In Act One of Shakespeare’s Richard III, the future king says “Now is the winter of our discontent, made glorious summer by this son of York…” It is a statement of celebration, difficulty has turned a corner. Today, Feb 2nd, in Pennysylvania, the grand groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow. The tradition tells us this means six more weeks of winter. This is the harshest season in the cycle. It may have a feeling of stagnation, coldness, isolation – with no imminent sign of spring.
Set in cold and snowy Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, we almost all know the film Groundhog Day has a hidden message. An egotistical weatherman trapped in time relives the same day for years until he is liberated by his own awareness. It is an endless winter, a time of seeing his shadow. This is an allegory of our spiritual journey.
We may see something of ourselves in the Groundhog Day protaganist Phil Connors. Inside of us are the moments of self loathing or self absorption. We are the grandiose, or the world weary. Both are painful. This is a time to take a good look — do you see your shadow? Where are you in your life? In your practice?
Our path is one of process, flow, progress. The story of the warrior always has at its core the apprentice finding his way along the road to mastery. It is learning from mistakes, preparation, practice, meditation, change, growth. For us at TanDao, the orientation is always the martial way, though the philosophy applies to anything you endeavor. It is the cycle of the Evolving Martial Artist: the warrior, the scholar and the monk. These three parts of the self are all moving, turning together, each with elements of the other changing us. We’ll slow it down to get a clear look at the stages of the evolution. In the first stage, there is youthful arrogance, egocentric attitudes, a stumbling, yet flexible growth. Second, a time for refinement and responsibility as focus shifts away from the self. Last, awareness beyond the self — compassion, as knowledge flows into serenity and wisdom. They are all moving into one another, flowing, changing. The final and total integration is the soul of the quiet master.
In change there is salvation. And redemption. If you are mired on your path, work to break the loop. Like Phil in Groundhog Day, learn to work, practice and play for the joy of work, practice and play. Take the journey, leave your ego in the dust. When you look, may you find no shadow there, as your long winter makes its way into the sun.
Toni Josephson
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Tags: ego, groundhog day, lawrence tan, Martial Arts, philaldelphia, tandao, toni josephson
I think I’m at the monk stage. Sure hope there’s a secret tunnel to the nunnery. Or at least a wine cellar. Or both, even better. It’s great to be enlightened…
Ha! Bob, um, that’s the Dean Martin bad boy stage.
Toni, Toni, Toni–always filtering life’s greater truths through the lens of your Italian background…then again, there is no Celtic/Norse “Deano.” I think Eric Skullsplitter comes the closest–yeah, he was a fun guy.
Ok then – revision: The Sinatra/Sammy Davis Jr/Angie Dickinson holistic model. Only 1/3 Italian.
Angie Dickinson? She must have a daughter around who’s in need of my “spiritual” teachings. Probably has money, too. Not that it matters to me. No, not at all.