If someone asks me to describe myself I can do this with a simple statement. I am a Peaceful Warrior. A state of peaceful, tolerant vigilance toward balance and harmony of in life and relationships. The hours, days, months and years of training in Complete Shotokan Karate and Tai Chi help me to remain in this state of BEING all the time now. I have learned through these arts to flow like water around all things and never to set up a resistance to what is happening. For in resistance, balance and harmony is lost and illness and “dis-ease” sets in.

Healing yourself and becoming ageless is all about learning to live in a peaceful balanced state of being. To truly have command and mastery is to be responsible for yourself and all that you are BEING and DOING. This includes being honest and having integrity toward yourself and all others.  Don’t lie to yourself and take a good look at yourself.

When I first started Shotokan Karate I was in horrible condition mentally, spiritually, physically, and emotionally. I did not know then as I do now where to look to see about what was imbalanced in me and where to start working to change myself. It was after studying and training for several years that I discovered the four major bodies. These bodies are the mind, body, spirit and emotional bodies of the human system.

Fortunately, the Complete Shotokan Karate and Complete Tai Chi systems of training are designed to work on all four bodies whether you know it or not. Understanding the four bodies helps you to accelerate healing, balance and harmony. One of the first things I learned through Karate and Tai Chi was that I had to teach my body how to move and flow in a different way. I had to focus my thought with intent to change my fumbling body into a flowing art. My Sensei had to teach me to be focused and clear my mind. To get rid of all the preconceived thoughts about how something is done or supposed to be. In order to create a new body, show my spirit, and control my emotions I had to change the way I use my mind. The mind is a tool and the great spirit that YOU are should be in control. My Sensei would tell me, “Jon, you need to be able to do these techniques with no-thought.” He said, “If you have to think, you have not sufficiently practiced until your body responds in no-thought.”  Not only is this premise true for techniques, it is true for all aspects of Complete Shotokan Karate and Complete Tai Chi.

So we learn to control our mind and train our body to operate from within no-thought. As we go through this regiment of techniques, kata, kumite using repetition and the concept of perfect practice our body changes. Through all this movement, exercise and proper breathing a new improved body is formed. One with endurance, balance, snap and speed within our art. We then have to learn how to train our body in balance. I certainly had periods where I over trained and under trained my body. There is balance that should be considered in how you train and what type of nutrition your body is receiving. These things change over time and need adjustment as you age. Keep a vigilant watch on how you feel and make adjustments to your diet and training regimen appropriate to your situation.

Who is keeping watch? YOU or your ego? YOU are the great spirit that is the parental guiding aspect of your body and all other aspects of life. Spirit knows and guides toward your highest good. The mind is a tool and is analytical and likes or dislikes through the bodies wants and needs. The emotions arise energetically between the mind and the body as the mind/body tries to interpret experiences, feelings and thoughts. The emotions and feeling are not always accurate if they are out of control, the system falls into imbalance and disharmony.

Through training in Complete Shotokan Kata, Complete Tai Chi forms and kumite I learned how to connect myself to no-thought with the source of life. I learned to detach myself from the mind and body in spirit. In this detached state of BEING I know and feel all parts of myself within the four bodies. So when you notice that something is out of balance within yourself you have to make adjustments based on what you highest good is.  The best way to stay balanced is to have a regular training system that you adjust as needed. Keep a positive mind set and have an optimistic view in what you are doing. Have a view of how you want to be and keep that  view in mind as you move forward. As you move forward you will find the need to adjust your emotions and ego. Learn to live in the moment, not the past or the future. Your training with detachment in Spirit will help you remove and release things you don’t need or like about yourself.
Being a peaceful warrior is about being responsible and aware of your state of BEING. A peaceful warrior uses the power of Spirit as the parental guide of the mind, body and emotions. Complete Shotokan Karate and Complete Tai Chi are tools of the peaceful warrior to hone, improve and evolve oneself toward their own perfection.