Love it, to be Good at it.
A few students have come to me recently and said that they “love sparring”.
Others might say, “of course they love sparring, they are good at it”.
I would say the opposite: “They are good at it, because they love it”.
When we love something we care for it, we concentrate on it. When we love something we become more present, taking joy in the process, not the outcome.
The mind makes everything, so when we love what we are doing we can transform our present reality.
So how do we love what we are doing, no matter what? Just concentrate on the present moment, and smile… Can it be that simple?
Others might say, “of course they love sparring, they are good at it”.
I would say the opposite: “They are good at it, because they love it”.
When we love something we care for it, we concentrate on it. When we love something we become more present, taking joy in the process, not the outcome.
The mind makes everything, so when we love what we are doing we can transform our present reality.
So how do we love what we are doing, no matter what? Just concentrate on the present moment, and smile… Can it be that simple?
posted by Tammy Parlour at 7:12 AM
4 Comments:
Hi Saboumnim
I do like this article - I am very interested in the concepts of mind forming reality and the real world being an illusion. Are these more buddhist concepts or chinese wisdom / philosophy in your experience? It would be very interesting for me to learn more about your views of this.
I was thinking that something I struggle with a bit is smiling while I meditate, and while I agree that smiling inspires a positive energy / emotion, I also feel it is a bit like the example you have given. That having the positive emotion would cause me to smile while meditating, as opposed to the smile causing the positive emotion. I guess these two are a little more closely inter-dependant than your example.
Thanks,
Stewart
Hi Stewart
I'm not an expert on different religions but am personally drawn to both Buddhism and Taoism.
If you are interested in concepts of mind etc... then I would recommend starting with a book called "Buddhist Psychology" by Caroline Brazier. I have a copy if you would like to borrow it?
As far as the 'smiling thing'. It's a bit chicken and egg... some argue that behaviour changes mind, others that mind changes behaviour.
Sometimes if I purposefully smile it can give me a real positive rush... other times I will be meditating and a smile occurs spontaneously.
I know that when I first started meditating I felt like a bit of an idiot sitting there with a smile on my face... but soon you feel less self conscious.
I've always found that, in Ki Class or meditating at home, that I end up smiling whether I like it or not.
I don't think, even when I've been in the foulest of moods, that I've ever been to an Hapkido or Ki class and not genuinely smiled, just because.
One nice thing about Ki, is that no-one's looking (I hope...), so I can look as stupid as I want...
But sometimes, when that smile starts growing from the recesses and dusty cupboards of my mind, I can't help but almost burst out laughing when my mind floats about - drawing bits in from here, there and that place I forgot earlier.
(And always when I'm holding my centre...)
Sometimes I don't even know where my mind goes to make me feel like breaking into a broad grin without realising, until I finally understand that it was just how ludicrous my bad mood really was.
Especially now [that is when meditating] that I can see it for what it is - just that passing mood that makes just me.
I love being just me - no pretence.
I love the Ki class because it helps me be just me.
Just as much as I love the Hapkido class.
Sometimes I barely remember what I was thinking, just like a dream.
Other times, it puts the 2+2 together to make 4, when all day I've though it was 3, and makes me go "ahhh...".
I'm not sure if I should be stifling the laugh - or even getting to that point - as I feel when, through Ki meditation, my mind links certain things...
But I do know - If I feel like laughing and I've had a day where I feel my face will crack if I even attempt a smile...
It can't be a bad thing!
Hi again Stewart, just remembered another wonderful book you might also like.
'Happiness' by Matthieu Ricard
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