If a picture is worth 1,000 words...

If a picture is worth 1,000 words, then how much is ACTION worth?


Out of the Dojo from Speaking of Faith on Vimeo.

I believe that the martial arts have the power to transform us.

This particular video really resonates with me — it's from Mr. Tom Callos, my mentor and UBBT coach. Like Tom, I believe that the martial arts are more than just knife hand chops. (Don't they need to be?)

But, as I said in my last post, this is only true if we make it so through our words, thinking, and acting. The martial arts have the power to transform us, but only if we're actively — and constantly — looking for the "other" lessons in every class, every repetition, every kata, every bow, every injury, and every sparring match.

And I'll go even further here: if we don't FIND the powerful life lessons inherent in our martial arts training, then might we dare have the courage to CREATE new, original, and meaningful lessons and experiences by taking the essence of our martial arts training and applying it in our daily lives?

Wow, if we could do that, then we really would be "martial ARTISTS," wouldn't we? That's what I think Sensei Richard Kim meant when he talked about becoming an "Artist of Life."

This is becoming the focus of my martial arts training and — for whatever it may be worth — my martial arts teaching, too.