al., 2013).

The important thing to understand here is that Chinese thought differs from Western in that it has the tendency to view things more holistically. The heart is not only the physical heart. It is also the seat of our emotions and not in the poetic sense. “Therefore, traditional Chinese medicine doctors do not just treat the physical heart alone. They integrate the improvement of the balance of ‘qi’ (pronounced: chi; the energy which is believed to be circulating in our bodies) and the emotional state, and adjustment of nutrition and lifestyle into their treatment.” (Li et al., 2013). That is why one can find definitions of Qigong as “a body-xin practice that integrates body adjustment, breath adjustment and xin adjustment into one.” (Liu, 2005). Here the term ‘tiao xin’, or heart adjustment fits well, as it means a way of balancing emotions and remaining calm so that the flow of qi is smooth and unhindered (Li et al., 2013).

We should also keep in mind – which mind am I talking about now I wonder – that the function of the heart, according to Chinese thought, is way more important than what we think of here in the West. It is the heart and not the brain that is the master of the body. We know this to be true in our everyday life as emotions do govern most of our decisions. There’s even research, which I will not bore you with right now, that showed how most people decide based on their emotions and not their logic (– if you find this interesting go do your own research, don’t be lazy! –). So, the fact that many of us don’t recognise it and believe that we are logical and cool-headed deciders should be a matter of personal reflection. I am sure that if we give our hearts the attention it deserves and understand it, we might begin to also understand ourselves better. That’s why I’m writing this frikking blog post in the first place.

The heart is our emotional self “[…] who can detect all feelings more clearly, deeply and sincerely than ‘I feel’, for example, from the head.” (Li et al., 2013). ‘Xin’ is the “source of wisdom” (Zhang, 2006). Therefore, one should think not only in ‘naozi’ (brain) but in collaboration with ‘xin’, for it is only then that one can process and know things without the calculative egoistic qualities of selfish analytic thinking (Li et al., 2013). So, one way of cultivating one’s xin is by learning how to centre it in the present, a concept which is prevalent in Buddhist thought where one cultivates a state of mindfulness, or a non-judgmental awareness of the present moment. This can help give us access to insight, as every moment is witnessed clearly and not burdened by our preconceived ideas about self and others.

Everyday life with its tribulations and temptations can lead one astray. That can suck big-time, believe me I know. It is important to try and maintain a virtuous lifestyle regardless of whether one believes in a formal religion. It is not about faith (although it’s perfectly fine if that’s your thing) but about keeping the mind and heart clear “as a helpful instrument for gaining clarity in daily life and minimizing mistakes.” (Liu et al., 2013)

So, for one to conduct themselves ideally “[…] the heart-mind needs to reside in a condition of “empty single-minded stillness” (虚一而静). “Empty” refers to not letting the existing knowledge that one has interfere in or obstruct the reception of new knowledge. “Single-minded” refers to not letting an understanding of another phenomenon interfere with understanding the phenomenon at hand. “Stillness” refers to not letting one’s free-wheeling thoughts disturb one’s normal understanding. (Wang, Bao & Guan, p. 61). In other words, let’s all try to keep our sh*t together people!

In the end, cultivating our ‘xin’ is not about becoming some superhuman saint who looks down on everyone else trying to go about their lives as best they can. It is about gaining wisdom, a wisdom that comes with time, trial and error, and the ability to reconcile the intellectual and the emotional parts of our being. [mic drop]

References

Chen Z (2001) (Ed.). A modern Chinese-English dictionary. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.

Li, J., Ericsson, C., & Quennerstedt, M. (2013) The Meaning of the Chinese Cultural Keyword xin. Journal of Languages and Culture, Vol. 4(5), pp 75–89. School of Health and Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Sweden.

Liu T 刘天君 (2005) (Ed.). 中医气功学 [Qigong Study in Chinese Medicine] (An official textbook for universities and colleges of Chinese medicine). Beijing: China Publisher of Chinese Medicine.

Wang, Y., Bao, Q., & Guan, G. (2020) History of Chinese Philosophy through its Key Terms. Ch. 5 Heart Mind. Nanjing University press

Zhang, JL 张建理 (2006). An English-Chinese contrastive study on polysemous networks of HEART. Journal of Zhejiang University. 36(3):161–168

Tai Chi Alphabet - The letter Y: Yin/Yang

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 19:35:53 GMT

Yin/Yang – opposing or complementary forces?

The two opposite forces, depicted in black and white, that are evident in so many aspects of the world as we experience it, came to be known as Yin and Yang. Yin in its primary meaning is “the cloudy, the overcast”, whereas Yang means “banners waving in the sun” or something shone upon and bright. These expressions, as Richard Wilhelm in his 1967 translation of the 'I Ching' (The Book of Changes') states, denote the two opposite and alternating primal states of being. Opposite yes, but are they opposing though?

As modern media would have us believe, it is very important we take a stand as either for or against anything that is happening. Polarization is the trend, and it can be seen and felt everywhere, leading to extreme behaviours and views that definitely do not help society or individuals move forward. Rather than engaging in dialogue with people holding different views in the hope that it will broaden our horizons and create new models of thought (sounds crazy I know!) people are pushed in this either-or type of thinking and battling it out on the fields of social media comments. This really helps keeping people divided and entrenched in their own views which are then reinforced by the algorithms that provide us with our news.

Coming back to this old Chinese worldview of Yin and Yang, just by examining the symbol, we see that there is a bit of black in the white and a bit of white in the black part of it. For balance or harmony to exist, Yin must be a bit Yang and Yang must be a bit Ying. This is clearly evident in Taiji practice, where one must remain relaxed while at the same time keeping a level of tension to maintain their posture and alignment in place. This is called P’eng Jin and it is likened to the power of a bamboo sprout. The body is trained to be elastic and soft without yet firm and strong within. Another example is that in order to emit force, to Fa Jin as it is called in Chinese, one must remain relaxed so that the body remains connected. There is also the basic concept of opening and closing

“In the martial arts, Opening (Kai) means to stretch and reach; Closing (He) means to draw in, preserve, transform, bend and gather. Opening-Closing is a physical expression of Yin-Yang qualities: hardness versus softness, gathering versus exploding. As complementary opposites, one cannot ‘open’ without first being ‘closed’ and vice-versa, hence this technique epitomizes the dual nature of Taiji – the opposite yet complementary. […] The Opening-Closing technique starts from the closed state. In practice, this means that one needs to be closed first before one can open. The quality of the effort you put in to closing determines your ability to open with power and effect. Without closing well, you will find your opening powerless, crude and slow. Closing not only means to bend and withdraw your upper body, but also to coordinate the heart (Xin), your intention (Yi), muscle energy (Qi), external shape (Xing) and spirit (Shen), so that all parts of the body work together.”

(Xi’an Wang, 2009, chapter 2.7)

This concept is also useful for non Taiji enthusiasts as it is common knowledge, even if it is not always applied, that any kind of relationship, where boundaries are important and a sense of individuality is healthy, but at the same time we must also be able to let go of our ego, accept and merge with the other person. Rather than remaining fixed in one position, the interplay and change between the two is what creates harmony.

I wonder how that would work in politics? Thucydides (5th century BC) states that people who have reached a position of power and yet do not exert it to the degree they could, are worthy of praise.

Another great example of the complementary nature of the opposites yin and yang is depicted in section 11 of the Dao De Jing, a Chinese text written around 400 BC, which is of unknown authorship.

“Thirty spokes surround the hub:

In their nothingness consists the carriage’s effectiveness.

One hollows the clay and shapes it into pots:

In its nothingness consists the pot’s effectiveness.

One cuts down doors and windows to make the chamber:

In their nothingness consists the chamber’s effectiveness.

Therefore: what exists serves for possession.

What does not exist serves for effectiveness.”

Laozi

(Wilhelm 1978)

So, what can we take from this? We are living in times of conflict, where everyone is trying to prove their point and discredit those who have an opposing view and at times sadly resorting to violence, usually at the expense of the innocent. When at that stage, when violence and war have reached your doorstep, of course you need to pick a side and fight or flee. Gone is the time for words and nice theories that I am so lucky to be able to conjure from the safety of my home. The rest of us that can talk and listen and reflect, those who create and benefit from the strife, those who sit comfortably at their offices and decide to send others to war, and more importantly, those who give the power to the decision and policy makers, it is up to us to learn from history and not repeat the same thoughts and behaviors. Einstein said that doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is madness. Maybe it is time we realised that no matter where we think we stand in relation to our political, social, ethical, or economical views, we are all on the same boat and it is time we focus on synthesis, on creating a harmony between these opposing views, rather than trying so hard to convince everybody on the other side of the fence that we are right, and they are wrong.

Have a good day!

Patrick

References

Hanson, V. D., & Philippatos, A. (2007). Peloponnēsiakos PolemosN. Ekdot. Organismos Livanē.

Wilhelm, R., (1967) Wilhelm, R., & Baynes, C., F. (1972). The I Ching; or Book of Changes. the Richard Wilhelm Translation. Princeton University Press.

Wilhelm, R., (1978). Wilhelm, R., & Ostwald, H.G. (1985). Sect. 11. In Tao Te Ching: The Book of Meaning and Life. the Richard Wilhelm Edition. Penguin.

Wang, Xi’an (2009). Chen Family Taijiquan Tuishou. (Translation: Zhang Yanping). INBI Matrix.

Tai Chi Alphabet - The letter Z: Zen

Wed, 23 Feb 2022 15:22:24 GMT

Zen – Is this oriental mumbo jumbo relevant in our modern day world?

Zen for most people means to decorate your space as minimally as possible, preferably adding some stones and/or water fountains, and smiling all day even when shit really hits the fan. Now this might be new information to some of you, but Zen is the Japanese equivalent to the Chinese word Ch’an, which in turn derived from the Sanskrit word Dhyana, meaning in essence ‘meditation’. It is an offshoot of Buddhism, and yet teachings like “If you meet the Buddha, kill him” attributed to the Zen master Linji Yixuan, are very prominent for all their ambiguity, or because of it.

So, who cares about this weird oriental religion/philosophy? Well, apart from the people living in countries where Zen is part of their culture and they are quite a few, there has been a growing number of people all over the rest of the world that find this oriental mumbo jumbo intriguing. Something about its rebellious, non-conforming attitude and the minimal stylistic approach seems to be resonating with many people from all over the world. But is that the only thing that we as outsiders can gain from this philosophy? Or can we really hear the sound of one hand clapping?

Zen, at least according to my understanding, is about gaining a moment-to-moment clear experience of the present. No doctrines, no inner dialogue, no preconceived ideas, not even teachers (hence kill the Buddha) should stand between you and what is now. It is not that studying, or following a teacher are to be avoided, it is just that all these things can only get you until one point. The last step, the moment of realization, that is something that can only happen when all discussions have ended, both inside and outside.

How does that help anyone though?
Well, to my experience, whenever I fall into a state where there is no past or future, but only present, my thoughts and actions are clearer, and I feel what people in sports refer to as being ‘in the zone’. I can move, talk, think and act in ways that feel instinctively right to me, and usually they are exactly what was required at that moment. I also do not feel stressed, or pressured to finish, to do the right thing, what others think about me, and generally just enjoy the hell out of whatever it is that I am doing at that time, no matter how mundane. The saying “Before enlightenment chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.” points in that direction. Not that I can possibly claim to be enlightened, but I can say that I have experienced some enlightened moments and that as the years of practice go by, those moments tend to come more often both during practice and everyday life.

Can everyone access this state of being, or do we all have to train and meditate our asses off? Well, everyone can have a momentary taste of the present, usually in times of great stress, or great beauty. But can this become a learned skill? Well, that is the tricky part, as whenever something is learned, then memory and repetition kick in, and we are not really experiencing reality in the present moment. We are rather trying to experience reality in the same way as we had when we had had that present moment realization.

The only thing that we can really do, is to try and create the proper circumstances for present moment realization to occur. And the first, and only step that everyone can take, is to be aware of who we are. That means looking inside. Simply observing our thoughts and feelings. No judgment, just observation. A teacher and books can help, but in the end, it is just us looking behind the curtain. And when you persevere and manage to go through all the mud that is your everyday mind chatter, then you can finally view again reality as clearly as an infant. But this time you will know not to eat the poop. With the amount of poop going around nowadays, I’d say this mumbo jumbo is pretty relevant.

Have a good one!

Patrick

‘Living the Tai Chi Way’ - my blog

Mon, 26 Jul 2021 15:39:57 GMT

Welcome to my Blog ‘Living the Tai Chi Way’

This is my first entry to this blog, my first blog (double whammy ), and just yesterday I was talking with my wife (sorry ladies, this stud is taken) about how in less than a year, things have changed so fast in my life. New site, with a blog this time, Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin and a Youtube channel, my content requirements have skyrocketed. I just wanted to give you a glimpse of what I am about and perhaps help you by sharing what has helped me along the way and given me strength, physically and mentally.

So, what has really helped me go through life's difficulties? Well apart from my friends and family, who have been there on most if not all bad turns on the way, there has been one thing that has worked each time. And that is treating life's difficulties as a challenge, a chance to apply the teachings and not as a problem. Something that, mind you, is not easy but the results are always satisfying in the end. I am not going to get into the teachings per se here, as that requires books and not a mere blog entry, I will though talk about the ground for those teachings to flourish, a state of mind where there is only the action and not the actor.

This state of no ego is a means to an end in itself, as when one lives and acts on that plane, everything is transformed. Clarity of mind, equanimity, vitality and better focus are some of the natural side effects of this state. But how does one reach this state? Don't you have to meditate like, forever? I'm way too busy to spend two hours a day meditating... and so on so forth. These are some possible arguments which it will be my pleasure to dispel.

First of all, how does one reach this state. Ninjutsu Grandmaster Hatsumi Sensei says that when training, we must all train with the heart of a three-year old child. No hesitation, no second thoughts, no worrying about the result, complete and utter focus on the goal.

How to get there is secondary for them, intention and unity is first. Just observe yourself, body, and mind. You can start with easy everyday activities like brushing your teeth or washing up. When doing these things observe everything that is coming through your senses and then go inside and observe what you think and how you feel.

The only trick to that, which makes the quantum difference, is that you must be an observer and not a judge and that you must not linger on any thought or feeling for more than the moment when it comes. Acknowledge them, never letting your mind get too involved. Just remain an impassive observer by always returning to observation and letting go of judgement.

This if done frequently on a daily basis, is enough to give you a glimpse of what it means to be in a state of no mind. Our minds already have a certain momentum which makes it difficult to only observe without getting involved. And this is why training body and mind via any traditional art is so important. Because you create a different momentum in your mind, one of focusing on the moment, body, mind and soul if you will. Using the two together, mindful observation in everyday life and traditional martial arts training, can be very rewarding.

I remember the first time I got involved in mindfully observing myself. I hadn't been training and meditating for a long time and everything was new and exciting. So, when I read a book on mindfulness (“Meditation in Action” by Chögyam Trungpa), I immediately began to practice it in my everyday life. Not long after that, it might have been a month or so I don't remember (please be understanding I'm talking about more than 20 years ago), I was gone for a summer holiday, camping by the sea in Evia. I recall waking up because of the heat and getting out of the tent. It was super sunny and there was a pleasant wind blowing. I grabbed my towel which was hanging on my tent and at that moment, there was peace. No thought, no emotion just peace, an emptiness that somehow enveloped everything: myself, the beach, the sky, the sun, my towel. What followed was a super blissful state of arriving and then just like that, the moment my mind caught up with it, it vanished.

Now, still after all these years, this practice of mindful observation has been the catalyst to most of my precious moments and periods in life, the guiding factor in making me who I am and what I do. It has given me clear insight to many of my deeply rooted issues and has given me the reassurance that whatever the problem, just by looking at it and not judging it, I will find the right way to deal with it. I was not and am not someone special in any way, I 've just had the curiosity and the perseverance to carry on with it. I'm sure that you can too!

I honestly hope that this has been helpful for you guys. Thanks for reading, until then feel free to contact me for feedback, more information and requests on other topics you 'd like to hear about (related to martial arts training and mindfulness of course, not advanced mathematics or building an igloo or something).

Patrick