A martial art has many moments of simplicity. A simple breath.  A simple movement.  A simple thought. One step forward. A block.  A punch. A sway of the arms in a circular motion. A tilt of the head.  A glance of the eyes. Anticipation. Patience. Focus.

On its own, each simple measure is weak.  When combined, all the power and diligence of the human spirit comes together.  Simplicity in a martial art swirls like a tornado, picking up the speed and pace as it falls into place.  All that  surrounds it, like mindfulness and attention, get sucked in, too.  A martial art, in its simplicity, becomes extraordinary.

A martial artist, too, can find simplicity in himself during practice.  In a quiet moment of thought, trying to put each movement of a new kata in place,  analyzing the various components of a kick, or practicing the steps that lead to an evasive technique, the martial artist’s mind seeks simplicity.  He wants to know that each movement and each technique means something and that all the essential steps are in place.  It takes a few moments of thought to recognize the intricacy of each moment of action.

I remember the first time I had to perform a kata in front of my peers.  It was a complicated moment only because I made it so.  The fear of doing it wrong, the worry of embarrassment, and the desire to be perfect made the very good opportunity to prove myself and enjoy the moment very complicated.

When I actually was performing the kata, however, I found simplicity.  My mind no longer had time to anticipate the worst.  Instead I focused on looking where I was going, keeping my fists tight, moving in strong but fluid pattern.  Breath and motion in unison.  Clean.  Concise.  Simple.  When it was over, I questioned myself as to why it took me so long to just enjoy the experience.

You notice simplicity, but fail to recognize it.

Have you ever wondered why there is so much beauty in a new-born baby? Why looking at the sky on a brilliantly sunny day is so amazing?  Why the taste of salty ocean air on your lips tastes so vibrant?  Why the smell of a flower ignites every other sense?

It is simplicity.

You are seeing, smelling, and tasting life’s most pleasurable simplicities.  Nothing matches them.  Nothing else feels quite the same.  Each singular moment in these expressions is a life-changing instant.  New life enters the world in the form of a helpless child.  Above the blue sky pours over life like a blanket.  The salty air awakens you to the meaning of life.  The flower, born from a simple seed, represents growing life and beauty.

Devouring each experience is all it takes to whittle down the complicated, stressful, inaccurate thoughts and feelings and actions that plague you day in, day out. Why then, do you not take the time to cherish the simple moments?

I don’t either.

Like you, a million things whisk me away from even thinking about simplicity.  There is work and family, laundry and chores, writing, teaching karate and working out.  There’s just not a lot of time in my life to slow down or analyze a simple, breathtaking moment.  Not until I am forced to, anyway.

There have been a couple of times in my life when everything came to a halting stop and I had to face simplicity in its most heartfelt form.  I’ve written a whole blog post about my third pregnancy which was a desperate physical and mental struggle after being told my baby would die in my fifth month of pregnancy.  I attribute my strong will, self-confidence, and martial art mindset to saving the pregnancy.

I spent six long weeks in the hospital.  Everything worked out in the long run.  During my days in the hospital, when I was on strict bed rest and able to only get up once in the morning to shower and to sit up only to eat, I spent the rest of the time flat on my back in a hospital bed.  This time, mostly alone,taught me a great deal about appreciation for simple moments.  Finally, I understood the depth of life.  Finally, I appreciated the smell of the flowers outside.  Finally, I got to know myself, my thoughts, and accept who I was.  These were all very simple, necessary moments that changed me forever.

I bet many of you can relate to a hospital stay.  It is not all that restful.  Nurses wake you up at all hours to take vital signs, doctors weave in and out with news that you are not sure will be hopeful or scary.  It smells funny there.  People moan in other rooms or in a bed next to you.  While the concept is to bring you back to health, you can’t help but feel like something is actually draining from you.

While you are there, you are alone with your thoughts.  For me, that stay was the first time I had an extended period of time by myself, other than doctors, nurses, and occasional family visits.  I had no responsibilities but to lay still and remain positive, and while those were extremely challenging responsibilities, I also learned a great deal about the simplicity of life.

Suddenly, the bad day at work the other day, the gossip, the broken friendships, or the negativity no longer mattered.  Those things were complicated and frustrating.  I was beyond that now and above it in so many ways.

It is unfortunate, I think, that we only witness simplicity in life when we are forced to slow down.  I’m grateful that my martial art allows me that sporadic chance to slow down the unnecessary thought processes that infiltrate my daily life.  I understand and appreciate simplicity through thoughtful practice.  When I am focused on what I am doing, when I experience the martial art moment as a very personal expression, then I am getting the bit of simplicity in my life that I need. It is no longer a forced moment, like the hospital stay; but rather, a true and meaningful simplicity that supersedes the glitches of the day and the misunderstandings of life.

It is time for you to find some simplicity in your life.  You can capture it in a variety of ways.  You can clean up the junk in your mind or the stuff in your house.  You can look out the window for five minutes or go outside and experience nature.  You can take a walk or a canoe ride, write a few thoughts in a journal, or read a poem and consider it.  There is no lack of avenues upon which you can walk; the issue is always allowing yourself the time to walk them.

Your simplicity has great possibilities. Bit by bit, the different pieces of you can emerge independently.  As they converge, you become more aware of the greatness around you. Your decisions, reactions, and love start to make sense.

It’s time for you to smell, hear, and see the simple moments in your life.  You will find yourself refreshed and rewarded for taking the time to do that.

Win at Life through simplicity.  At least tuck the complications away for a few brief moments each day so you can enjoy what life has to offer.

Andrea

 

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