TWD and Shibumi

“Developing your sense of shibumi is a deliberate process of carving away. You pare away everything in your technique, your conduct, and your manner that is imperfect or superfluous. What is left is simple, elegant, and dignified.”

This quote from Living The Martial Way by Forrest E. Morgan, that I wrote about yesterday, lends itself to an interesting application of TWD.

The starting point.

It all begins with what you want. Your intention is the starting point. Intention determines the efficacy of your behavior. Behavior is purposeful. You do something to achieve something.

And what you do is important when you are not getting what you want. What you want determines what you must do. When you know what you must do you also know what you must not do. Either your behavior helps you achieve your goal or it hinders you.

There is no middle ground when it comes to efficacy of behavior. The reason is that time is always being spent. Waiting, stalling, being in between hurts you because every day that goes by with nothing to show for it is lost forever. You either act or you are acted upon.

Back to the quote.

You must pare away everything in your thoughts, words, and deeds that is inconsistent with what you want. What is “imperfect or superfluous” in this regard? Your illusions, your mysticisms, your dishonesty.

For example: I know that eating a candy bar does not support my goal of a healthy, fit body. If I eat it and think “It won’t hurt, it’s only one little candy bar” I am being dishonest. I am rationalizing a poor choice. There is more harm than good in that bar.

However, if I decide to eat it and think “I know this isn’t a good choice for a snack but I sure do enjoy the taste. I’ve only eaten this one in the past month compared to the one a week I used to eat. I’m getting better. Next time I’ll leave the store without even putting it in my grocery basket.” This is honest. I am acknowledging the poor choice and my progress. I grasp where I am and where I want to be.

Incompatible behaviors.

Having decided what you want you begin the “deliberate process of carving away.” Look at the actions you currently partake in that no longer make sense in light of what you want. It is not enough to do what is right, you must also stop doing what is wrong.

Make a list of behaviors that are no longer compatible with your goals. Help yourself become aware of what you are doing. This process of change will be ongoing until what you are left with is behavior that is “simple, elegant, and dignified.”