You Already Are What You Want To Become

Olympic athletes train their minds as hard as they train their bodies. They have coaches for their chosen sport, and a team of sport's psychologists for their mind. Shaolin students train their minds as hard as their body, and our psychologist is Zen Buddhism. Doesn't matter whether we follow a religion or we follow none, we can still take these teachings and apply them to their training. This helps us to see our world with fresh eyes and enter our training with a beginner’s mind.

One of the ways in which we can reignite our energy for training is  through the practice of aimlessness. This means: You already are what you want to become. Does a

tree have to do something? The purpose of a tree is to be itself, and your

purpose is to be yourself.

We have everything. There is no need to put anything in front of us and run

after it. So, whatever it is that you believe you want – good health, more

energy or to be an exceptional martial artist – you already have.

Bring this energy into your practice and you will find that it will enrich

whatever you are doing. Not only your Qigong or Kung Fu practice but also your work and family life. This Zen teaching on aimlessness helps us to stop putting our life on hold or waiting for the future when we think we will have more time or be less stressed.

There is no future time there is only now. And now is the most important

time we have. Now is the building block for the future. Instead of drifting

into the future of “if” and “when”, we focus on the single point of now. Now is all we have.

For this month, check yourself and rather than constantly trying to improve yourself train from the perspective that you already are what you want to become. Relax. There is nothing to strive for.

Remind yourself that right now you have all the elements for your health,

You simply have to apply the Shaolin techniques you are learning.

Shaolin Martial Arts helps us to reach the potential in ourselves that we

only dreamt of before. Using the powerful life energy that exists inside our

body we can make ourselves healthy and balanced. If you approach the

Shaolin Arts with intelligence and determination, I guarantee you can bring to your life the wholeness, health and inner satisfaction that you seek. What are you waiting for? Start today.

 For more information on Shifu Yan Lei's teaching DVDs, books and downloads please visit www.shifuyanlei.com