Avoid Distraction
“When you are not sitting quietly, you may be distracted without knowing it; but once you are aware of it, distraction itself becomes a mechanism for getting rid of distraction.”-T’ai i chin hua tsung chih Distractions disable us because we do not prepare for them beforehand. Examine every stage for possible distraction points. Then, create […]
Question Belief
“I may perceive the world just like you, but you believe to be in it, while I see it as an iridescent drop in the vast expanse of consciousness.” -Nisargadatta Maharaj Belief creates your reality. Because humans created language, does it make sense to believe that any object is actually its name? Language came not with […]
See One Thing
“We overlook the simplicity in front of us.” -Tenzin Palmo The vague state produced from not being aware of only one thing prohibits decisive action. At the beginning of a stage, beware of staring absentmindedly at the first target. Avoid that with a visual plan—or visual flow—that you mentally create for every course of fire. […]
BE Wide Open
“To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders.”-Lao Tzu As often as you can remember, be fully attentive. Attention negates thinking. When you are aware, you cannot worry. Becoming self-aware turns off your mind and, with it, your problems. Gaining stability in awareness improves everything. Awareness will run your life, if you let […]
Slow It Down
“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”-Lao Tzu I was walking behind the goal of a soccer field. The goalie missed blocking a shot and the ball was speeding right at me, just skimming the grass… In that instant two things happened simultaneously. I recalled the image of a pro-level soccer player kicking a […]
The 3 Elements of Success
“If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.”-Mark Twain In any performance related activity, there are three distinct elements at work. In order of importance, they are attitude, fundamentals, and technique. In the highly accomplished practitioner, all three elements are honed to perfection. Typically, the journeyman is attached to technique—believing,“if I do […]
Break the Pattern
“Everything good has awareness for its root.”-Bodhidharma Habit is the enemy of everything good. Whether you want to improve any sort of performance, or just want to be a little happier, replacing habitual reactions with appropriate responses is key. As you increasingly become aware of your mind’s activity, you’ll gain the ability to untangle its […]
Shot Calling On The Move
“The true purpose is to see things as they are, to observe things as they are, and to let everything go as it goes.”-Shunryu Suzuki The true purpose of shooting is to know where every shot will hit the target before it does. “The most important thing a practical shooter must always do is call […]
¡Visualize!
“Visualize this thing that you want, see it, feel it, believe in it. Make your mental blue print, and begin to build.” -Robert Collier Fill your mind with a living, fluid image of everything you will see and do to accomplish your goal. Do not allow unnecessary worries. TRUST: You will do what have visualized. For […]
Practical Living, The Fundamentals
“You are not what you think yourself to be, I assure you. The image you have of yourself is made up from memories and is purely accidental.” -Nisargadatta Maharaj Below are a few principles I’ve found helpful. Perhaps print this, and work with each until you know if it is worthwhile. The fewer things you claim […]