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Mental Kung Fu
by Ariel Bar Tzadok
Copyright © 2015 by Ariel Bar Tzadok. All rights reserved.
He who is wise learns from everyone, and everything.
All originally emanate from the One of the universe.
Everything is thus connected, and part of the Whole.
This is the secret of Unity,
and how one comes to recognize the many masks of God.
Lesson 1 - Living in the Light
Kung Fu is the art of accomplishment. It is not merely gaining knowledge, it is putting that knowledge to work for you in the real world.
And so it begins...
How does one see in the dark? It's easy, one simply turns on the light.
So many today are unnecessarily absorbed in the darkness that pervades modern times. Yet, the darkness of today is nothing new. There have always been times of darkness in the past, and most likely there will always be times of darkness in the future. The dark times should never alarm us. We shouldn't allow ourselves to become so upset, and bent out of shape because of the dark. For just as there is always darkness, so too there is always light. And we have the choice which we chose to embrace.
We human beings are biological creatures. We are formed by, and live by, the laws of nature. Maybe human society itself, as a whole, follows a similar, natural flow of societal days (good times) and nights (bad times), with a time for each, light and darkness.
How then does one get out of the dark? How does one chose to live in the light, even during dark times? The answer is simple, one lives one's life like one is in the light, regardless of whether or not it is dark outside. One who lives in the light, shines light, and thus banishes darkness, no matter where one is, or where one goes. Light is a matter of attitude.
Living in the light is not as hard as one may think. Living in the light starts with thinking about being in the light. And as the old adage goes, “where one thinks is where one is at.”
Thinking in the light is the first step towards walking, and living in the light. It begins with a positive attitude. There is always negativity around us. Some one is always throwing dirt, be it in words or deeds. Yet, we do not have to stand in the way, and allow ourselves to be hit by dirt. We can move our mind out of the way of the negative effects of harmful words, thoughts and deeds. It is not really that hard. All one has to do is to practice a little mental Kung Fu.
In the physical martial arts of Kung Fu one learns how to circularly dodge the incoming blow of an opponent. When one becomes proficient, one moves with the greatest of ease, and grace, and naturally bobs out of the way of even the most deadliest and swiftest kick or punch.
In mental Kung Fu, we act with the mind in the same way we would act with the body. We train our thoughts and feelings to bob out of the way of incoming hurtful words, thoughts, feelings or deeds.
We mentally visualize ourselves performing intricate physical martial arts movements, fighting an internal opponent of negative mental energy, in the safety of our minds. As we dispose of our opponent within our mind's eye (imagination), we successfully create enough positive mental/psychic energy to neutralize the real opponent's negative energy.
Rather than to allow the words and deeds of others to hurt us, we train our minds to avoid and deflect the hurtful intent of another. In this way we block and neutralize the opponent's hurtful attack, and render it harmless.
No one can hurt us emotionally or mentally unless we chose to allow it to happen. The negativity of another has to find an opening in us in order to enter our mind or heart, before it can do us harm. So, if we close off the entrance ways to our minds and hearts, then the negative words, thoughts, feelings or deed of another find no place to cause harm. We have stopped the darkness of negativity in its tracks. And then we strike back, not to harm, but rather to heal. We strike back with light.
Hurtful words, thoughts and deeds are often subtle. They come in all too many forms. Yet, once we perceive that we are under attack, we go into action. Mentally, we begin the Kung Fu process.
We begin by internally acknowledging the attack, saying, “I am being mentally/verbally attacked.”
Second, we mentally say, “I am not concerned because my mind is stronger than the mind of my attacker.”
Next we say, “Although that one's intent is meant to hurt me, I chose not to be hurt. Rather than forcing me to react, I chose how to calmly respond or react, I chose the light of building, not the darkness of destruction.”
Now, visualize yourself as a higher being embodied in a body of powerful light. Your body of light shines around you creating an impenetrable wall of Kung Fu light. Watch and see how the harmful words or thoughts of an opponent are like daggers being thrown at you. Watch them in your mind's eye being repelled by your mental Kung Fu movements that mimic the actual moves of physical Kung Fu. These are what we will learn.
With practice, your mental Kung Fu can become strong. Then, instead of just imagining yourself as being a master of shining light, you actually become one. With every attack of darkness, you respond with light. To harmful words, you respond with healing words. To negative thoughts, you respond with positive thoughts.
Your visualization of punches, kicks, jabs and combinations make the power of mental Kung Fu a viable and real weapon of power, a weapon of mind.
You have the power. You have the choice. It is you who can embrace the light, and build the bridges to a better future.
Mental Kung Fu begins in the mind, even for the martial artist. We defeat our opponents in our minds even before we engage in physical conflict. Once our opponent is defeated mentally, we then take the simple steps to simply materialize externally our internal reality. With practice, this becomes second nature.
Living in the light is a choice, even in the darkest of times. With practice one can learn not only to always see the light, but to also always be the light. It is a matter of attitude. Where one thinks is where one is at. So think yourself into a positive place of light, and stay there. Ground yourself in reality and truth. Embrace grace, compassion, and kindness. Let these be your guide.
Even in the midst of combat, be it mental combat or physical, the true Kung Fu master is at peace, is calm, and is one with the One. For too all things there is a time, and a purpose, under Heaven.
In time, you will learn the times and the purposes. In time, you will sense when to be gracious, and when (and how) it is necessary to be harsh and stern. Like day and night, there is a need for both. Yet, we approach them from light, not the dark, and this turns night into day.
I am making the complicated simple, because the complicated can be made simple. We will continue to learn practical mental Kung Fu, practice it, and become good at it. Then, you too will see the light, and become it.
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1997 - 2015 by Ariel Bar Tzadok. All rights reserved.