ComputerHunter.org |
|
|
|||
|
 |
What the Samurai Can Teach Us About Self-Improvement
A Seventeenth Century Samurai maxim states: "A man who has attained mastery of an art reveals it in his every action" This saying is one of my personal favorites. There is so much depth to its meaning. Allow me to discuss it a little and explain how it will be able to benefit you. First, a question: What is the single greatest thing that you can do with mastery and excellence? Don't say: "nothing." Everybody is good at something. Just think for a moment. There will be one thing that you can do perfectly time and time again. It is the thing that is so ridiculously easy for you to do that you can do it with your eyes closed, almost standing on your head - so to speak. It may be a simple thing or it may be something quite complex, but whatever it is you make it look easy. In fact, you are so good at it you make other people think that they can do it easily too - until they try. It might be a sport like tennis or something as mundane as making scones or cupcakes. It's amazing how a champion tennis player can make the game look so simple. Or how a master cook can seemingly slap ingredients together and come up with an absolute masterpiece of culinary delight. So what is it? What are you a master at? Keep that thing in mind while I diverge back to the samurai for a moment - a little bit of history. The samurai lived by the sword and died by it. They were so adept at reading body movement that they were able to draw their swords and use them with deadly effect against opponents in the mere blink of an eye. Their observations and reflexes were finely honed, principally because their very existence depended on it. But did you know that they were able to transcend their ability with the sword into other arts? Many of them were also master poets. Others were highly skilled calligraphers. Others became very skilled in the art of the tea ceremony. Some became master carpenters. Have you noticed how these "ancillary" skills are so diametrically opposed to their military expertise with the sword? So how and why did they engage in these things? Could it be that they were "balancing" their lives? Were they following the concept of "yin and yang?" If you are not sure what yin and yang is I will outline it briefly for you. Basically, it a Japanese recognition of the duality of all things in nature. For instance, night and day, female and male, black and white and so on. Further, there is some night within day and some day within night and so on. Time for another question. Are you so set in your ways that you refuse to develop other skills? Can you not broaden your horizons? Might you be able to "balance" your life a little more? Think back to that one thing that you are able to do very well. Why not take that mindset and transfer it to something else? You can create a persona that shows other people that you are a special person. Others have done it. You even know them. Some of them might even be your close friends. They are the people who seem to be good at everything they turn their minds to. I'll bet you are thinking of somebody like that right now. Now you know how they do it. They are using the samurai maxim. And just to balance the genders (yin and yang): "A woman who has attained mastery of an art reveals it in her every action" Develop yourself. Improve your abilities. You can do it. All it takes is discipline and a willingness to expand your mind. The samurai did it. So can you. About the author: Gary Simpson is the author of eight books covering a diverse range of subjects such as self esteem, affirmations, self defense, finance and much more. His articles appear all over the web. Gary's email address is budo@iinet.net.au. Click here to go to his Motivation & Self Esteem for Success website where you can receive his "Zenspirational Thoughts" plus an immediate FREE copy of his highly acclaimed, life-changing e-book "The Power of Choice."
Google News - Top Stories
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
7 Steps To Having More Energy 1. Get enough sleep. Yes You Can If you could change one thing in your life today, what would it be? Why don't you have some of the things you'd like to have, and why do you have some? What's the reason for the inconsistency? A Minute of Deliberate Attraction is Better Than None Before I explain why a minute of Deliberate Attraction is better than none, I'd like to begin by giving a definition of The Law of Attraction. Definition of the Law of Attraction: I attract to myself, whatever I give my focus, attention, or energy to; whether wanted or unwanted. How to be Successful in Life or Small Business! Not everyone is programmed to be a successful businessperson, many people make it but many more fail along the way. Reminiscing About Your Past Can Stimulate Your Future Have you ever thought much about how some of your past experiences and talents influenced how your life turned out? I sure have and I've found it not only interesting but valuable, too. Whatever the case, I believe we can all find value in reminiscing about our past. Speak Up! Ever been in a meeting with something important to say and remained silent? You may have felt the flush of the good idea and the rising adrenalin. You may have moved to the front of your seat and readied your body to speak...and then didn't. What stopped you? 10 Ways to Survive and Celebrate Valentine?s Day When You Are Single Do you feel all alone and out of sorts on days like Valentine's Day when you are not in a relationship? Use these suggestions to reframe your experience and set the stage for what you want to attract for yourself. Here are 10 things you can do to make it a great day for you. Who are You Listening To? Have you ever noticed that there is no shortage of people willing to give you advice, whether or not you asked for it? I've developed some simple rules about from whom I will accept advice and suggestions. I do not ask for heath advice from people who are sick, I do not ask for financial advice from people who are broke and I do not ask for business advice from people who are not in their own business. Over the years I've watched hundreds of people go into a business venture and excitedly tell their family and friends about their new enterprise. Big mistake! How many of your friends and relatives own their own business? Probably few or none. Create Your Best Life "You can create what you want in life; first you have to imagine it clearly. Imagine your ideal scene," Marc Allen, The Millionaire Course. Affirm Actions: Stop Lying to Your Soul and Make It Real! I hear of so many people using affirmations as the universal remedy for everything that ails them. They wake up in the morning and verbalize their affirmations. They go through their days verbalizing positive statements about situations and their lives. Then, they go to bed saying their affirmations like bed-time prayers. What is the Life Your Were Born To Live? In my private practice for the past 15 years I have discovered how hungry we are to find deep fulfillment and loving, make wise choices for ourselves and the planet, and walk in union with our higher guidance. Be Your Own Best Friend What does being a "best friend" mean to you? I imagine that just about everyone is or has been a best friend to someone in their lives. I encourage you to take some time and examine what being someone's best friend really means. Manifest Your Dreams For each of us, the universe is different. A homeless man may view the universe as unfair, hard and tough. A rich man may view the universe as a lovely place full of luxury and pleasure. Both of them are viewing the same universe, it is just different because of their perceptions of it and their life experiences. Giving Thanks - A Universal Gift In the USA we celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday in November every year. However, I've come to understand that there is great, POSITIVE power in having an "attitude of gratitude" all year long, that can create measurable differences in your life. Abundance Of Money - Abundance Of Love How much happiness is there in a piece of paper with the word "happiness" printed upon it? It depends on the person who holds that piece of paper... Universal Law Series - the Law of Cause & Effect This is the third of seven articles in our continuing series on Universal Law. The focus of this article is the Law of Cause & Effect. Based on the Socratic law of causality, this Law is so profound and powerful that it has been referred to as the "Iron Law of Human Destiny". Perception Is Reality "We think, therefore we are." Mind Your Mind Three Secrets to Effective Affirmations: When Will Love Find me? Love. You may notice that I made that an entire sentence. That one little four-letter word can easily be a sentence on its own, an entire book, or the meaning of life. I doubt there has ever been a person on this planet who has not at some stage pondered the meaning of this little word. Men have lived for it and men have died for it. How Anyone Can Manifest Anything! My mother taught me how to teach others about the power of the mind. By learning how to teach her, I learned how to communicate essential wealth-building ideas to others.
|
|
|
|
|
