Nutrition, etc.

We all can agree that nutrition plays a vital part in our lives. To achieve a level of proficiency in mind and body, to achieve a level of fitness, health, and well being rely on proper nutrition.

When I speak of nutrition I am talking about what we consume to provide that perfect balance resulting in health, fitness, and well being.

We can all agree that in regards to the food we consume that what we put into our bodies does have an effect on what we see, feel, hear, think, say, sense, and do. This includes karate-do.

When we think of balance we first think of our bodies so we remain erect and don't fall down and go boom resulting in possible injuries, etc. When we think of balance in karate-do we relate that to our minds, bodies, and heart.

When we think of nutrition we think of what tastes good and gives us pleasure which does not always balance out to the optimal fuel necessary to achieve balance in our mind, body, and spirit.

Think of it when we drink alcohol. If we consume a moderate amount then it tends to have a positive benefit to our overall health. When we take it to excess, or out of healthful balance for the mind, body, and spirit, then the benefits diminish and turn to the hard or such things as inattention, loss of equilibrium, fogging of the mind, and diminishing of the spirit. Our senses are dulled so we do not see everything, we are not focused on hearing everything, we lose the ability to make decisions, our muscles and reflexes are dulled to a sluggish state, and we are no longer in control of our mind, body, and spirit.

We must achieve a balance in our mind, body, and spirit; we must find balance with our environment, fellow man, or heave, earth, and heart. We lose our balance in all things which is not in compliance with our "Way" which is derived from the Kenpo Gokui.

When we let our nutritional needs go astray then it effects our mind, bodies, and spirit which in turn effects our practice and training. Eating foods that are processed or are artificially modified does not constitute a balance with heaven, earth, and heart. There is a natural rhythm in our universe and following the "way" is a singular form that helps us to see where we need to adjust the weights until they are balanced.

If we think of string theory we know that we are all connected and the strength or weakness of that connection is effected by everything we do to include the fuel we provide ourselves.

Take heart, connect with heaven and earth, create balance with nature and the universe. Optimize the mind, body, and spirit and bring it in balance so the connection with nature is strong. Don't be the weak thread in the string.

Create a means of living that is neither to hard or to soft. Create a rhythm that allows us to flow from one to the other when needed but to always arrive at a balance point between the two. When punching remain soft until you reach that critical point then become hard but allow the balance to return so you may move on to the next event.

Remain balanced between hard and soft so you may be able to change direction in both combat and in life to achieve your objectives.

When meeting resistance allow yourself to remain balanced between soft and hard so you can change and move accordingly. Soft allows us to bend with the resistance reducing and redirecting it so when we become hard we can overcome and restore our balance in nature.

To remain in balance means we are in a state that allows us to shift from drinking or inhaling to spitting or exhaling in a moment. It allows us the positive state of relaxation so we can become soft to change and move or hard to overcome and restore balance.

To fuel our mind, body, and soul provides nutritional balance so our "ki" flows with no resistance so the cycles of the body carry energy through out the body much like the cycles of the sun and moon.

By achieving balance through practice we achieve balance in life and the result is balance with heaven, earth, and within our heart.