I was having a think the other day of just how much of an impact my martial arts training has had one me in the years ive been training. Obviously im not going to write a detailed auto biography here but to outline briefly:

1. Physically im a strong person - I can run good distances, pound for pound im strong.

2. Mentally - Its made me more focused, competitive and driven (You dont set a site up like M.E. half heartedly)

3. Health - I only get the odd cold etc


However, my emphasis here is on the spiritual. I still pine after material possession, I want the flash car and big house etc. Should my MA training have taught me something here? Or is it a question of not been shown the way in my training?

Lots of questions and very few answers? Guys id be interested to here your thoughts on the subject.

Hi Pete,
I'll try to come at this from an IMA point of view...

You say that your martial art training has made you more competitive - IMO, this is the root of materialistic wants. Competing fosters the desire to "win", and the winner gets the "trophy". Carrying this over into real life, you are wanting to "win" all of the best "trophy's" you can, such as the big house, the big car. Like a shiny gold trophy on your mantle, a 5 bed detatched in Surrey with an Aston Martin in the drive is a symbol of your status, your power - your success in the competition of life.

So, IMO, to rid yourself of material wants, you need to train your mind away from competitive thinking.

Thoughts?

I wouldn't say being competitive makes you want more things materially. I'm competitive, I like to win ,but not trophies and I deal with losing. I wouldn't say martial arts have changed my views on it either really, it's something I was dealing with before then. Yes I am quite ambitious career wise but only for the job, the money doesn't come into it.I don't want a big flash house and a shiny brand new car, that kind of thing doesn't matter to me. I have a house, it's a small 2 bed terrace, I also have a car, but I am happy with what I have and I feel lucky I have it.
Most of my friends try outdoing each other with the houses, the cars, the fancy stuff and although I do like clothes, I don't get expensive things and over the last year or so have really changed my attitude towards things like that.
For me it was things that happened in my life that made me realise it's not all about the cars and the houses- what are you going to leave behind you when you die? I feel it's more important to leave a legacy, to have at least tried to do something worthwhile while you were here rather than chasing purely selfish materialistic goals.
When I go and train in kung fu/ma or when I ski or cycle it's about being the best I can be and trying my best, that doesn't mean that equates to wanting bigger and better things materially though.It's all about happiness with who you are ,it comes from you and doesn't depend on what you have materialistically.

You say that your martial art training has made you more competitive - IMO, this is the root of materialistic wants.

Its an interesting point......

I personally wouldn't agree with that completely.

I personally wouldn't agree with that completely.


Why Su Lin? What other factors would you consider?

To be honest if I think about my martial arts training since day 1 has been guided towards tournament victory - which in essence has given me a strong desire to win at everything.


Wheres Mule when you need his imput?

PeteMills wrote:



I still pine after material possession, I want the flash car and big house etc.
Of course you do.
You're bombarded by the idea before you can even grasp the concept via media and the everyday life that surrounds you.
We're in a cunning materialistic trap of a higher design.


Should my MA training have taught me something here?Self appraisal?
Looks like it did, or would you not do that anyway?

Or is it a question of not been shown the way in my training?Delegating responsibility?

Lots of questions and very few answers? Guys id be interested to here your thoughts on the subject.
Su Lin brings up an important question;

'What is your legacy?'

PeteMills wrote:
I still pine after material possession, I want the flash car and big house etc.

Careful Pete, questions like these can be the starting-point for shifting your awareness! Some people would say the fact you're asking that question means you're starting to glimpse more than just the flash car, big house...etc

Personally, I believe there's no need to set up the material 'against' the spiritual, mental or emotional aspects of life. If you can remain whole, healthy and sane whilst integrating all aspects of life - including the physical - and going after such things (without trampling anyone else in the process) - then is there any fault with that?

Do you feel happy/whole/content/complete now?

Do you think those possessions will make you more or less happy?

When you get the prize, (car, house, whatever), does it make you happy for long, or do you then start wanting something else?

Use what you have to fulfil your purpose and leave a legacy!

PeteMills wrote:
I personally wouldn't agree with that completely.


Why Su Lin? What other factors would you consider?

To be honest if I think about my martial arts training since day 1 has been guided towards tournament victory - which in essence has given me a strong desire to win at everything.


Wheres Mule when you need his imput?


Hmm tricky one. Ok, before I started ma I was still quite competitive, but I didn't really have many interests.I cycled but didn't want to do it competitively. Instead I used to spend my time shopping and going out and yearning for things I couldn't have, I never felt fulfilled. Over the last few years since training I have had a passion, something that has taken over my life more or less, I still want to achieve and do well. However, I feel far more fulfilled these days and I am aware that I can be happy with what I have, still be competitive but not in the materialistic sense. It's all about never being happy until.....

"I will be happy when....I earn another £10k a year", "I will be happy when I get a 4 bedroomed house" or a big car. When in fact happiness and fulfillment comes from within, from you ,rather than what you want materialistically. Wanting to succeed, imo is different to wanting to have more "things".

I have been reading lots of Buddhist texts/books and visited a Buddhist temple and I suppose I have just realised that it's possible to be the best you can be, if a by product of that is earning more money then good,but if you carry on striving for more "things" are you ever going to be happy?

When you are sat in your 6 bedroomed house with your Aston Martin sat in the drive will you be truly happy and fulfilled? Or will you be wanting the newer Aston Martin, the swimming pool......?

I'm so glad you posted this Pete....

Get ready....

First Su Lin, your female.... by nature you don't operate the ego like a male. I'm not being sexist its just nature and psychologists will agree, that why you don't understand about the winning for the trophy aspect because you never really had that in the first place... Ego read up on some psychological studies and also the super ego... Very interesting.

As for the big house, cars thing... Pete my friend ask yourself why do I want these things?
Did I decide these things are important?
Why do I think these things are important?

question everything....

As a race for many years we have been distinguished by our power and influence. How much money we have... Somewhere along the line money ment power, and security and pleasure.
What does power do? Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely...

The MA has taught you many things but the main thing it has taught you is that as a human being there is more to life. You potential is greater than that of a millionaire because you have skill and knowledge that all those millions can't buy. You have spent time and time is more precious than anything on this planet.

I'm not going to tell you why you want those things but if you ask yourselfs those questions... You will find out why.

Look at Wu mings post and ask those questions... Look at this post and ask those questions...

We are powerful Human beings that have a potential far greater than what we first percieve and no money in the world will buy you the key to unlock it....

I may not know much about the whole ego thing, but I do understand about the nature of happiness and fulfillment ,that's the angle I was coming from.

Is it possible to overcome this nature of ego? Can you be "succesful" without wanting the material gains? Depends what you define as success I suppose.

Funnily enough, the notion of ego is something I'm trying to get to grips with in relation to Buddhism at the moment. My brain hurts a little more every day :)

Just out of interest, does MA training shift the basis of competitiveness - I don't know, I'm guessing to more like being absolutely all you can be?

I'm not sure about the ego thing either - sometimes I wish I hadn't read so much counselling and psychology theory. I've also met some VERY odd people who've completely mashed their ego's and ended up in a very strange place! I'm not entirely sure the ego is to be banished at all costs, but matured - or something similar.