WE ARE UNIQUE
When nature creates, she plants the seed of uniqueness in the heart of her creations – whether that is a flower, a tree, an animal or a human being. That seed becomes the centre of life in a living being. In all living beings except in humans the seed at the centre breaks its shell, grows, flowers and reaches its pinnacle. All other living beings live according to their nature with clarity and transparency. Whatever is there as potential within expresses itself in the outer world. But the same is not true with humans. A child is born with a centre or seed of uniqueness which has potential to become a tender plant, strong tree, flowers and bears fruits of fulfillment. The seed and centre within also contains the creative potential of a person. But in the majority of people that evolution and progression doesn’t occur. The seed at the centre gets buried under the social, cultural, political and religious conditioning and remains so to the end of life. Conditioning is essential in the growth and development of a child, rooting the child in a particular environment, culture and religion. Without such conditioning a child would feel insecure and anxious. But after fifteen to twenty years of age, conditioning should be renounced so that the person can grow into a psychologically independent individual. Such renunciation would bring the person’s centre or the seed of uniqueness onto the surface, allowing the individual to reach a state of wholeness. Conditioning gives roots to the child but it also confines him/her to a particular religion, culture, nation and color. Unfortunately in most people conditioning not only continues but crystallizes more and more as age advances. Such crystallization takes away the possibility of realizing one’s own unique potential and creativity. Life remains a stagnant pool of fear, sorrow and conflict rather than a flowing river of joy, fulfillment and wholeness. Through karate Training and living its core values you can ‘establish in yourself’, which simply means, to realize what we are. This realization would bring total health to us. What we really are is our uniqueness, not the conditioning which is imparted to us by society. The process of realizing this uniqueness is not by rejection of the society, culture or religion. Rather, religion or culture forms the fertile ground on which the flower of uniqueness blooms. One feature in human beings which sets them apart from any other living being is ‘self- awareness’. Because of self-awareness, humans can’t be completely conditioned. Other living beings can live in a total conditioned state, but not humans. The doors of freedom always remain open to become free from the conditioning of the culture and society. The seed or centre of uniqueness in them may be deeply buried, but it constantly sends energy into awareness and makes the person restless. A person may have enough wealth, power, knowledge and means of comfort, but that restlessness continues because the unique potential within remains unrealized. Becoming aware of this centre or seed is the beginning of the process of self-realization or actualization. It is a movement towards one’s authentic self or true nature where joy, fulfillment and creativity lie hidden. When a person becomes aware of the centre or seed within; life’s journey turns into a pilgrimage. On this pilgrimage we don’t meet a prophet, god or God but our own self. We come face to face with ourselves for the first time. These moments of meeting with our true self are also the moments of harmony and fulfillment. During these moments, our masks which covered our unique nature are shattered and our original face shines forth.