Wk 30...The Journey Man

"You cannot transcend

what you do not know.

To go beyond yourself,

you must know yourself."

- Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

The Journey Man is a new blog written by a friend of mine, whom I've known for some time. It's his story of his personal journey and search for want of a better future. He remains anonymous to most and I congratulate him on taking the first step toward that future. It seems brighter already.

I've been thinking about the title of his blog - The Journey Man, and I find it very apt. I love the images that these words conjure up in my head. The picture above is how I choose to visually describe what comes to mind when I think of these words. In fact, I've just come across another word which I think speaks of something even more powerful...Odyssey!

Sometimes our lives can seem like an epic journey...and Odyssey of sorts, with many twists and turns. Odyssey speaks of a journey with many challenges, yet at the same time, overcoming. It's the challenges I believe that truly shape our character and make our lives richer in the process. Challenges are whereby we come to know that which is in us, coming face-to-face with who we truly are. It can be quite confronting.

Well this week, even though it's been a non-training week, it's been exceptionally productive in more ways than one. The break from training (I did manage one gym session on Friday), due to illness, has afforded me the time to organise otherwise neglected areas of my life...housework, finances, family, contemplation.

It wasn't anything serious, just annoying. A touch of slight vertigo and flu-like symptoms which have left me feeling tired at times and just plain horrible. I've tried to get as much rest as possible, while at the same time tackling those things which I've been putting off.I've also spent less time online, and I think that it's been conducive to a much more productive week.

One thing the break has done, is that it's given me more time to do things with more thought and focus. As I intimated in my previous post, I'm looking at dropping some things, so that I can focus on doing less, but with better and more satisfying results. I want the time to do things well.

One of those things that I've regained some focus on in the last week is my martial arts. With all my injuries and setbacks, it's taken the shine and focus off my martial arts training, and up until now I've been maintaining my skills. Well I've had enough of that. I'm able to do that because I've been doing it for a long time now, but I still haven't reached my ultimate goal in martial arts - to be the best practioner of martial arts, I can be, in one style, or system!

I've trained over the years in two main styles, Karate and Kung Fu (that's pretty ambiguous for those who are familiar with martial arts). I've been blessed by the fact that I've been taught by some of the best, and I have an uncanny ability to find exceptional teachers. And I can honestly say that I am a natural when it comes to martial arts. I don't mean in the sense of the Hollywood, all-fists-blazing kind of way. This is just showmanship. And I'm not a master or guru or expert, though I'm very good at teaching.

I'm attracted to the spirit of martial arts and all that it encompasses. For those of you who understand the difference between 'fighting arts' and 'martial arts', you will know what I mean. Martial arts is about the development of the person in all facets...physically, spiritually, emotionally. To grow in martial arts is to grow in character.

It's a shame that in the past, I also had the ability to find people who in the end, lacked integrity. It put to waste, all the time that I had trained and the skills that I had learned. At one stage, it tore me apart inside and I wandered aimlessly for a long time. I lost my way.

Well the time has arrived to finally begin toward my ultimate goal. It's taken me 20 years to get here, but without everything in-between, I would not have the appreciation for the opportunity I have right now to be the best I can be in one system. I have the experience of other styles. I'm flexible, I'm adaptable, I'm versatile. I have so much more to bring to the table. I've been wasting my time, my ability and wasting my god-given talents. I'm hungry again.

As the quote says at the start of this post...we cannot transcend what we do not know. What I know is that I know very little, and there is still so much more to learn, I cannot begin to comprehend the magnitude of what there is for me to learn and to master. It's quite exciting to be standing at the precipice, looking beyond to the possibilities.