The unexpected rewards of exiting your comfort zone

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1. The unexpected rewards of exiting your comfort zone

Have you ever noticed how most of the goals you have are not "easy" to accomplish? On a bad day you might sit around moaning "Geez, I really want to change but this is not going to be easy!" On a good day you realize the very fact your goal is not "easy" to attain is exactly what makes it so worthwhile.

I came to Japan twenty years ago with the express purpose of studying Aikido. I wasn't 100% sure what I wanted to accomplish. Rather, I had a vague yet powerful goal of achieving some form of self mastery. For my first three years in Tokyo I studied Aikido on an average of 30 hours a week. Such a level of commitment made it necessary for me to get up at 4:30 every day but Sunday. Take a moment, put yourself in my futon, and imagine what it was like at times...

It is pitch dark in the middle of winter, and the alarm clock goes off interrupting my dream of lying on a warm beach in Bermuda. My hand ventures out from under my cozy covers to turn off what in my dream is a siren warning of a shark attack, and WOW! do I suddenly realize it is COLD out there in Tokyo.

The small kerosene heater I had in my room, simply was not able to keep pace with the plummeting temperature, and in my internal dialogue I shout out, "Oh my goodness, I can see my breath!"

As I take a moment to come up with several creative excuses for staying in bed, I all of a sudden realize the pitter patter sound I am hearing outside is the sound of freezing rain! I'm immediately ready to call off the whole day, or even the whole week if necessary!

Somehow, miraculously I did get out of bed every single morning, and I must say that I was often surprised by my dedication. I wondered what the drive was that led me to literally leave my "comfort zone" and venture out into an often uninviting environment. There were times I wondered if I was not simply being obsessive.

Twenty years have passed since I first stepped off the plane in Japan, and my "obi" or belt, has absorbed a LOT of sweat along the way. Indeed the custom is to never wash your obi, so as to never wash out all of your hard work and experience. In looking back I often find myself having two different impressions of my time here. On the one hand I hear in my head the illustrious poet Bob Dylan singing, "Time is a jet plane, it moves so fast..." On the other hand, I experience that the passage of time has been rich, full, and beautifully complex.

I have known for quite a while that I did indeed benefit greatly by getting up out of bed every morning, and not allowing myself to stay in the comfort zone of my futon. But just the other day I learned in a very profound way, just how important my years of training have been. I was out rollerblading as I do most every day when I am home in Tokyo. Protectors on my elbows, knees, and hands, and recently a helmet as well. As I was coming towards a small intersection which I had the right of way at, I braked lightly in case anyone coming from the left or right wasn't paying full attention. This is a precaution that I always take.

There I was, slowly sliding into the intersection and looking both ways as all of a sudden my life began to change radically. On a street that is a 25 mile per hour zone, a pick-up truck was rocketing towards me from my right at about 45 miles an hour and still accelerating!

What to do?

I didn't have the time to think that thought!

I just immediately, and instinctively began enacting what I had learned in Aikido over the years.

"Blend with the attack," we are taught over and over again, and I did just that as I turned to my left to face in the same direction as the truck.

"Go with the attack," our instructor had screamed at us relentlessly, and I did just that as I started skating in the same direction as the truck was moving.

"Perform with spirit," our instructor used to whisper in our ear just before we engaged in an important competition, and I did just that as I thought, "If anything, this truck is NOT hitting me, I am hitting it!"

As I turned to further evade the truck, I was able to move just enough to avoid a direct hit. As the truck sideswiped me I let out a controlled scream, being certain to use my energy to give the truck back everything it was giving me.

The truck seriously grazed my left hip just as I hit and broke the windshield with my left elbow. I wasn¹t looking to punish the truck or the driver, just looking to give back in kind, all that I was receiving.

The explosive impact of my interaction with the truck threw me into the lower reaches of outer space, and thank God I had the knowledge stored in my body, to do one hell of an Aikido roll.

Damage done?

One broken windshield and a dented fender for the truck.

One badly bruised left hip and butt for me.

All in all I think the truck got the worst of it!

As I lay on the ground a bit dazed and somewhat in shock, I felt great exhilaration and satisfaction knowing I has just made it through an event that could have easily killed me. I also felt as I lay there, as if I was lying on my futon on a cold winter morning in Tokyo twenty years ago.

Two things I knew for certain in that moment. One was that my training will never leave me and it will never fail me. It is in my blood and in my soul. I have earned what I have learned.

The other thing I knew was that no matter how uncomfortable or difficult the situation, I would gather myself up with every ounce of spirit I could muster, and face the challenges that lay ahead.

I want to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of my teachers and every student that trained with me. I couldn't have made it up every morning without a hell of a lot of help along the way!

Workshop Announcements Join us to learn how to say "Yes" to life, by tapping into the wisdom and intelligence of your body, heart, and soul. *** Embodied Wisdom: Use the intelligence of your body to change the way you think and feel Seishindo Personal Growth Workshop with Charlie Badenhop and Dorothy Pietracatella Washington DC, November 4-5-6, 2005 *** We are returning to Europe! Balancing Your Life: Use your body language to transform the way you think and feel Seishindo Personal Growth Workshop with Charlie Badenhop Antwerp, Belgium, October 22-23, 2005 More info in French: Une vie en équilibre Apprenez le langage de votre corps pour transformer votre manière de penser et de sentir in Dutch: Balancing your life Gebruik jouw lichaamstaal om je denken en voelen te veranderen, te verfijnen, te boetseren

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Private Sessions with Charlie Badenhop Antwerpen, Belgium: October 24, 25 Washington, DC: November 7, 8, 9 New York City: November 11, 12 If you would like to: Explore core issues, such as your current identity, your health, or destructive habit patterns, Feel more fully alive and emotionally balanced, Explore the direction of your professional or personal life, A Seishindo in-person private session can prove to be of great value. Read more about how you can benefit from a Seishindo private session. Read what other people say about Seishindo sessions. If you think you might be interested in a private session, please contact Charlie directly at charlie@seishindo.org.

 

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