Level 4.46 - Egolessness

Level Your Life [The Level of Egolessness] [4.46]

Egolessness


All arenas of performance provide you with the opportunity to learn to rise above the hindrance of egocentricity. Greatness and self-mastery are achieved through egoless detachment from oneself. Egocentricity is a hindrance to performance.
The person who needs to boast and impress others is usually doing so out of feelings of deep insecurity and uncertainty. He therefor depletes the chi so necessary for firm, strong action.
Champions appear reserved and without ego, almost if they are too nice to compete, almost too weak to be a threat. Yet when the game is on the line, they fight to the death in egoless fashion. It seems as though egolessess is always rewarded in every aspect of life.

The warrior realizes how consistent ego involvement creates interference with one´s performance.
Much chi is wasted in your effort to defend your greatness. In an ironic twist, your ego gets what it desires by stroking the ego of others. We want to encourage you to look for opportunities to sincerely celebrate and affirm the journey of friends and competitors, nurturing them on their path to personal greatness.
After all the better they are, the better you become. Notice how such action helps you as well.
As a warrior, know that any ego-related behaviour creates unneecessary anxiety and tension due to the relentless need to live up to your self-centered illusions. Know that less focus on self means more positive regard from others.

"They do not make claims, therefore they are credited; they do not boast; therefore they advance."

Declaration: The less I talk about me, the more others will see.
I take time to affirm the greatness in others.

Reflection: What is my real purpose in telling others about my accomplishments? What do I like least about myself and can be done to change that? What are some things I can do to bring out the best in others?

Level 4.37 - Yin Yang

Level Your Life - [The Level of Yin and Yang] [4.37]

Yin Yang

In our Western world we are trained to be dualistic, comfortable with distinction: either in shapre or not; either a winner or a loser; too fast or too slow; soft or strong; flexible or inflexible. But actually there is no split between yin and yang, as they are balanced opposited and integrated into one undivided whole. All dualistic opposites are one. Night and day are actually one whole twenty-four-hour cycle; less is actually more; soft is also strong; going slower could propel you faster; not doing is doing; opponents are partners.
Neutralizing dualities helps you develop strength and allow higher levels of performance to be possible.
If you are too yang, you are unnecessarily aggresive and too outcome oriiented and as a result will become tight, nervous and tense. This leads to mistakes and setbacks. If you are too yin, you are too passive and self-conscious, causing you to be timid and unassertive; you become too hesistant and tentative to achieve your potential.

Example: A cyclist can be too yang when she constantly azzacks the hills in a race rather than assessing the right moment to challenge here opponent.A basketball team can be too yin if they play it safe.
By balancing yin and yang, the warrior stays in harmony with the flow, with the natural way of life. Developing the right timing is also crucial. You can be both passive and aggressive as you lull your opponents to sleep - you can be easygoing, then attack with the ferocity of a tiger. Soft is strong as you relax and become more powerful.

We encourage you to blend with this paradoxical mystery of yin-yang opposites and mix both for extraordinary performance.


Declaration: I look for ways to neutralize opposites by seeing how each extreme is,indeed an important part of the whole. Less is often more.

Reflection:When is less more, when is soft strong ? When does the mind dance? When does the body think ?How does understanding these paradoxes help my performance ?

[paraphrased and inspired by Spirit of the Dancing Warrior]