Abbax8
02-12-2005, 14:02
I read an interesting article in a Catholic periodical on the Life of St. Benedict. St. Benedict lived around 450 A.D. and was responsible for developing a set of rules which became the model for Western Monasticism. What struck me was that the rules of St. Benedict are also applicable to Martial Artists who see MA as a means of developing the whole person. In a nutshell, Benedict advised 1) that all people work to earn their living. 2) that everyone sets aside a specific amount of time each day for prayer/meditation. 3) That one NOT neglect the importance of relaxation and social interaction with others. To bring this to the present day, each MA should strive to find the right balance between Work/Training/Spiritual Development/Fun to keep from becoming stale. I know in my own life, I frequently lose control and find myself RUNNING to try to keep up with everything, often neglecting areas I should not neglect. Benedict specifed a specific number of hours for work/rest/prayer/etc. People who have followed his rule have reported success in their efforts to grow spiritually. Such an approach should work if it is possible to protect training times/rest & fun times from specified work and busy times. I intend to look at my schedule (sic) and see if I can make some improvements.
Peace
Dennis
Peace
Dennis