Today martial artists acknowledge Bruce Lee as the force for popularizing the art of kicking ass rooted in China’s Shaolin Temple, source of Far East fighting arts. Yet the original force behind the Shaolin legacy is Bodhidharma. The blue eyed, bearded monk from India founded Shaolin kung fu. He was a monk, not a warrior. More importantly, Bodhidharma is the founder of Zen (Chan in Chinese) – a way of awakening based on sitting meditation.

Meditation improves our martial skills. The focused mind, emotionally calm,  and mentally clear liberates our fighting responses; they become natural, spontaneous and efficient. This is especially important during a fearful situation. True power is rooted in the mind not the body. The old masters teach meditation as a potent way to help control our body’s reactions. We learn to recover from panic. Breathe. We become more intuitive. If we think of the mind as a muscle, then meditation is push ups for the mind. After consistent practice, the mind gets stronger, flexible and concentrated. And we discover secrets of the body, subtleties in executing technique that we once thought we knew.

Beyond Bruce Lee and kicking ass, the true value of regularly sitting cross legged will enhance our daily lives by reducing stress and finding a discipline of stillness. There are further benefits for those who delve deeper into Bodhidharma’s teachings to become inner warriors who seek awakening.

The Evolving Martial Artist works to get the edge. You want it? Meditate.

Lawrence Tan

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Earth Hour is fast becoming a worldwide annual tradition. It began in Sydney, Australia two years ago. Landmarks in cities everywhere from the Sydney Opera House to the Golden Gate Bridge and Rome’s Colosseum will join the effort and stand in darkness during the hour.

The goal?
To have a billion people on March 28 switch off the lights for one hour, from 8:30 – 9:30 PM, wherever you live on the planet. It is your own personal Vote Earth to raise awareness for global warming and climate change. Be part of the world wide message and its call to action.

Learning to see in the dark
Shift your consciousness. Many spiritual traditions incorporate a darkness meditation. Often martial art systems, like ninjitsu, are practiced in darkness to cultivate a heightened awareness. If you are a martial artist or a movement practitioner, clear an area before you turn off the lights. Then move, eyes open, in the dark. Or sit quietly in the darkness. Sense the space around you. Whether you are on a hillside or in a high rise, feel fully present and alive. Visualize yourself moving through a forest on a moonless night, or hearing the waves crash on a dark shore. The dark is filled with dreams and imagination…be here now.

Without distraction you can focus on your breath, listen to your own heartbeat and be aware of all the sounds and feelings that you overlook in the light. Learn to see in the dark. It is believed that self transformation comes through self observation. Move your thoughts past yourself and out to the world. When healing moves past the ego it begins the essential healing of our human suffering. End the hour by lighting a candle and slowly returning to the light.

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Play lights out

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