One of the first justifications for me training in the martial arts was to learn how to discipline my mind. I was struggling with depression and my early recovery at the time and I needed help to quiet my mind and to ground myself so that I could explore this new aspect that I found: feelings. My intellect often drowned out my feelings and that caused all kinds of heart ache and pain. Martial Arts was one way that I found to quiet my mind. But I also found out that it allowed me to connect with my body in ways I never contemplated before.
By spending 9+ hours a week on nothing but 100% focus on my body, I was able to build a relationship that ripples throughout my life to this very day. More importantly, it also helped me to listen to my body as it has a lot to say. My body has feelings and those feelings were important to acknowledge. This required a tremendous amount of discipline to obtain that level of relationship, especially considering how strong my intellect was at the time.
This is one area where martial artists excel as their training provides a great deal of discipline that can be applied to all areas of life, not just to the training. This discipline helps when we are in stressful situations as we depend on calm, balanced and focused responses, rather than off the handle reactions that can often escalate situations unnecessarily. Our job is to deescalate in order to prevent war, not to provoke others or ourselves into war.
In class we would practice that discipline in everything we do. EVERYTHING. Even when we are lined up to start or end class, when our master asked us to stand at attention, we were to control ourselves to the point where we did not move a muscle. Try it some time. Try standing still, absolutely still for a few minutes. No wave in our stance. No fidgeting. No scratching that itch. No wandering eyes. No responding to distractions of any kind. Without training, most people would not be able to do that. It took me several years before I could discipline my mind to not chase after squirrels (distractions).
The Pacem Arts will require an equal or even higher level of discipline. As we move into a new paradigm, there is going to be a lot of distractions going on around ourselves. There will be plenty of triggers to entice us into war with others. If we are going to be effective Pacem Artists, we must work on our discipline and remain focused on what the work that Spirit needs us to do.
We don’t have the benefits of being in a martial arts class to work on this as we are spread throughout the land. But we can work on it while we are together in class. We need each other to hold ourselves accountable. We can provide feedback for one another as most of our actions and behaviours are often unconscious. By bringing these into our conscious awareness we can work on it. This requires time, dedication and a burning desire to be peaceful and free.
As in the martial arts classes, we can duplicate some of those protocols here. I had absolute respect for my Tae Kwon Do Master. He had knowledge that I wanted to learn, so I was prepared to surrender and learn it his way. I bowed to him out of respect. I also bowed to my fellow students as I could not learn without them there too. I bowed to the gym as we could not train without the facility. Showing respect to everyone and everything is a custom and sacred medicine of the Yellow Tribes of Asia. There was no talking back or challenging the Master. It was his way or the door.
We don’t have the privilege of time any more. World events are escalating and it is time we step up our training as we will be required to help others in short order. We need to work on our discipline to ensure that we can master this new art form. As in the martial arts, there were rules for training. If we used Tae Kwon Do outside of the class, we were kicked out. We were NOT allowed to go to war or hurt other people with the knowledge that we were taught.
In the Pacem Arts, if you use this knowledge to attack or hurt other people, I will kick you out and not invite or allow you back in. I will take a zero tolerance on this point. I know that people attending were at war and working hard to remove themselves from the war. I know that we are decolonizing ourselves and that takes time. However, I am asking all students to have the discipline to refrain from violence of any type while training with me. This is going to be hard work, but if you cannot control yourself, then I cannot help you.
By training with me, we must all dedicate ourselves to being peaceful at all times. This is an art form of honour, respect and dignity for all, including ourselves. The Pacem Arts brings with it a tremendous duty, which can feel daunting. With training, experience, guidance and patience, we can work through it all.
I’m asking students to work on their self discipline every day. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, hands by your sides, head up, shoulders back and eyes straight ahead. Stand there for 5 minutes and work your way up to 15 minutes. Focus your thoughts on that one spot in front of you. Your mind is going to go crazy and your body is going to freak out. Build that discipline so that you can govern both. Without that level of discipline, how can we expect to handle ourselves when we are triggered by stressful events around us?
If you need more help, join a martial arts class, preferably one that teaches the art rather than the sport. There is a huge difference between the two.
In our Pacem Arts classes, I demand respect, honour, patience, honesty, integrity and an indomitable spirit. If you cannot honour that code of conduct in class or in life, then you will not be welcome into our sacred space.
We may disagree with what others are doing or saying, but we still must respect and honour them, their spirit, path and journey.
