Limited
When I was young I always imagined that when I got to the level of master, I would share with the whole world the many secrets that are only written on forgotten scrolls or talked about in rumors and Chinese fairy tales. But from the beginning of my training it was obvious that you may only learn what you are willing to see and you may only see what you are willing to believe. Therefore if I share something with you that is unbelievable, your mind will reject your eyes as it seeks a method to discredit what is illogical.
For example if you went outside today and witnessed a UFO, wouldn't you be excited to share your findings with your friends? But you would find that after telling those around you of your experience that they would first tease you about your eyes playing tricks on you, call you a liar, followed by a genuine concern for your health. The more you would try to explain such an incident the more your loved ones would feel worried, upset and even angry. Your good deed in sharing information would leave you with the gift of being titled insane. After a while you would begin to question what your own eyes witnessed and therefore would come into agreement that you were mentally unstable.
On the other hand I what if I made a youtube video with me floating in the sky and levitating? If I floated above a lake with no assistance, strings or hidden props and displayed it for the world to see, would it finally be proof of the impossible? Actually they would very quickly say that I was a conman or a magician who uses trick photography to manipulate my followers.
The truth is that no amount of evidence would ever be enough for the nonbeliever. Yet every piece of information that we receive is based on faith of one type or another. Pretty much everyone believes in the existence of mars, though very few have seen it with their own eyes. They do not doubt all of the historical facts that have been written, without ever questioning the writers or their intentions. Most believe that we have landed on the moon, we constructed the pyramids and that our soldiers are dying for our freedom. Even though all of us could never be an eye witness to these events, all of these things are known as facts.
If I truly could fly, it would be very useful for myself and I would enjoy the truth of my knowledge even though the world would call me a liar. We can also live comfortably believing that we are in a country that is fighting for our rights even if what they are doing is exactly the opposite. Just to be clear I'm not making any statements, I'm only speaking on my observations. The only thing that makes a fact a fact is faith in that particular fact. In the end all disagreements in science, religion or kung fu are based on personal faith.
I once heard someone say that the universe is so infinitely huge, that you are actually the center of the universe. What you are willing to believe, you will see and eventually become a part of. What you are unwilling to believe, you will most likely never be able to see.
In my old Taekwondo class I saw one of the masters kick an apple into two perfect halves. Both me and my brothers were in shock and awe as we were determined to be able to perform the same feat. Because it was true to me and my brothers, thirty years later we have never rested in refining our human physical and spiritual potential. The class also had many skeptics, who witnessed the very same thing. They did not believe what they saw and made excuses of how it came to pass. Therefore today many decades have passed without them training a single movement. In their mind it was impossible and that gave them permission to no longer try.
Your personal faith is important because aside from martial arts it will enhance or limit everything you come across. The way you see people, yourself or God is a matter of your faith. No matter who you are, you must have faith in something. So the more important question is why do you have this belief? Is it based on fear, pride, love, joy, hope or death?
Before I came to Taiwan for the first time I had just found a reliable job at the bank. Many told me that I was a fool to leave my job for something that I was uncertain of in another land that I had never been to. Yet my faith told me that God would guide me to all of the desires in my heart, which were not in the bank. Years later I found all the things that I was looking for on my personal quest. Not to mention that the bank that offered me the reliable job has been closed down for many years. I made my decision based on hope or my love for God, which continues to pull me where I want to be to this day.
This choice comes before me in many forms almost daily and every time I choose hope and not fear, the joy in my life is multiplied. This is why for me, God is not a matter of faith, but a matter of truth. Others find themselves in the same situation but continually refuse the dreams that God brings before them. They put their faith in money or self-pride and find themselves only as stable as the economy. You can buy a good house, but you can never buy a good family. You can buy a nice bed, but you can never buy a nice rest. Everyday you will be forced to make crucial decisions based on your faith and in the end you will have what you put your trust in.
Many of the monks isolate themselves from society so that they may gain clarity, this is also the source that we hear of many legendary secret movements. It is no coincidence that you must first be isolated before you can reach the highest levels of human potential. However you don't necessarily need to leave society, you just need to be able to separate your own faith, from the faith of society. In short you have to stop letting others think for you, so that you may see who you truly are. Because we are continually force fed dreams of becoming superstars or owning gucci, our own dreams become corrupted by the business of corporations. At the same time we are told that magic and monsters are only a myth although it is written in the history of every single culture. These types of history now fall under the category of superstitions, myths and legends, which is basically a nice way of calling our ancestors dumb, crazy or liars.
Because of our short life spans, both our history and future can only be seen through a thick haze or uncertain fog. Where you are going, who you are and what you will become will be determined by what you believe. Never waste time trying to make others see what you see, for you will exhaust yourself if they have already made up their mind to not see. No evidence will ever be enough for others to appreciate or respect you. Only through finding respect for yourself, with others be able to follow in suit. The truth is that most people you meet will make up their mind of who you are within the first few minutes. Only by maintaining your faith will you have the power to stay on your pathway to success. We are what we believe and we will never do what we don't believe. Use your faith as a means to overcome and achieve the impossible. Never use your faith as an excuse to quit.
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