Martial Arts And The Body-Mind Connection

By Forrest Caudill

BODY/MIND CONNECTION

Writing blogs isn't easy. Especially getting started. The hardest part is finding that first sentence, that first line of thought. However, I've found a way to get the creative writing juices flowing. I usually sit down to write after an intense couple of rounds on the heavy bag. After finishing beating up my stuffing-filled leather opponent I feel renewed and refocused and the inspiration just seems to flow. It's a little trick that's never failed me.

The interesting thing is that this trick is not new. It's been around for at least a few thousand years. Tradition has it that when Bodhidharma made his way to the Shaolin Temple he discovered that the Shaolin monks were, well, weak and puny. They had no outer strength and thus they seemed to struggle with inner strength as well. During meditations in the cold they couldn't help but to frailly chatter and shiver. Bodhidharma put on his personal trainer and martial arts instructor hat and went to work with them, teaching them a grueling and tiresome form of fighting based on the fighting strategies of various animals. Over time the Shaolin monks became known for both their immense inner and outer strength. Bodhidharma knew that the inner world and the outer world are very much related and that improving one gives you more ground for improving the other.

To see this for yourself just ask yourself when you feel the most centered, productive, and able to tap into your potential--after a good night's sleep, a healthy breakfast, and a morning jog? Or perhaps after a late night, a lazy morning, and a junk food breakfast? I'm betting on you picking the first.

Sadly, as a culture we've been taught to deny what's obvious. Many people have turned into floating heads, thinking that their experience of life takes place only in their ability to reason and think. They forget how to feel. They become robots. The zest for life, the adrenaline coursing through blood-rich veins, the fiery passion and excitement are slowly drained out and forgotten. And in its place is given a dimmed down consciousness, a little more numb, a little more stale.

Are you ready to shake off some of the dust that has settled in your system? Are you ready to reawaken all that has dozed off inside of you? It's time to reconnect with your more primitive, animal self. It's time to refresh and renew your body AND your mind. It's time to pick up some weights, go for a run, or show up to that kickboxing class you keep missing. You'll feel better for it and your productivity will jump through the roof.

Sifu Forrest

Sifu Forrest Caudill

Forrest is a certified instructor in two martial arts and runs the Austin Impact Jeet Kune Do school in Austin, Texas. For more resources and information check out his website at http://martialartsaustintx.com

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