No matter what your reason for practicing meditation, energy work, or internal martial arts, there are a few basic principles which, when incorporated into your daily lifestyle, can help to supercharge your practice and boost your overall success and wellbeing in every facet of life. In this series we'll be looking at a few of these suggestions and how you can use them to create a better you.
(Note: The info given here is generalized for everyone. For any specific concerns or personal applications for your own unique goals, consider contacting me directly or signing up as a student.)
2.) Proper Mindset
It is said that the mind leads the qi. Where we put our intention directs the flow of our energy. In keeping with these ancient beliefs, modern science is now proving that how we think has a profound effect on shaping our reality. Our beliefs and intentions give birth to our actions, which bring us our rewards. This is the principle most familiarly described as "reaping what we sow." Further, our beliefs and intentions create energy forms which act on our bodies at the cellular level. It has been demonstrated that one's mindset and force of will has a real effect on their physical wellbeing. Stress-related illness is perhaps the most well known example of this. Often we think of something that is "just in our heads" as nonsensical and inconsequential, but ancient tradition and modern science both show this to be error. What goes on in our heads -- or, more accurately, in our minds -- is of vital concern to us in every facet of life.
We must ask the questions, "How do I view myself?" and "How do I view my surroundings?" If we ask in sincerity, laying aside our superficial conceptions, we may be quite surprised at what we find. Many are fooled by their own self-induced illusions.
As pertains to our purpose here -- gaining success in our lives -- we must consider how we view our success. When we set out to accomplish a task or goal, what is our reaction to obstacles and failures? Is it crippling? Do we give up and say it's just too hard? Or might it be that we comfort ourselves by resigning that it just wasn't "meant to be" and move on to some other endeavor? Regardless of what we might consciously tell ourselves, how we react to the trials in our lives says much to what we really think of ourselves and our reality.
In ancient times, it was considered unthinkable to go back on our word. In many cultures, to utter a declaration of intent was to seal our path forward. To fail to accomplish our word was to, in effect, commit suicide by negating ourselves. Words were the declaration of our will and were not uttered lightly. In modern times, we have long forgotten this. We casually say just about anything whether we mean to back it up or not. We throw words around as though they were practically meaningless. But our spirit and blood still remember what culture has forgotten. Each time we set an intention and then slide back from it, we damage ourselves unconsciously. We give ourselves the message that we are not worthy. We program ourselves for mediocrity.
Our mindset must be one of absolute resolve. We must go within ourselves and honestly ask what it is that we want for ourselves. Then, we must go forth with unyielding conviction to make it a reality. This does not mean we are without fear. There will likely be many distracting thoughts along our way. What it does mean is that we will press forward, taking positive actions regardless of how terrified we are or how badly we want to quit or how many people might try to divert our path. This is the method of manifesting our perfect reality. There is nothing in this world which cannot be done. This is the way of the warrior.
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