This is extraordinary! It is a perfect example of discipline in action…that could only have come from a tremendous amount of practice.
These drummers could not have walked out onto the field and completed this routine without consistent practice. Similarly, you will only be able to achieve mastery through practiced discipline.
What, at first, may seem impossible actually is possible…however, work is required. And the work is where enlightenment is found :)
(Thanks for sharing, J!)
A ballad singer studied under a strict teacher who insisted that he rehearse day after day, month after month the same passage from the same song, without being permitted to go any further.
Finally, overwhelmed by frustration and despair, the young man ran off to find another profession. One night, stopping at an inn, he stumbled upon a recitation contest. Having nothing to lose, he entered the competition and, of course, sang the one passage that he knew so well.
When he had finished, the sponsor of the contest highly praised his performance. Despite the student’s embarrassed objections, the sponsor refused to believe that he had just heard a beginner perform. “Tell me,” the sponsor said, “who is your instructor? He must be a great master.” The student later became known as the great performer Koshiji.
-Zen story
Photo source: Margravial Opera House (Bavaria)
Yanni (1954-present) is a Greek pianist, keyboardist, and world renowned composer and music producer. His songs are magical, but “The Rain Must Fall” (from his performance Live at the Acropolis) will always hold a special place in my heart because of the out-of-this-world solo violinist performance by Karen Briggs (goose bumps start at 4:07 mark!).
I will always remember my Grandmother calling me to tune into the performance to watch the “woman in the red dress!” Though I have had the incredible opportunity to see Yanni Live, the performance wasn’t the same without Karen! I hope that you will enjoy this performance as much as I do :)
You don’t have to let what others say affect you negatively. Others may say the words, but you choose your attitude.
Affirmation to say out loud: The only power that criticism has is the power I give it; therefore, I choose to ignore the critics. What others say about me is none of my business.
From: Attitude is Everything by Keith Harrell
Photo source: happy :)
DEAR SAGE: I had a craving for unhealthy, fattening, non nutritious food today. I went to Whole Foods and bought a pint of ice cream, a small kosher pound cake (not that Kosher makes a big difference in calorie count) and a chocolate bar. When I got home, i nearly ate all of it…well, i haven’t opened the chocolate bar. But if it wasn’t for me accidentally flinging a large scoop of the ice cream on the floor, i probably would have finished the entire pint. I also didn’t finish the poundcake…but not because i was practicing any type of discipline…if i took another bite i would have thrown up. ugh…why do i do things like this? Please help.
DEAR OVER-EATER: I know how you feel! I have been guilty of this same type of behavior! I do not consider those to be my proudest moments, but at the time, my focus was on eating all of the wrong things…and it tasted great! For a brief moment. So I’m proud of you for going for the pint [instead of the gallon] and the small cake [instead of the family size]! And that large scoop falling to the floor was probably your subconscious slowing you down haha Let’s try to get to the heart of the matter:
The reality is that eating is closely tied to our emotions and hormones. I can speak for women and say that we have a particularly difficult time every month when we experience hormonal changes. And when our emotions [men or women: related to relationships, work, and life] go through changes, our mind tells us that food can provide comfort and make us feel better. Of course, this does not really happen, but we feel strongly that it will. The instant gratification that comes from bad food can frighteningly add 5 pounds to our bodies for 5 seconds of taste! [What a rip off!]
So the key here is to outsmart yourself. If you can, try to eat something filling [even if it’s a protein bar or a piece of fruit] before you dig into the sweets. And if you still have an urgent craving, buy the smallest size possible and give-away [or even throw away] at least half! Because we are “programmed” as children to clean our plates, we are often not mentally satisfied until everything is gone…and then we realize our stomach is overly full after we stop! Try to control your portion size up front so that you reduce the risk of this result.
My dear, even the most stringent eating programs often advocate a “cheat day” to account for our emotional ties to food. So do not allow yourself to be overcome with guilt! Allowing yourself to give in a little, no more than once per week [in moderation!] can be a great way to motivate yourself to exercise and eat healthy during the other days of the week. As you find more and more healthy alternatives [e.g. fruit and sweet veggies instead of candy], you will have less occasion to need those cheat days. Regular exercise and meditation will also give you those positive endorphines to boost your mood without food! As we talked about in the bliss post (www.selenasage.com/bliss/), we try to gain happiness through the body, but it is not possible. True happiness comes from awareness of our divinity, appreciating our joys, and living an authentic life (filled with prayers of thanks and meditation to connect with our divinity)!
YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL! You have all you need to maintain a healthy lifestyle! YOU ARE DIVINE! And you are totally forgiven for your cheat day! You are on the right path to separate happiness and food associations to get to a higher level of consciousness…where happiness is tied to your joyful state of mind and the presence of Heaven within you!
Every day gives us a new day to put our health first! So get rid of that chocolate bar and go for a run! Then shower and meditate on all of the joys in your life! ;)
Love and light,
A student came to his teacher and said he was confused. He’d been observing his teacher give counsel now for several months, and it seemed that the teacher never gave the same advice. Not only that, he appeared to give contradictory advice to his students. The student asked for an explanation, for he could find none of his own.
The teacher answered, “It’s really quite simple. It’s as if I’m looking at each situation from a perch above, helping others find the center. Some are to the left, and I tell them to go right; others are to the right and I tell them to go left. To those below, I say go up; to those above, I say go down. The words are not important — finding our center is all that matters.”
-Zen parable
Photo source: wave center