Changing of the Seasons

I have been reticent in my blogging. Summertime, work, family; all great excuses. But, only excuses. But I will not beat myself up over it; we all pass through seasons.

The same is true of our martial arts. We go through seasons. Not just the age thing, but life is filled with an ebb and flow. When we are passing through a difficult season (perhaps it is induced by work demands or family demands, or perhaps our body and mind just aren't "clicking"), we must be careful not to beat ourselves up.

There is a recurring theme in many martial arts which was echoed by Bruce Lee to "be like water." Think of a still pond. If you throw a stone into it how does it react? Exactly proportional to the stone; no more, no less. And once it has reacted it returns to a state of calm.

The martial arts are this way. If we respond too little to an attack, we are defeated. If we respond too greatly, we will defeat ourselves, tire ourselves out. We must relax and expend exactly the amount of effort that is necessary; no more, no less.

This is true of our martial arts practice and life in general. And we must address each stone and pebble as it occurs, respond and return to stillness. If we do not, we save it up and respond inappropriately later.

Be like water, my friend. Be like water.