Comments on: One Bold Reason to Live

By: S.Smith

S.Smith — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 16:26:08 +0000

Thanks Neal. Yeah, negativity has some attraction, some pull like some kind of magnet. Resistance is key, I suppose. Sometimes I play a game: no condemning, complaining, nor criticizing (no 3 C’s) for a whole day! I keeps me quiet.

By: Neal Martin

Neal Martin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 13:40:40 +0000

Hi Steven. Nicely put. I try not to get too pulled in by negativity of any kind these days, though sometimes it is hard resist, thanks my conditioning. I’m working on it though. I know things will get easier when I finally shed all of the baggage that weighs me down.

We were meant for greater things than bitching and moaning and complaining and being bored. Knowing this is one thing, believing it is another.

By: Josh Young

Josh Young — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 17:24:57 +0000

Great article!
It reminds me of me.

By: shasta

shasta — Sun, 03 May 2009 18:27:20 +0000

Agreed!! Lovely. Are you and Shannon really moving to Michigan? A month or so ago I met someone who’d just had dinner with the both of you, and she said you were off to the woods.?

By: Nate

Nate — Sun, 03 May 2009 05:45:19 +0000

Interesting to examine the concept of fear in our lives and to idenfity the things that we fear and how that causes us to act. Fear disquises itself as many things though, it takes a deep look to identify it – at least for me.

We all know someone like in this example and I’m sure we can all make a list of our own of the things they are protecting themselves from, the things they fear.

Be a warrior – face your fears, conquer them. Amongst other options, learn an internal art with strong and real martial application. I’ve personally benefited from studying at Real Taiji and am making clear and steady progress to becoming the warrior I need to be.

By: JC Carter

JC Carter — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 15:36:05 +0000

Very well put, Steven.

Boredom, ignorance, timidity, rudeness, etc., are all masks that we comfortably put on because it’s easier than facing our true selves. Delving into the internal arts like Taijiquan, Baguaquan, Tsing-Yi,Qigong, and even Falun Gong and traditional Yoga can help you to “safely” remove those masks and face yourself and learn to accept and like yourself without the masks.

PS, I like the Supreme-Ultimate Wake-Up slogan.

By: Ikigai

Ikigai — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 03:21:35 +0000

Well stated. The strong impulse to not stand out is only trumped by the desire to not have others stand out above you.

It’s a difficult trap to avoid.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 03:02:14 +0000

Excellent post! Rudeness is catchy. We have all returned rudeness with rudeness, and we all feel justified doing so. Biting one’s tongue to end the cycle is tough!

By: Robin

Robin — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 02:50:52 +0000

Let me just say, kudos for using a Lucha Libra mask in this post!

I find that the people who try to tell me that I can’t do something, usually feel that way themselves. They don’t want to risk taking off their mask, so they try to bring down others as a way of justifying hiding behind their fear and boosting their own ego. I see it as a way of running from fear – if I convince you that my mask is real, you will never challenge me and I will never have to confront myself. Boredom is safe…wonder is risky!

By: walt

walt — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:18:19 +0000

One thing I noticed early-on was that, as long as I had Taiji to practice, I would never be truly bored. But this has become truer than I originally thought.

For the striving-to-learn, the investigation, the grappling with the form and with myself — as you said, the “engagement” — all these finally will wake up the intelligence. And intelligence has an affinity with Truth, which cannot be exhausted.

So I adopted a saying of one of my mentors: “I may have many problems, but boredom is not one of them!”

Thanks for the post, Steven!