Keeping the Fire Burning
Did you ever take on a task that seemed easy but totally bitchslapped you in the end? Did you have your eyes set on a goal that seemed far out of reach? When trying to get to this goal, did it ever seem that no matter how hard you worked or how hard you tried to focus on the goal...you got no results? The harder you tried to reach this goal...it seemed it just kept getting farther and farther from you. Whenever you thought you would be able to reach it...it seemed to run 10 steps ahead of you and you were gasping for breath trying to catch up?
I have been through this. However, recent events helped realize what was missing in my life. I admittedly do possess a good amount of self-discipline and focus. However, recently...I realized those two things aren't enough. You need to have build a fire inside and keep it burning. I know it sounds crazy or metaphorical, but as I am about to tell you...I use that phrase for good reason.
In June 2009, I had the opportunity to attend a camp known as "505". It was hosted by one of the premier Filipino warrior groups today: Atienza Kali. I have been studying Atienza Kali for 2 years and I must say it is probably the most unique and probably one of the most efficient Filipino Kali styles I have ever studied. What sets Atienza Kali apart is not just techniques or weapons. Rather, it is a lifestyle...a lifestyle that brings out the warrior in everyday people. I've been training martial arts since I was nine and I since then I was on a quest to find the one thing that would truly make me a WARRIOR, not just in fighting skill, but in all aspects of my life. I found that training in Atienza Kali.
During the camp, the other participants and I had to undergo many different exercises and drills. One of these drills didn't require martial arts skill or weapons. Instead, we were told to build a fire. Sounds easy right? Well, here's the catch: we had to build it in a bed of water...right after a major thunderstorm, with wet branches all around us. We were allowed to use anything at our disposal.
Myself, along with two other people in a group, had to perform this seemingly impossible task. As someone who has experiences starting camp fires and bonfires, I became the group leader. However, when I would build bonfires, I would use DRY wood and a host of other items. I won't say how I did it or what I used to start it....but...I did it. The water was high, the branches I used for firewood and the ground was soaking wet, but I stayed focused and found a way to do it.
While building this fire, I was in some kind of zone. When I was told to make the fire, I felt no doubt. No fear. I didn't care it was in the water. I didn't care we didn't have dry firewood. All I knew was that my team and I were going to build a fire. Period. Nothing was going to stop me from the task. I remember saying to myself: "I'm going to start this damn fire. I'm not going to be the one at this camp without a fire. This is happening...NOW." It got tough...I had to pull all my mental resources to figure out how to build this fire in such wet conditions. But within 4 minutes I was able to get a small, but stable fire going. Now, the toughest part to building any fire was keeping it going...but eventually, my group and I were able to keep it going strong. Eventually, the fire got stronger. I credit the previous mental training we were given at the camp for helping me reach this state of focus. But, looking back on that camp, the fire exercise is what impacted me the most and it's what stayed with me to this day.
This article isn't about Atienza Kali or 505 or what it did for me. That's a seperate entry altogether. However, I use the fire exercise as symbolic and representative of my mindset these last few months.
Before the camp, I still possessed a great deal of focus and discipline, but something was missing. Things in my life were going good...but not GREAT. Despite possessing self-discipline and focus, I still had a lot of doubt in myself and what I could do.
In the last few months, I experienced things that made me question my capabilities, my goals in life, and my chances of attaining those goals. I have been surrounded by people in my life who keep telling me that I can't do it, or that it's impractical to do what I want to accomplish. I was also being confronted by people who were blatantly disloyal to me. No matter how hard I seemed to focus on the task in front of me, my mental stress from all the negativity around me was hindering me. Before, when I would reach those goals, it seemed that they would run away from me and I had to work ten times harder to reach them again. However, today, I retain the fire exercise in my head. The fire exercise represents my mindset as of the last few months after 505: Nothing is impossible no matter how crazy it may seem. Shut off your emotions, shut off your doubts...and get it done. Period. Don't blame your circumstances. Don't blame the people around you or what they say. Just do what you gotta do to get the job done. You can get the job done. You can complete the mission. Just shut up, shut the assholes out, and just do it.
Since doing that fire exercise and taking the lessons from it with me, I realized that my life really improved these last few months. I have been making more money than before. I have gotten more students now. I have gotten closer to my family and my girlfriend. Once I began to focus on eliminating doubt from my mind, things started falling into place. I will keep the faith and I feel God will keep this going.
So many of us blame our circumstances for who we are and what we are. Nonsense. So many of us blame negative people in our life for who we are and why can't accomplish things. NONSENSE. The only thing holding us back from attaining what we want is OURSELVES. God gave us intelligence and free will...why don't we take that into consideration and live happily as God wants us to?
I'm keeping the fire going. What about you?
I have been through this. However, recent events helped realize what was missing in my life. I admittedly do possess a good amount of self-discipline and focus. However, recently...I realized those two things aren't enough. You need to have build a fire inside and keep it burning. I know it sounds crazy or metaphorical, but as I am about to tell you...I use that phrase for good reason.
In June 2009, I had the opportunity to attend a camp known as "505". It was hosted by one of the premier Filipino warrior groups today: Atienza Kali. I have been studying Atienza Kali for 2 years and I must say it is probably the most unique and probably one of the most efficient Filipino Kali styles I have ever studied. What sets Atienza Kali apart is not just techniques or weapons. Rather, it is a lifestyle...a lifestyle that brings out the warrior in everyday people. I've been training martial arts since I was nine and I since then I was on a quest to find the one thing that would truly make me a WARRIOR, not just in fighting skill, but in all aspects of my life. I found that training in Atienza Kali.
During the camp, the other participants and I had to undergo many different exercises and drills. One of these drills didn't require martial arts skill or weapons. Instead, we were told to build a fire. Sounds easy right? Well, here's the catch: we had to build it in a bed of water...right after a major thunderstorm, with wet branches all around us. We were allowed to use anything at our disposal.
Myself, along with two other people in a group, had to perform this seemingly impossible task. As someone who has experiences starting camp fires and bonfires, I became the group leader. However, when I would build bonfires, I would use DRY wood and a host of other items. I won't say how I did it or what I used to start it....but...I did it. The water was high, the branches I used for firewood and the ground was soaking wet, but I stayed focused and found a way to do it.
While building this fire, I was in some kind of zone. When I was told to make the fire, I felt no doubt. No fear. I didn't care it was in the water. I didn't care we didn't have dry firewood. All I knew was that my team and I were going to build a fire. Period. Nothing was going to stop me from the task. I remember saying to myself: "I'm going to start this damn fire. I'm not going to be the one at this camp without a fire. This is happening...NOW." It got tough...I had to pull all my mental resources to figure out how to build this fire in such wet conditions. But within 4 minutes I was able to get a small, but stable fire going. Now, the toughest part to building any fire was keeping it going...but eventually, my group and I were able to keep it going strong. Eventually, the fire got stronger. I credit the previous mental training we were given at the camp for helping me reach this state of focus. But, looking back on that camp, the fire exercise is what impacted me the most and it's what stayed with me to this day.
This article isn't about Atienza Kali or 505 or what it did for me. That's a seperate entry altogether. However, I use the fire exercise as symbolic and representative of my mindset these last few months.
Before the camp, I still possessed a great deal of focus and discipline, but something was missing. Things in my life were going good...but not GREAT. Despite possessing self-discipline and focus, I still had a lot of doubt in myself and what I could do.
In the last few months, I experienced things that made me question my capabilities, my goals in life, and my chances of attaining those goals. I have been surrounded by people in my life who keep telling me that I can't do it, or that it's impractical to do what I want to accomplish. I was also being confronted by people who were blatantly disloyal to me. No matter how hard I seemed to focus on the task in front of me, my mental stress from all the negativity around me was hindering me. Before, when I would reach those goals, it seemed that they would run away from me and I had to work ten times harder to reach them again. However, today, I retain the fire exercise in my head. The fire exercise represents my mindset as of the last few months after 505: Nothing is impossible no matter how crazy it may seem. Shut off your emotions, shut off your doubts...and get it done. Period. Don't blame your circumstances. Don't blame the people around you or what they say. Just do what you gotta do to get the job done. You can get the job done. You can complete the mission. Just shut up, shut the assholes out, and just do it.
Since doing that fire exercise and taking the lessons from it with me, I realized that my life really improved these last few months. I have been making more money than before. I have gotten more students now. I have gotten closer to my family and my girlfriend. Once I began to focus on eliminating doubt from my mind, things started falling into place. I will keep the faith and I feel God will keep this going.
So many of us blame our circumstances for who we are and what we are. Nonsense. So many of us blame negative people in our life for who we are and why can't accomplish things. NONSENSE. The only thing holding us back from attaining what we want is OURSELVES. God gave us intelligence and free will...why don't we take that into consideration and live happily as God wants us to?
I'm keeping the fire going. What about you?
posted by Mike Pana at
8:05 AM
1 Comments:
Yo, enjoyed your post man.
I just started practicing FMA, and I love it a lot. Not just cause its heritage or practical, but same thing you found: its a lifestyle, a philosophy. I'm currently practicing under Giron's style and the main lesson they make is that of the preservation of life. It's a good thing to live by. Mixed with my own studies on warrior-living, it makes life a lot better for me than American entrepreneurship.
Anyway, keep up your work bro. You're serving a lot people, and its great to hear someone else wanting to keep culture alive and relevant, for the good of others.
-Velasco
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