Wisdom Wednesdays

Savage Law #1

Civilize The Mind But Make Savage The Body

The first and one of the most important savage laws is "Civilize the mind but make savage the body. This is one of the first laws i was introduced to as a child min karate class. Through the teachings of my Sensei i learned the true meaning of this law through hard work and dedication over a span of 13 years. At the age of four reciting this law didn't mean much to me I was like a parrot just repeating my Sensei's words. But after many years of reciting this law i learned to truly apply it. Unlike many Dojos, my dojo was truly unique. our studies of mixed martial arts with a strong foundation in Goju Ryu prepared me for much more in life than a street scuffle. It prepared me for life to be a better me. I slowly became a Better man, brother,and son. My permission to study martial arts depending not only on monthly fees but also a lot of important factors in my everyday life. Parents at my dojo could throw all the money they wanted but if my grades weren't up to par I was not able to attend classes. My Sensei held education on a very high pedestal.

Knowledge plus strenuous physical activity were the two main priorities as a karateka. On top of that when it came time to get my black belt intense physical testing was paired with a 10 page essay on my understanding of martial arts and the positive effect it had on my life. Not many black-belts are put through such testing. My Sensei showed me he wasn't creating boys who could defend themselves he was building a league of extraordinary young men. Through the process we became soldiers of a special kind.

In order to truly claim savage you must obey and maintain the laws. In order to conquer the first law you must spark your flame for knowledge and at the same protect the temple which you reside in. They say health is wealth. First muscle we must learn to exercise is the mind. This is done through education yourself on a daily basis. No man of moderate intelligence was ever overcame by a man who excels in the brawn department.Its one thing to work hard but eventually the body gets run down. The mind takes much longer to wear out. We must not only depend on the education that is socially accepted. K-12, then onto higher education in the form of college. We must thirst and lust for knowledge. We must seek knowledge beyond what is expected of us. Knowledge provided by school systems is the bare minimum. Its the knowledge you gain outside of school that really sticks. In school most students use a for of learning called the dump truck method. We learn everything we can just to pass a test then as soon as we pass the test we dump out all the wisdom we gained to make room for our next lessons. Lessons we choose to pick up are usually applied and repeated if the outcome is favorable these eventually become routine. Through practice we make perfect and through repetition we make routine. This is true knowledge. This is the kind of knowledge you retain even years after first being introduced. This is how you make the mind civilized. Civilization itself is built on the rejection of ignorance and the embrace of wisdom.

To make savage the body is to attain a level of physical excellence that allows you to conquer your opponent efficiently in a physical manner. With a mind full of wisdom and strategy and a body capable of great physical feats man becomes unstoppable. Through exercise and proper dieting we can maximize and truly get closer to resembling our bodily potential.Our minds can only take us so far as can our bodies. Get both body and mind in shape and we prove a force to be reckoned with. The ability to perform your best ideas is truly a gift. They say if you want a job done right do it yourself. In a world of over consumption and sloppy bodies thoughts can easily be discouraged by physical limitations. Don't be that person. Do for yourself.

So in order to truly civilize the mind and make savage the body we must read daily and exercise regularly. These two activities will help you excel in many aspects of life. So I urge you to go out and grab a book that interests you and also buy a gym pass or just go to a local park and exercise both mind and body. You will thank me later. Until next time keep it LYM.

Wisdom Wednesdays

"Success in the affairs of life often serves to hide one's abilities, where as adversity frequently gives one an opportunity to discover them."

Horace - Roman poet (65 BC - 8 BC).

This week I want to quote a perspective from a teaching with potential mentors. The facilitator began the session as detailed below:Welcome difficulties. Embrace adversity. Face conflict. Fear not failure. Especially avoid protecting your children from adversity as well as yourself. To continually hover over your child, correct their mishaps, provide more than is needed in material abundance as well as fix their mistakes, creates a child embedded with self doubt, insecurities and a lack of belief in self. Do not cheat your child out of opportunities to grow through adversity. Make known to them the value of digging out of a mess through hard work and endurance. Allow yourself and your children the opportunity to build resilience, problem solving, and tenacity as they experience the true abilities that will begin to arise. How wonderful to discover your true inner strengths when tested with trials. Don't shy away from allowing yourself to grow through hard times. To model this for your children is a genuine and valuable gift. You're the teacher . . . What lessons are you providing? As we leave our mark (LYM) this week let us be mindful of this. We could substitute the word child in the above writing with the word friend or mentee . Until seven sunsets LYM with purpose.

-Mama Murray

Wisdom Wednesdays

"it is easier to raise strong children than to fix broken men."

       Frederick Douglass   

This week highlights the toil of the good guardian/ model/mentor.  Whether you were raised by a doting grandmother,two over achieving parental units, a hard working single mom or encouraged by a goal oriented uncle or supportive aunt who has been around the block and back and had "golden life lessons".....I am talking to you. It takes a village to raise strong children. The care and consideration of many is necessary to hone a few skills that carry us a lifetime. Strong children don't lead perfect lives but when they slip they know where to find center. The Bible in Proverbs 22:6 says "teach a child the way they should go and they when they are old they will not depart from it." These words ring true to those who were raised up by strong mentors. The temptations we face as society on a daily basis can lead us to stray from what we know to be right. Some of us say...."Let me live". some say  " Get with it". while still others say," you don't understand me". The wise one knows this is an old song. It is the banter used to get your own way when you don't want to live by a code ... any code. We all go through times where we don't want to muster the effort to keep it together. We want to be FREE, INDEPENDENT and frankly careless. We don't want to adhere to our values or morals. We know what is right but we just want to relax. We want to have the pressure off for a little...answer to no one.... care about nothing, but the moment and ....well..... let our hair down. Therein lies the rub. If we settle into this selfish abandonment of boundaries ... which by the way helps to keep us  out of "real" trouble, we risk creating a habit that may take more effort to kick than we have the reserve of energy for. Now what people see is the broken man. He is a much more complicated puzzle that requires inclination to change, cooperation to move forward, and sacrifice of selfish pleasures in order to achieve the greater goal.He is someone who must not only analyze his actions but anchor himself to his village in order to come into his own. As he strives to reach the true potential of his best inner self and display the qualities garnered from his best examples. The strong child is a sponge growing thicker with experiences, while the broken man is shattered glass trying to piece experiences together to make a whole. AH!!!! So much easier to hold the sponge and make it useful.  So hard to mend the glass into something to hold. As we leave our mark(LYM)... we must not depart from the good examples during our journey. May we hold fast to the teachings when we are old , for they are the ones that will help to cement a positive legacy.  Until seven suns set.  LYM in ways that honor your village.

                                                                                                                                           -Mama Murray

Wisdom Wednesday

Great minds are to be honored as the pillars of real change in the universe. We need to nourish our naturally talented youth to  advance forward with their revolutionary. ideas and embrace their fresh ideas no matter if we can't see the end result. EINSTEIN like many people with unique abilities was seen as a quack. Little did the world. know many of the ideas we take for granted would be invented from the theories of this. uniquely talented mind. As we LYM, we must not let bumps in the road hinder our moves forward.We must use setbacks and naysayers to fuel our resolve to succeed. The key is to strive to  make a positive impact on individuals and society as a whole. Einstein had old G swag. If he were here today we would recognize his swervacity.As we search for inspiration in far places, we need to look closer to home. Special abilities are among us and and are not only under served but under appreciated as well.. Celebrate ideas, free thinking, wonder, amazement and quirks. Until seven sunsets, LYM with the "swervaciousness that would make great minds like Albert smile.

Mama Murray

Wisdom Wednesdays

This weeks quote  will be presented in its entirety after a long hiatus and is dedicated to the prince and the sunshine in my life. I hope you will feel the same way I did when I came upon it during my search for something meaningful for new beginnings and continued hopes for a richer existence. The author is unknown but I will venture to say it is timely for us and timeless as well. 

"Once upon a time there was an island where all the feelings lived; happiness, sadness and all the others, including love.

One day it was announced to all of the feelings that the island was going to sink to the bottom of the ocean.So all the feelings prepared their boat to leave.

Love was the only one that stayed. She wanted to preserve the island paradise until the last possible moment.

When the island was almost totally under, Love decided it was time to leave. She began looking for someone to ask for help. Just then Richness was passing by in a grand boat.  Love asked, "Richness, Can I come with you on your boat?"
Richness answered, "I'm sorry, but there is a lot of silver and gold on my boat and there would be no room for you anywhere."

Then Love decided to ask Vanity for help who was passing by. Love cried out, "Vanity, help me please." 
"I can't help you." Vanity said, "You are all wet and will damage my beautiful boat."

Next, Love saw Sadness passing by.  Love said, "Sadness, please let me go with you."  Sadness answered, "Love, I'm sorry, but, I just need to be alone now."

Then, Love saw Happiness. Love cried out, "Happiness, please take me with you."  But Happiness was so overjoyed that he didn't hear Love calling to him.

Love began to cry.  Then, she heard a voice say, Come Love, I will take you with me."  It was an elder.

Love felt so blessed and overjoyed that she forgot to ask the elder his name.

When they arrived on land the elder went on his way.
Love realized how much she owed the elder.

Love then found Knowledge and asked,
"Who was it that helped me?

It was Time", Knowledge answered.

"But why did Time help me when no one else would?", Love asked.

Knowledge smiled and with deep wisdom and sincerity, answered, 
"Because only time is capable of understanding how great Love is."

Until seven sunsets, hoping you read this for yourself, print it for someone who may need it, pass it on to those you love.....But mostly may you LYM (Leave Your Mark) with Love always LOVE.