Friday Knight News
"The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step." Lao Tzu
Ki, chi, and prana are different names used through-out the Far East to designate the internal strength and in the West we refer to it as mental strength, spirit, spunk, or even gumption. Physical strength without mental strength is nothing, and that is why I believe the greatest form of strength a person can develop is mental strength. I define mental strength as willpower or the ability to endure adversity. While some may consider intelligence and/or education as mental strength, I would classify these skills and abilities in a separate category. For example the ability to do the complex mathematical equations in your head, I would classify under the banner of mental dexterity. While having a higher intelligence quotient, would just be an example of raw natural talent. Some people rely on using positive self-talk alone to achieve mental strength, but there is a better way to attain a stronger and more sustainable mental endurance. Meditation is a key component for achieving mental strength and endurance. Mental endurance like physical endurance must be maintained.
Ki, chi, and prana are different names used through-out the Far East to designate the internal strength and in the West we refer to it as mental strength, spirit, spunk, or even gumption. Physical strength without mental strength is nothing, and that is why I believe the greatest form of strength a person can develop is mental strength. I define mental strength as willpower or the ability to endure adversity. While some may consider intelligence and/or education as mental strength, I would classify these skills and abilities in a separate category. For example the ability to do the complex mathematical equations in your head, I would classify under the banner of mental dexterity. While having a higher intelligence quotient, would just be an example of raw natural talent. Some people rely on using positive self-talk alone to achieve mental strength, but there is a better way to attain a stronger and more sustainable mental endurance. Meditation is a key component for achieving mental strength and endurance. Mental endurance like physical endurance must be maintained.
Mental strength is something that you can train and prepare yourself for just as in physical strength training. Everyone has different natural attributes that allow for better development in certain areas. However, this does not preclude us from doing our utmost to better ourselves. As I see it, there are two basic approaches to developing our willpower. The first is through proper physical preparation. If a person does not have enough food and water to sustain their physical existence, it is much easier for them to succumb to adversity. Likewise every human being needs to have the proper amount of rest and healthy social interaction to be at their optimum. On top of this any person can also boost their mental strength by gradually increasing their physical workload with strength and endurance exercises. The endurance exercises are best suited for transmuting these attributes from the physical level to the mental level. Activities such as long-distance running and swimming have often been compared to entering a Zen state of mind. The state of no thought and operating with automatic reactions to situations is enhanced by meditation.
"The mind is everything. What you think you become." Buddha
"The mind is everything. What you think you become." Buddha
The secret is to act on it; even if you are just doing hundreds of repetitions of calisthenics daily to get this benefit. It is a decent method in which to train the body and mind for endurance, but I would still put running at the top of the list. I personally never enjoyed long-distance running unless I was with friends. So I had kept my jogging (on my own) to a short 3 to 6 mile average. The thing is that even with this small distance, over a period of time it is possible to be able to use this training to complete a marathon. I was even able to do an ultra-thon (fifty miler). I had never swam any great distances at one time like the (English Channel or out to Alcatraz and back), if I swam a mile that generally was my distance. As it was, I did occasionally swim up to 3 miles off and on and one time nearly 6 miles in deep-waters, well over one hundred feet deep. Some people enjoy doing yoga like exercises or stretching routines to accomplish this yoking of the mind and body in training. I believe that any type of good training that a person performs consistently can be a benefit with this pursuit.
A key aspect to all of these activities is the focus on breathing and meditation. By continuing to breathe through the pain and anguish that life sometimes brings us we develop the mental strength and endurance to hold on. It helps us to change our perspective and the physical training can be broken up in small units of time throughout the day. How many push-ups can you do in sixty seconds? This can be used on any calisthenic training exercise, used once every bathroom, coffee break, or even on television commercial breaks. I suggest taking at least ten or fifteen minutes of quite time, a few times a day for meditation. It only takes a couple of months of this to really begin to feel that you are gaining and/or achieving results.
Meditation is not just positive self-talk although that aspect can be helpful. The trick is not to play at positive thinking alone as that often creates a false sense of self-worth and intensifies the negative feeling a person has about themselves when they are confronted with adversity. Instead of laying a veneer of false images into our mental programming it is better to rewrite the system. This is simple to do if you work at it in stages. Instead of only proclaiming the superior status that you wish to achieve, you could begin replacing old habits with new more positive ones. You continue this process until you have eliminated all of the old negative habits that you can identify. As you encounter adversity, you can use your positive thinking at this point to remind yourself about all of the work and effort that you have put into achieving your present status. In the end it doesn't matter what circumstance it is that you’re facing; you can endure as long as you remember to keep on breathing.
Below are links to some of my Kindle version books from the "Dream Walker" series. My stories are about martial arts adventures that are intertwined with paranormal or supernatural events. The following links are to the Kindle version books from the "Dream Walker” series. Our adventurers find themselves on a quest where they are confronted with both conspiracy and mystery. Their challenge is to unite their mind and body skills together utilizing what they have learned in the martial arts with the transcendental power of dream mediation. They attempt to do this while they are trying to make a life for themselves and elude those that seek to use and control them.
Jace Lee The Shift (Book 4 of the Dream-Walker)
Jace Lee The Shift: We find a new apprentice, Adam, that is fighting for his life. He is struggling to understand the amazing skills of his mentor, Jace Lee; a younger man that has trained under Xander Davidson. All the while his mentor attempts to reconcile the fact that his skills do not match up with the other Dream Walkers.
Jace Lee No Agenda (Dream Walker Book 5)
Jace Lee No Agenda: Jace Lee attempts to find himself on a self-imposed vision quest of sorts. Instead he finds himself being stalked by the same group that had previously sought after his teacher, (Xander Davidson). Instead of mastering his odd Dream Walking skills he finds love and the potential loss of his powers.
Jace Lee and the Tutelage of Ming Wu: Dream Walker 6
Jace Lee The Tutelage of Ming Wu: Jace Lee rejoins his teacher Xander Davidson as they cope with a possible combined threat (the mysterious), Ming Wu and the Council that has continuously monitored the Dream Walkers.
A key aspect to all of these activities is the focus on breathing and meditation. By continuing to breathe through the pain and anguish that life sometimes brings us we develop the mental strength and endurance to hold on. It helps us to change our perspective and the physical training can be broken up in small units of time throughout the day. How many push-ups can you do in sixty seconds? This can be used on any calisthenic training exercise, used once every bathroom, coffee break, or even on television commercial breaks. I suggest taking at least ten or fifteen minutes of quite time, a few times a day for meditation. It only takes a couple of months of this to really begin to feel that you are gaining and/or achieving results.
Meditation is not just positive self-talk although that aspect can be helpful. The trick is not to play at positive thinking alone as that often creates a false sense of self-worth and intensifies the negative feeling a person has about themselves when they are confronted with adversity. Instead of laying a veneer of false images into our mental programming it is better to rewrite the system. This is simple to do if you work at it in stages. Instead of only proclaiming the superior status that you wish to achieve, you could begin replacing old habits with new more positive ones. You continue this process until you have eliminated all of the old negative habits that you can identify. As you encounter adversity, you can use your positive thinking at this point to remind yourself about all of the work and effort that you have put into achieving your present status. In the end it doesn't matter what circumstance it is that you’re facing; you can endure as long as you remember to keep on breathing.
Below are links to some of my Kindle version books from the "Dream Walker" series. My stories are about martial arts adventures that are intertwined with paranormal or supernatural events. The following links are to the Kindle version books from the "Dream Walker” series. Our adventurers find themselves on a quest where they are confronted with both conspiracy and mystery. Their challenge is to unite their mind and body skills together utilizing what they have learned in the martial arts with the transcendental power of dream mediation. They attempt to do this while they are trying to make a life for themselves and elude those that seek to use and control them.
Conversations with a Sage (Book 1 of the Dream-Walker)
Conversations with a Sage: This explores Xander Davidson's early encounters with the mysterious fog like Dream Walking martial art sages. He ponders if they are real or if they are only remnants of his dreams. He mainly keeps this secret world to himself as he tries to copes with abuse, growing up without support or guidance and the mystery of his family's past.
Conversations with a Sage: This explores Xander Davidson's early encounters with the mysterious fog like Dream Walking martial art sages. He ponders if they are real or if they are only remnants of his dreams. He mainly keeps this secret world to himself as he tries to copes with abuse, growing up without support or guidance and the mystery of his family's past.
Xander and the Assassins Gift (Book 2 of the Dream-Walker)
The Assassins Gift: Xander Davidson struggles with the conspiracy of his family and the group that is actively trying to manipulate him to join them or die. The young Dream Walkers learns an early lesson to be careful about whom they let into their circle.
Warriors of Perception (Book 3 of the Dream-Walker)
Warriors of Perception: Xander Davidson and his band of friends embark on a mission to free themselves from their oppressors. They bravely face the challenge all the while vying for the right moment to turn the tables.
The Assassins Gift: Xander Davidson struggles with the conspiracy of his family and the group that is actively trying to manipulate him to join them or die. The young Dream Walkers learns an early lesson to be careful about whom they let into their circle.
Warriors of Perception (Book 3 of the Dream-Walker)
Warriors of Perception: Xander Davidson and his band of friends embark on a mission to free themselves from their oppressors. They bravely face the challenge all the while vying for the right moment to turn the tables.
Jace Lee The Shift (Book 4 of the Dream-Walker)
Jace Lee The Shift: We find a new apprentice, Adam, that is fighting for his life. He is struggling to understand the amazing skills of his mentor, Jace Lee; a younger man that has trained under Xander Davidson. All the while his mentor attempts to reconcile the fact that his skills do not match up with the other Dream Walkers.
Jace Lee No Agenda (Dream Walker Book 5)
Jace Lee No Agenda: Jace Lee attempts to find himself on a self-imposed vision quest of sorts. Instead he finds himself being stalked by the same group that had previously sought after his teacher, (Xander Davidson). Instead of mastering his odd Dream Walking skills he finds love and the potential loss of his powers.
Jace Lee The Tutelage of Ming Wu: Jace Lee rejoins his teacher Xander Davidson as they cope with a possible combined threat (the mysterious), Ming Wu and the Council that has continuously monitored the Dream Walkers.
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