In the game of life,
whether pauper, prince or king,
the fact remains — To Become Everything We Must First Become Nothing.
This is a strange statement, isn’t it: To become everything we must first become nothing? Yet, it is true and
possesses great mystic meaning. If martial arts teaches anything substantive, it is to integrate the body, mind and
spirit. Nothing will help us with the integrative process more than surrendering our egos to the Great Power that
exists, the Power which created and sustains us; which gives us life.
Balance is Primary.
This we see,
but in the struggle of life Concentration Is The
very First Key.
Concentration is the secret of strength.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Balance is primary, no doubt. However, concentration is the first key to success in whatever we do. If we can’t focus
our attention directly on the task at hand, there is a pronounced risk of not succeeding at all and more poignantly, a
lethal risk if confronted with a life-threatening situation.
Of all life’s skills
with which to carry,
remember this . . . Balance is Primary!
Anyone can teeter-totter but not everyone can balance.
— Anonymous
Man always travels along precipices. His truest obligation is to keep his balance.
— Pope John Paul II
The best and safest thing is to keep a balance in your life, acknowledge the great powers around us and in us. If you
can do that, and live that way, you are really a wise man.
It is with a sad heart that I share with you the passing of Liz Avram, call sign “Quasar,” on Sunday, 27 October 2024.
She died of stage 4 cancer and was 61 years young. Her husband, Dean, was kind enough to pass on the sad and
heartbreaking news. It would be appreciated if Kiado-Ryu students could send prayers to the Avram family, especially to
Liz’s beloved husband.
