This morning I am about 24 hours away from leaving for Alabama to spend 5 days with like minded martial artist in a setting that many would ask, “What does that have to do with martial arts?”
It is a learning experience for me. It is an opportunity for me to take the lessons I have learned on the mat like perseverance and put them into application in the real world. In this setting I can see the lessons my instructor is teaching in action. Taking all of the organizational, motivational and deep thinking skills and putting them into practice.
It is a time to demonstrate acts of kindness and peace and to honor those before us who have done the same. Martial arts may be about self defense, but in fact it is kindness, empathy, tolerance and celebration of differences that create peace. If the ideal meaning of health is energy – the ideal meaning of peace is happiness.
This trip is also a lesson in teaching leadership. Leadership is demonstrated by doing not just by sitting in a classroom and learning techniques of making people listen to you. The lessons I would like for all of our students to learn is about leadership. Thinking for oneself and doing something about what we see needs to be done.
See my journey in the UBBT at MY JOURNEY
The Greensboro Alabama project
Please check out this video about a project I am involved with and one of my personal living heroes, Pam Dorr. The members of the Ultimate Black Belt Test (UBBT) will be making their 5th annual visit to Greensboro, Alabama, March 25-29, 2009, this year to restore a historic educational and architectural landmark.
To learn more about the 2009 Project and why a group of martial artist would do this please go to My Journey page and you can see how I am involved and how you can help. If you want to know what Pam did in her previous life, ask me. It is so different from what she is doing now!!