Martial Arts and the Law of Attraction

Recently, a movie called The Secret came out and seemed to take the world by storm with a fairly simple message: we are attracting to us, moment to moment, people, places, resources, and experiences, based on our subconscious thoughts.

It doesn't matter whether you believe in this Universal Law or not, just as it doesn't matter whether or not one believes in gravity or electricity. Not believing in gravity wont save you when you lose your grip while hanging from the gutters if you're falling off a roof. Not believing in electricity simply because you can't see it wont keep you from getting zapped if you shove a paper clip into an outlet.

The Law of Attraction, also called Karma, the Law of Cause and Effect; some even refer to it simply as luck, coincidence, or serendipity, is simply a Universal Law that, whether believed or not, operates without prejudice 24 hours a day.

Whatever we focus on, whether wanted or unwanted, we seem to attract into our lives. If you've ever wondered what your dominant thoughts about money are, just check your wallet. If you've ever wondered what your dominant thoughts about love and relationships are, just take a good hard look at the relationships you have now.

Taking a look at what you have and what you always seem to draw to yourself; whether it be the types of people around you, the type of job or career situations, the money problems or amazing strings of good fortune you always seem to have, is a good place to start taking a personal inventory of how you might be thinking at the subconscious (or, below your active waking conscious) level.

So, what does this all have to do with Martial Arts?

Well, quite simply, the activities we involve ourselves in say something about how we think and feel. If the Law of Attraction tells us that our dominant thoughts are, at every moment, attracting to us the very things we seem to be experiencing on a daily basis, then how we are actively filling our minds and what we fill them with is paramount to learning how to deliberately attract the things, people, resources and experiences we wish to have, instead of the ones we may be having regularly that are unwanted.

Most Martial Arts typically start from the premise that we might be lacking some type of specific training or knowledge (training and knowledge the Martial Art can provide) and, because we lack this knowledge, we are probably in danger of being taking advantage of by an evil aspect of society. So, we study specific techniques and tactics aimed to thwart an attack physically and, usually, by destroying the evil attacker.

While typical Martial Arts training has many good aspects to it that can lead to increased self confidence,  increased self defense capabilities, increased awareness, better physical health, and many other positive qualities, the arts that instill the premise that 1. we lack something, 2. We are in danger, and 3. We need to train to overcome or destroy the evil element lurking somewhere out there, may actually be doing more harm than good.