In this thread: What short stories/teachings have you got to share?

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A Martial arts student went to his teacher and asked earnestly, "I am devoted to studying your martial system. How long will it take me to master it?" The teacher's reply was casual, "Ten years." Impatiently, the student answered, "But I want to master it faster than that. I will work very hard. I will practice everyday, ten or more hours a day if I have to. How long will it take then?" The teacher thought for a moment, "20 years."
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A Student once asked his teacher, "Master, what is enlightenment?"

The master replied, "When hungry, eat. When tired, sleep."

Good post Kin. I'll tell you the most important lesson I have learned over the last several months as I have thought about it quite a bit.
Learn to accept help when you need it. It's really not easy for those of us who feel normally self sufficient and strong. I realize that I use to have too much pride to accept help,but what can you do except make it hard on yourself when you need it. I know there's alot of people here who would help someone in need without hesitation and I am the same way,but for some reason it was really hard for me to accept it myself.

I realize my life is a lot happier when I let my feelings guide me where I need to go.
$ If you dont diversify your assets, you might as well put all your money on black. $

Let go, and don't be afraid.

In all things, in all aspects, let go. It is a lesson that seems to get harder as I get older.

Yes harlan, it seems that no matter how heavy a burden, letting go is even harder, go figure!

"If a warrior is to succeed at anything, the success must come gently, with a great deal of effort but with no stress or obsession."
- Carlos Castaneda

I've become stressful and obsessed with the forum; which is just the opposite of what this medium of supplimentary training is capable of....if used correctly. obviously, I haven't used it correctly. I'll think about it for a while and report back.
peace.

My 12th grade science teacher gave me a good lesson on self reliance.

I strolled early into class one day, and happened to see a section of a tree sitting on one of the tables. I noticed that the "growth rings" were more tightly packed on one side than the other.

I sat down and asked the teacher why are the rings like that? He looked dead at me, started to answer, and then stopped himself. "You tell ME." he says.

I was insulted and angered that he would not answer me. I felt like saying "Excuse me, you are supposed to teach me! Give me the answer!"

So I sat there, fuming. FINE, I thought, I'LL FIGURE IT OUT MYSELF. So I thought, and thought and thought, turning over in my tiny addled brain all the different factors that might account for it. Animals? Wind? Rain?......Wait.....I got it.

I told the teacher my answer. Correct! I was very proud of myself, and in a thunderbolt suddenly understood that my education was not anyone elses job. It was MINE.

While I had somewhat already known that as far as MA were concerned, that experience really cemented it for me, as something that applied to all aspects of life.

So, thanks, Mr. Lear. If you ever read this, you did teach me something.

I grew up in a big family that talked a lot, and got 'lessons' all the time...usually in the form of stories. In the telling of stories, sometimes the lesson is the point of the story, or something that 'arises' from the event. It can be an 'aha' moment. Or a simple change in view that alters one's path so subtlely that only over time can the accrued benefit be seen. One learns to be still, be quiet, and to simply observe.

I enjoyed this today.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/26/nyregion/26lens.html?8hpib=&pagewanted=print

"If a teacher is indeed wise, he does not bid you enter the house of his wisdom, but rather leads you to the threshold of your own mind." -Kahil Gibran

Never, never did I expect anything more from starting a martial art than some exercise. Lesson one: a martial art is about reaching one's own mind.

My introduction has taken twice as long seeing as I am double minded.

Goes a long way in explaining why half the time I don't have a clue WHAT you are talking about!

Me either.

Half of me says "I second that.", but the other half says I only 50% agree with you.

lesson learned: I don't believe 2/4 of what I'm thinking.

Newbie lesson...just in from my third class in Goju:

Don't wear perfume on class days. (Not exactly 'the stink of zen' )

I want to know how he relayed this lesson to you:

Was he nice about it? as you are walking out, he says...'oh, by the way...'?
or
was it more like 'next time you come smelling like roses, youll be pushing up daisies.' ?

Oh, nothing like that! It was like, I'm concentrating on pulling the guy in close...and then this overwhelming smell... Suppose it's better than farting, or halitosis...

Having only done weapons and kata, I never realized that MA was so intrusive of personal space.

All of my lessons that come from this forum are on threads that I hope are never seen again.

The moral? Learn from your mistakes.