Martial Art of Self

When we think about all the things we need or want to change, it can become daunting. But often we make it more difficult to change than it has to be. In this episode of the Martial Art of Self podcast, we talk about the things that can stand in our way of self-change and how to become aware of these and not let them drag us down when we become inspired to change our lives for the better. We specifically look at how our thoughts and past can turn against us, loading an additional weight...

In this episode of the Martial Art of Self, we are looking at martial arts as a path to self-understanding. Here I share a story of how I used to see martial arts in my life. I was obsessed with perfection and wanting to excel for the wrong reasons. The training turned more into stress than an aid for me, my self-experience, and my life in general. Further, I touch on how the simulations we create in our minds about our skills can have adverse effects when we meet physical reality with...

In this episode of the Martial Art of Self, we discuss the transformation of our motivation for doing our martial arts so that it is no longer rooted in fear. When we do something, like our training, out of fear, and we practice individual skills out of a fear-based reason, we are only feeding into the fear. Instead of evolving inside ourselves, we are merely improving our external physical skills, while at the same time developing, strengthening, and expanding our fears. What if we could...

Hi everyone, I am Aldin, and this is the Martial Art of Self podcast. Ever since I was a kid, I've been fascinated by martial arts. The training and philosophy has helped me through difficult times, and I've had this inner itch to explore what more there is to it that can enrich all aspects of my life. In this show, we explore how we can bring the principles, philosophies, and strengths of martial arts into our daily life. We focus on transforming our martial arts journey into more than...

In this episode of the Martial Art of Self, we discuss a pattern of being too militant in our training, or life in general. For me, I discovered how this militant approach towards my martial arts training, as well as to other parts of my life often lead me to burn out, and losing interest, and joy in the things I do, or which are part of my life. Being too rigid with our plans or goal settings suffocates the necessity to be flexible and to adapt to real-time moments and contexts of what we...

In this episode of the Martial Art of Self, we continue exploring some further dimensions of the Martial Arts personality. In particular, we open up and discuss the pattern of chasing positive feelings through our art, or whatever it is we are doing. More often than not we are trying to generate some powerful positive feelings to boost our ego, or we look for positive feelings to superimpose onto the negative way we truly feel deep within ourselves, or life. Here I tell my story of how I...

In this episode of the Martial Art of Self, we look at some dimensions of body-respect and body-care. It has become mainstream to drive our bodies to the limit in an unnatural, and harmful pace, and way. Unfortunately, we mostly treat our body as a driving vessel for our self-interest, our desires, wants, and needs only. We miss the fact that the body is one of the most important manifestation we have in our life that makes or breaks our physical life-quality. We live with our bodies day...

In this episode of the Martial Art of Self, we discuss self-limitations. We talk about ways we limit ourselves by imposing certain thoughts, feelings, and emotions onto who we are, and the things we do. Once we accept a belief as truth inside ourselves, it becomes a conviction in our mind. From that conviction, we build our self-definition. Once we accept a certain way of seeing and experiencing ourselves it becomes so much part of us that it becomes hidden in plain sight. Often we no...

In this episode of the Martial Art of Self, we discuss the Martial Arts Personality. Often we create a personality or virtual entity around the things we do, be it sports, painting, career, education, or martial arts. This suit or mask is mostly limiting. We often lose interest or focus on other things life has to offer. We become consumed by only one or two main things we do. To step outside such a suit and take off the mask requires us to ask the difficult questions. It requires courage...

In this episode of the Martial Art of Self podcast, we discuss the concept and action of training. We ask the question of what real training is. Is training only limited and applicable to martial arts, fitness, sports and other applications that exercise the body and mind in superficial ways Training is synonymous with practice, application, and living. Thus to practice, apply and live something over and over again until it integrates as part of ourselves, as a new way or state of...

In this episode of the Martial Art of Self podcast, we look at self-awareness as a Martial Artist. What is self-awareness, how and where does it apply? Self-Awareness isn’t a magical potion that is going to make you great and transcendental all of a sudden. It is rather challenging, tough work and an ongoing, never-ending process. It will bring many good, bad and ugly parts of ourselves to the limelight. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. On the contrary. It is a key that will unlock new...

In this episode of the Martial Art of Self, we explore the unique and contradictory theme of things getting progressively more challenging in our martial arts training instead of easier. This theme reaches across other parts of practice also. It is not only limited to the practice of martial arts. I share my experience with this point of things getting progressively more challenging, and what I have learned from it. Nowadays I approach this experience from a different perspective where I...

In this episode of the Martial Art of Self, we take an honest and deep look into the word and concept of toughness. We ask ourselves what it means to be really tough? Is toughness only limited to physical abilities, skills, and form? Maybe there is more to being tough than meets the eye. Martial Arts is certainly a field where toughness comes in handy in many ways, from exercise to sparring to actual competitions and combat. However, many other areas of our life and self-experience in our...

In this episode of the Martial Art of Self, we look at the word 'fun' and our relationship to fun when it comes to martial arts for example. Doing something that we are not good at, and doesn't come easy to us, is rarely ever fun, but it is fruitful. Through sticking to it with time and dedication, and discipline - it bears fruit. It expands our self-character and enriches our life. This is something we can then truly be proud of ourselves. We can reshape our outlook to for example martial...

In this episode of the Martial Art of Self, we discuss both the times where we feel more and less in alignment with our goals, motivation and starting point that we initially had for something in our life, such as for martial arts. We all know the times where we feel motivated and pumped to pursue our goals. Following through during those times with for example our martial arts training is quite easy and smooth. The other side of the coin is the times where we feel misaligned and even start...

This episode of the Martial Art of Self sheds light on the importance of being and working out alone. It is important to build a balance between working on yourself alone and participating in a group. Being alone with ourselves puts us in a much different space of self. In this space we are left with ourselves alone: Mind, Body and Being. This, in turn, gives us a unique opportunity to get to know parts of us that we otherwise wouldn't. Here I share how working out alone and being alone...

In this episode of Martial Art of Self, we discuss personal commitment and investment for self. I share my observations on when I started questioning my purpose with martial arts when I kept doing the same exercises over and over. I could not figure out why I was doing what I was doing. I started having lots of doubts about my relationship with martial arts. Martial arts, like so many other tools, can be used as an aid to support the best of you in this life. It is possible to create a...

In this episode of the Martial Art of Self, we continue with the question “What is my relationship to martial arts?” We dive into the self-inquiry process and how one must make an active choice to challenge one’s own current understanding and views of martial arts. There is no sense to continue the journey of self-inquiry if one is not honest with oneself in totality. The good, bad and ugly must be embraced and looked at to gain clarity on oneself and see beyond the constructed box one has...

In this episode of Martial Art of Self, we explore the question: ‘’What is my relationship to martial arts?’’ Working with your own personal definition of martial arts can assist in understanding how you interpret this art form and whether it supports you completely or not. I find to truly understand your relationship to martial arts, you must be brutally honest with yourself, with no suppression of the truth. In this episode, I share how my definition of martial arts made me...

In the very first episode of the Martial Art of Self podcast, I share my personal insights and realizations when it comes to exercise, willpower and self-principle. We explore the following questions: Is it possible to push through the laziness, lethargy, and resistance towards training? Can it be that we can create a motivation point within ourselves that can move through negative emotions? I believe that exercise within martial arts is not only a tool for building physical strength, but...