The art of kung fu did not start as a way to strengthen the body to become an incredible fighting machine. The shaolin monks developed exercises to strengthen the mind and body so they could sit for longer periods of time. Their aim was enlightenment through meditation, not to become an 11th degree black belt.
Yes, they did become great warriors but nobody would have ever known that if they didn’t attack the temple. Then those seemingly peaceful sitting monks showed the attackers what’s what. When the shoalin monks came to visit our school they did not do any aerial kicks, break through concrete, fend off multiple attackers… No they just sat there and answered questions through an interpreter.
Many people flocked from all over the city to come to see these monks, most were disappointed not to see any flashy martial arts. What I saw was three incredible gentle spirits connected to each and every moment.
What do you see in these shaolin monks? Self-acceptance? Self-esteem? I see benevolent spirits that accept every moment as a gift. They train rigorously for long hours simply to revel in each and ever moment they have on this planet; to bare witness to beauty inherent in nature.
When leaving the school a student said to me, "I thought the shaolin monks were going to do a demo, show us some of their kung fu."
I replied, "Well, you should have attacked one of them. They would have showed you something."
How many of us in this fast-paced society never slow down and allow those moments of Now to overpower our busy-ness? Our minds are always so preoccupied with school, work, relationships, money and we rarely stop to revel in this incredible wondrous world so full of fascination and beauty.
When things get tough in life like an insecure job, severing a relationship, or losing a loved one can we still find the beauty? Can we see past the prickly thorns in life and still enjoy the beauty of the roses? What if we treated each moment like it was our last? Even the not-so-good moments...
A Zen Story
One day while walking through the wilderness a man stumbled upon a vicious tiger. He ran but soon came to the edge of a high cliff. Desperate to save himself, he climbed down a vine and dangled over the fatal precipice. As he hung there, two mice appeared from a hole in the cliff and began gnawing on the vine. Suddenly, he noticed on the vine a plump wild strawberry. He plucked it and popped it in his mouth. It was incredibly delicious!
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In life are you focused on the weeds or the flowers?
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