Lesson of the Week #176

Quotes:

“Life is 10% of what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it.”

- John Maxwell

“You can’t talk your way out of what you’ve behaved yourself

into.” - Stephen Covey

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in

overalls and looks like work." - Thomas Edison, Inventor

"Always aim at complete harmony of thought and word and deed.

Always aim at purifying your thoughts and everything will be

well." - Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)

"Nature's intelligence functions with effortless ease...with

carefreeness, harmony, and love. And, when we harness the

forces of harmony, joy, and love, we create success and good

fortune with effortless ease." - Deepak Chopra

"He who lives in harmony with himself lives in harmony with the

universe." - Marcus Aurelius (AD 121-180)

Lesson:

Zanshin - Perfect Awareness

Zanshin is one of my favorite topics to discuss with beginning students

because it tends to have the greatest impact in their lives. Being aware of

everything around you and all the ways these things impact you is a very

powerful gift that can be learned. I remember hearing a comedy song where

the vocalist sang about "Here's your sign" for people that just do stupid things

or say stupid stuff. The more you study the art of Zanshin and come to know

all the interrelationships around you, the more you will feel like handing out

signs.

In Native American culture, when entering a sweat lodge they speak the

words, "All my relations" and they are not talking about their immediate

family. They are acknowledging the relationship between themselves and

Mother Nature, the earth, heaven, the animals, the different directions and

God. Only by understanding that each action you take impacts thousands of

other things in and around your life, do you begin to understand Zanshin.

Many people seem to float down stream in life, drifting and running into

rocks, getting stuck on trees and even flipping over in every white water they

can find. Others seem to be able to see ahead and notice danger and by being

proactive or beginning to paddle early they steer around obstacles and enjoy

their journey down stream.

By learning to analyze our actions, the impact they have on others and

what the end result of any of our actions are going to be, we then have the

knowledge and understanding to choose wisely and in turn see the positive

results of these actions. In general, if you do the right thing without any

expectation of benefit in return, you will see a wonderful world open up in

front of you.

Decide today to be the one that sees the future before it happens by being

proactive, not one that tends to turn and walk into doors all the time.

Zanshin is a major milestone on the path to “Black Belt Excellence”.

Train hard and well. In the way, JWA