Pangs of Regret

Do you sometimes feel that if you don't practice/train physically on any particular day that you are neglecting the "Way?"

The Goju Dojo Kun says, "Practice daily and protect traditional karate" and Grasshopper interprets the kanji she was provided by Higaonna Sensei as, "Through disciplined daily training, strive to carefully protect/guard traditional karate."

Isshinryu dojo kun is a bit more forgiving, "Devote one’s mental concentration and practice sincerely during the course of training."

Today I just felt like I need a break for both my mind and body were "Tired." Normally I just ignore it and go about training but on occasion I just have to break away. When I do I have a few pangs of regret like I am going to miss out on something; a big break in my studies and training. In this I wait a few minutes and move forward.

In reality I firmly believe we must find balance in all things which is what we can derive from the study of the dojo kun, the kenpo gokui, and many other ancient texts. The body needs movement and work to remain healthy yet at the same time it needs to reach to the opposite where the body has time to recoup, regenerate, grow, and to become more. It can only be done with a modicum of temperance in training.

Simply avoid excesses in all things. Allow for the natural evolution of all things which includes your mind and body. There is an excess of training; an excess of not training; one must find that medium where you attain maximum benefit from what you do in life.

Take the time to recharge; allow your body to talk to you and know when to train and when not to train.

Temper; to temper the mind-body-spirit; temperance or the trait of avoiding excesses; to temper training and practice or temperance; to moderate or moderation...many different ways with the same result, much like the many "Way's" of Te, they all have the same path just different ways to follow it. All this is to be tempered with a modicum of temperance.