Hi everyone, Peter Liciaga here with another Points To Ponder Podcast
In this Podcast I’m going to share my thoughts on the purpose of martial arts and doing what is right.
Of course these are my thoughts based on my years of living and training as a martial artist.
For me, the purpose of martial art is to strive to perfect yourself so that you can contribute to society – your family, community and the world.
I believe when you improve yourself you improve the world around.
That’s why our student creed #2 at Dinoto Karate Center says, “I WILL DEVELOP SELF-DISCIPLINE IN ORDER TO BRING OUT THE BEST IN MYSELF AND OTHERS.”
The martial arts training floor is designed to teach and explain right from wrong and to cultivate not only an intellectual understanding but, more importantly, an emotional connection to doing what is right.
I believe if we are not trained emotionally to like what is right and good and hate what is bad and evil, our ability to do good and reject evil will be weak if not all together lacking.
In addition to cultivating an intellectual and emotional connection to doing what is right, discipline and will power must be cultivated.
If your will power is weak and you try to do good and reject evil, you will fail more often than not. Not only that, you will do the bad you know you shouldn’t.
Therefore, training of the will MUST also be an element of moral education in your martial arts training.
A weak will-power can result in the inability to do what you know is right or the inability to stop doing what you know is wrong.
It is also important to recognized the importance of cultivating good habits.
If you intend to do the right thing, yet you have not developed the right habits, your best intentions will easily be currupted. And even your best intentions to reject evil can fail if you have not developed the habit of fighting evil and doing what is right.
For that reason you MUST train hard to cultivate good habits – love what is good and reject what is evil on a daily basis.
Making good decisions is a habit! It strengthens your ability to REJECT weakness.
The way that you live – every little thing that you do – those actions that you take on a daily basis, tesitify to the quality of your daily contribution to your family, community and the world.
If you don’t train correctly, you won’t live correctly when the moment of truth comes. You won’t be able to stand strong and do what is right. If you don’t train hard you won’t fight hard.
If you push yourself mentally and physically, when the time comes you’ll stand strong on what you know is right. If you are weak in training, you’ll be weak in life.
THAT’S JUST THE WAY IT IS! THAT’S TRUTH!
If you don’t develop the habit of working hard and putting your life in order, you will throw away all your opportunities to possitively impact the world AND enjoy the journey in the process.
The purpose of martial arts, at least as far as I’m concerned, is to help you in your journey to strive to perfect you so that you can contribute to society – your family, community and the world.
Something to ponder, yes?
See you on the mats.
