by Bill Perkins

Created on: April 30, 2008

I have been reflecting on the benefits of daily practice,
I recently
completed an intensive three day self defense training, thirty hours of
training in three days with practical skills demonstration and a written exam.
The Discipline from my daily practice served me well and enabled me to
remain focused and helped me to achieve a positive result. I am now a
certified Rape Aggression and Defense trainer, and I am

presenting this training as a community service.
I had many challenges
and opportunities to examine my skills, as this training was
designed to take me to the breaking point, pushing me to limits both
physically and mentally.

The formal training I have, and my daily practice from the Order of Pragmatic Buddhist's and Ki Aikido
allowed me to not only pass but I leaned much about myself. While under fire
so to speak my calmness manifested itself more than I imagined it
would, and I now truly see a direct benefit of daily practice.

The real work is with in your own mind.
Training to connect with the living quality of each moment. Coming
back to right here right now with gentleness and precision. Connecting
deeply to others and realizing that separation is the illusion.
Training in not causing harm and maintaining an open and flexible
mind. These are very practical and lasting effects of serious training
and are not for the feeble minded or weak at heart. True training
requires discipline and honest self reflection, not only of what to
train but why to train. Leaving behind your preconceived notions of reality and strength. Realizing there is nothing to attain but many things to get rid of... like habits of posture, negative thoughts, competitive and aggressive tendencies, the notions of fighting and winning. Daily Practice is letting go of holding on and enables us to connect deeply with ourselves and others which is the true purpose of my study.Think about how much pain we create by clinging to the illusion of separation, and the perpetuation of a culture of Violence. Now imagine how you can change this, how you can affect the collective consciousness and the realization of humanity?

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