Copyright © 2024 Movement Athletics | Powered By 
A friend, colleague, fellow teacher in the world of Health and Wellness recommded this book to me a while ago. His name is Logermund Nathamundi. He's an Acroyoga, Qi Gong, Thai Massage, and Yoga Instructor. He told me he felt I was already living many of the aspects covered in this book - of course hearing a book that could in theory be about my life, I took an interest in Reading it. The next few blogs will cover a few quotes, and personal summaries as translated by my mind in my life's experience. I'm by no means a Master of these, simply a man seeking Kung Fu - or Mastery of myself to live a whole, balanced life. One that might be an example to those who've lost their way and feel at a loss in their health journey.
Chapter 1 - The Law of Esprit: This is the joy in our life. One day I was speaking to my mother about doing what we love in life, and she summed it up to me, that we should find a way to find 'Joy' in what we are doing. Simply said, I thought to myself. I have found this to be easy in my Proffession. A few values have emerged for me as a Coach in the Health & Fitness Industry:
1 Satisfaction: life has become a pleasant experience, watching people transform their mindset, leading their bodies to a stronger version, and many of them becoming more in touch with their spirit.
2 Creativity: the path to well physical being has so many ways, from Martial Arts, to Weight Training, Yoga, Nutritional Change, Obstacale Course Training...it's never boring! How to train and move human bodies has become an art, a game of a sort that makes things fun!
3 Wisdom: Working with many people of different walks of life, different challenges that each individual lives and I have their earned trust to be let into their life and help them discover ways to overcome these experiences. Through their lives I've been able to reflect and see how it applies to my life. I'm grateful to each of you for this.
Chapter 2 - Personal Accountability: If it's going to be, it's up to me. -- Robert H. Schuller
Yes, we all must become aware of our actions before, and after training sessions. What did we eat before going into a training session? A burrito and red bull...what a disasterous mix!
What was our mindset? "Here comes the punishment for being overweight..." NO! That doesn't make for an empowering experience with our teammates or the relationship with our coach.
We can't rely on Doctors to cure us or our coach to create a miracle transformation. Behaviors contribute to illness or wellness; like eating, drugs, smoking, alcohol, exercise or lack of it all effect our physical health.
Responses, both emotional and spiritual can lead to physical changes. Do we fall into Anger when something goes wrong? Do we experience and get stuck in feelings or regret after a wrong choice? It is scientifically proven that people who think in these ways constantly are more easily sick, depressed, and experience poor relationships. So it is up to us to place ourselves in an environment that is empowering, positive, and challenging us to stretch and grow! To find the good in the bad things that happen.
Chapter 3 The Law of Unity - The part can never be well unless the whole is well. -- Plato
Mind, Body, and Soul. Since SED Fitness opened doors 2013 it was a motto on business cards. I always knew that people (myself included) needed to address all these parts, some more than others.
Some people focus PURELY on the soul...we see them all the time, they go to church 4 or 5 days a week, leading youth groups, serving ministry, living a seemingly peaceful life. But they eat crap, and make no time for physical exercise...forgetting that when the good book says the body is a temple, they are also supposed to keep it strong and in good form.
How about those who absorb knowledge from Purely studying, reading, researching, not making time for spiritual growth or physical training? We see their rounded Hunch Back of Notredame posture, and weakened body.
Then there are those who spend all their time laboring in the gym, and not making time for medition, or prayer, and live a life in the purely physical world. Often not nourishing the Mind or the Soul, forgetting that muscle and tight skin will one day shrink, wrinkle, and time will overcome all the training they thought would keep them eternally young.
Balance...we must find a balance. There will always be somebody faster & stronger...there will always be someone smarter,...and there will always be someone who has memorized more scripture and prays morning and night. Finding the balance that makes you truly whole is a personal journey, and only from reflection can we discover where we need to give more time. Life has its seasons, sometimes we need more of 1 than the other,..and that is ok. It's a personal journey, find it.
Chapter 4: Law of Physical Activity - "Use it or Lose It."
Such a simple quote could never be so true. When I went to idea in 2015 this was so apparent. I was giving a tour to 3 Elementary School teachers in the New Delhi slums, each in there mid - 50's. Every time we stopped at some Hindu home they were offered to take a seat, each time they declined. By the 3rd home when they declined the hospitality, I curiously asked why they wouldn't have a seat, after all the performanced were 5-10 minutes long and we were walking plenty (assuming they would were afraid of germs or getting their nice clothes dirty). To my surprise, they stated they would not like to be challenged with having to get up,...their knees were 'bad'. I was astonished!
To prove a point here, I met a 90 year old Indian woman who washed her dishes in the walk ways of the slum, in a full ass to grass squat literally her rear end a couple centimeters from the ground. She did not look in pain,..age is not the problem, it is action or lack of. She used it all her life, and did not lose it.
No excuse is great enough to keep us from moving our body, so go!
Chapter 5: Law of Nutritional Frugality - A little goes a long way.
I've recognized in my personal experience and observation of both mechanics and human body what helps us live long lives. The above law may sound like being on a diet...truth is our body can be compared to a machine in a sense. The more you 'run' the engine of your car, the more 'wear & tear' occurs. So you are constantly having to put fuel in the vehicle and the motor is being used up. Same with our body, it has to work to digest food and use what it needs for energy, any over indulgence results in fat gain and sickness. Slightly under eating can lead to weight loss, but compounded with exercise and supplementation where needed, we can greatly elongate the span of our life. I see how Fasting can help us with improved healing, cell regeneration, mental clarity, and many other scientifically proven benefits. Look at that as a long term effect on a different level when you 'Eat to Live' vs 'Live to Eat'. Don't take my word for it, try it for yourself and do it for 3-6 months before making a determination. You have to commit to the process and take notes on how things are different for yourself. It takes thoughtfullness and with the end in mind.
Chapter 6: Law of Minimal Medical Invasiveness
What this boils down to, is taking charge of your health and utilizing surgeries or prescriptions only when all else fails. It's too easy to go to a doctor and get a prescription for Depression, A.D.D., uneccessary surgery, pain medication. Look for all the alternative options that you can, ultimately our behaviors can make a great impression on our health. Vitamins, exercise, whole foods, managing stress, all factors to preventing cancer, and other dis-eases.
Chapter 7: Law of Stress - Hardiness "It's not what happens to you. It's what you do about it. -W. Mitchell "Survivor"
Let's face it, we all have shit happening to us. Just like the quote about states, how do we react to the things that happen is the only control we have, and that is plenty. So instead of being a crybaby and Spamming your social media with poor me sympathize for me and my terrible situation (usually light 1st world problems that are minimal in the big picture).
STOP. Reflect. What is the Universe challenging me to do about this? What is the 'light' at the end of the tunnel? How am I'm being challenged to stretch and grow? What are the new opportunities presented to me by the energetic flow? Ok an injury has slowed me down from hard training, what reading, writing, art, musical, or slower internal practice can I learn and be creative and still serve others with? Ok, maybe you've been diagnosed with a disease and life is looking short...what are the things we are supposed to have gratitude about? What things did you say someday one day I will get around to doing...but NOW is the time to do them since next month or next year is no guarantee? GO do it now! Who have you been meaning to make peace with, forgive, and love? Live now, don't wait.
Next Post my personal experience on Chapters 8 through 16 will come from me in Chengdu.
Cheers and see you soon!