Mind Control II

                                                         Manage your emotions

    They are the feelings that can inspire us to accomplish great things, for ourselves and our societies, or impel us to destroy. Emotions are neither positive or negative in themselves. Anger can motivate us to take action to overcome abuse, but unbridled anger makes us abusers. Fear is an essential survival tool, but uncontrolled or unwarranted fear lead to paralysis and panic. Love, that beautiful emotion, can induce despair. Even hate, abhorrence of cruelty for example, can be positive motivator. Not emotions, but the ability to manage them, determines how well they serve us, or undo us.

                            An angry man defeats himself in life as well as in combat.

    And there's no way to stop them, even if we wanted to. We'll get angry when something or someone pushes our buttons. When we perceive danger we will feel fear. The warriors ideal of Mu Shin (no mindedness) is elusive. How, then, do we train the mind to use our emotions without succumbing to them. 
    Emotions and feelings aren't readily changed by thoughts. Your mind is much more susceptible to your actions. If you act unafraid when you are afraid, your mind responds by lessening the fear. If you act calm when you are angry you can avoid escalating the anger, in yourself and in another. For the warrior, to show fatigue when tired was a disgrace. Fortitude, accepting hardship without complaint, mitigates the pain. How you act influences how you feel.

    Meditation, I found to be one of the most essential practices of Bushido. The Bushi were zen warriors. The practice of Zazen, formal sitting to meditate, was an integral part of warrior life. I made it a part of mine. Learning to temper those emotions is a pretty important social skill. Being able to remain clear headed and calm in the face of danger, a pretty important survival skill.
    If enlightenment is the goal of meditation I have a long way to go. I still don't know what enlightenment is. But meditating, even with imperfect regularity, has been an important asset in my journey. The virtues and benefits of meditation extend to all aspects of life and include:
   Serenity, being able to quiet the inner dialogue.
   Stress management.
   Self confidence.
   Enhanced awareness, sensory and intuitive.
   Spontaneous reaction, reflexive or conditioned responses are enhanced.
   Emotional control.

   Just as you need to train the body through regular practice to develop your physical skills, developing your ability to quiet the "inner dialogue" requires regular practice. Regular practice requires serious commitment. 
    I asked my high school track coach how to become a better runner. He said "run every day."
    I asked my meditation teacher how to become better at meditating. He said, "meditate regularly.
    "It is easy to meditate, anyone can meditate, but to meditate regularly requires heroic effort."

    Saimen Jutsu, the art of mind control, begins with the control of ones own mind.

                                                                                  On the rim of the Grande Canyon returning from a tournament in Phoenix

      
Ron Small
                                                                                            Bob Webster