mike-stone

Knowing The Self

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 04:23:58 GMT

Knowing The Self

It has been a wonderful day in paradise. I received insight, clarity of thought, and deep understanding.

I comprehend and better understand ideas that used to frustrate and annoy me. I am willing to accept who I am.

It is knowing the self.

Most people don’t know who they are. If you ask the average person who he or she is, they will tell you their name. You are not your name- your parents gave you names. You are not your name, job, title, race, creed, or color. Even the body you use is not who you are. Your body is your physical vehicle on your journey through life; it’s not you.

Ninety-six percent of the population is reacting to what happens to them. They are not proactive, not accepting responsibility for what's happening around them and their choices. No one truly desires to ask, "Who am I?" and search for the answers. If they did, they would be on their way to happiness and fulfilling their purpose for existing.

We live daily on three aspects of our humanity: spiritual beings with intellect and physical bodies.

We lack awareness and understanding and reduce ourselves to focus on living our physical experiences. We don’t know that fear, not logic or reason, is why we continuously choose negative experiences. We don’t live our lives; we react to the circumstances and situations we create and then deny we chose them as our experiences.

We identify with our possessions because we are taught to gather, collect, and accumulate things. We are obsessed with claiming, identifying, and collecting possessions. Have you ever noticed how we claim and identify with everything? When talking to others, everything you talk about is mine. It’s my house and car, doctor, dentist, mechanic, maid, wife, lover, partner, etc.?

One can learn much about oneself and others by how they care for the gifts they are given. You were given the gifts of life and free will to choose every experience you have. You were given a mind, body, soul, world, and the universe;

I have always adopted the mindset to BE my best, not better than anyone. Being the best I can be allows me to be my best in service to others because I and any other person are the same. We are created of Love and Light. Whenever I face a challenge, difficulty, or what I might initially call a problem, I ask myself, “What would Love choose now? At this moment, I am reminded that I am love, and l decide to express the highest aspect of my humanity.

Strong Winds and Rain Doesn't Come in Vain

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 04:22:49 GMT

Strong Winds and Rain Doesn't Come in Vain

We had four days of strong winds and rain, but it was still beautiful in paradise.

How much do you want to live in peace and prosperity?

One of the most significant decisions you may face is deciding to move away from your family and friends and venture out of your comfort zone to achieve happiness. The journey often involves leaving your home, family, and friends behind, but the rewards can be immeasurably satisfying and fulfilling.

You may have several worthwhile goals for your future, but unless you are willing to do whatever it will take to become the person you desire to be, statistics prove most people don’t achieve their dreams. You may think you have what it takes, but there always seem to be situations and circumstances that prevent you.

I often hear excuses and alibis why people fail on their journey toward happiness and abundance. They say choosing between leaving their family, relatives, and friends stops them from realizing their dreams.

It's common to think moving away from your comfort zone to pursue your dreams is to betray those you leave behind. But, in truth, the betrayal may be to yourself if you ignore your heart’s desire. Only you know what's in your heart. If you're uncertain, don’t rush. But if you're sure, leap and return triumphant. Let your success speak for itself.

Only fear stops you, and you have been taught to be afraid of so many things from your earliest years; those fears were never yours. You obediently and compliantly accepted a fear-based reality others had taught you. Over many years, through constant repetition, you have accepted those fears as who you are. Growing up, people taught you their truth for their benefit and convenience. They were challenged with the task of teaching you to love, honor, respect, and above all, tell the truth and be honest, especially to yourself.

You are not a fearful child anymore. You are Love and Light. That is your spiritual connection to all things. Your life will dramatically change once you express gratitude and appreciation for your blessings. The best way to start your new life is by accepting 100% responsibility for your choices, actions, experiences, and their consequences.

You know, not all shiny stones in rings are diamonds

It was another fantastic day in paradise.

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 04:21:18 GMT

It was another fantastic day in paradise.

Are some of you like me? I seem to be getting annoyed, frustrated, disappointed, impatient, and shocked by the condition our society is creating. We made a dramatic shift in our collective consciousness during the global pandemic. Fear is the opposite of love. Fear paralyzes, hurts, harms, and hinders. It’s like everyone stops thinking all of a sudden. What has happened to us? People don’t think clearly before speaking and taking action. People’s attitude and behavior makes no sense.

I’ve made many negative choices, and I’m the last person anyone should ask for advice. All I can tell you is what I am doing with my life. For example, this is how I begin my day at about 6:00 a.m.

I take deep breaths, allowing more oxygen to flow throughout my body and brain. I do two sets of 25 deep breaths, inhaling through my nose and exhaling out my mouth, holding my breath for 45-60 seconds between the sets. Then, I begin a 65-minute non-stop physical program that includes breathing, stretching, karate blocks, strikes, and kicks. I start all joint rotations: wrist, elbows, shoulders, hip, knees, and ankles. I alternate the exercises between arms and legs. When I began these exercises, I did five repetitions, and now I am doing 50 repetitions for each set of arms and legs exercises. IMPORTANT: execute all blocks, strikes, and kicks using the forced breathing. It’s like doing a karate yell by forcing the breath out with each block, strike, and kick. My mindset is to be my best when executing each technique. I have created a “training vocabulary” that helps me focus on each method's quality. After doing two hundred repetitions, I do five forced breathing techniques before continuing.

At the end of each session, I sweat as if I had been in a sauna for 30 minutes.

This is one of the best ways to start my day. Decide what exercises you enjoy and create discipline to reap the benefits of this lifestyle.

Take every opportunity to improve the spiritual, mental, and physical aspects of your humanity. Remember, the quality of what you eat and drink will become you.

I Have a Few Concerns

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 04:19:45 GMT

I Have a Few Concerns

I have a few concerns

It's another beautiful day in paradise, But I have a few concerns. My first concern is the elections in a day. I pray the people choose what's best for their lives and the country. My second concern is for our children, now and for their future.

Parents, politicians, and preachers continually mouth, “The children are our future.” yet they have become nothing more than innocent victims of every type of abuse, psychological, emotional, economic, physical, and sexual trafficking, rape, and murder those who should be responsible for nurturing, protecting, and keeping them safe.

Please wake up, look around, open your eyes, and do what it takes to live meaningful lives. We watch our children die like it's no big deal, then wonder why they question whether LIFE IS REAL?

What will we leave behind when it's our time to go? Did we plant the right seeds in their minds to grow?

Or were we those who reinforced the hate? Remember, what goes around comes around; this is fate.

Just be careful what your child hears. They believe words are true

Especially coming from someone they love, yes, Someone like you.

We are accountable to them, our country, and planet Earth. To give back a hundredfold of what you took since birth.

What on earth have we done this for? Money and pleasure, nothing more!

What on earth will we do When we exhaust our money, too

What on earth are we going to do With nine-year-olds killing, too?

How on earth can we sleep at night? Knowing we taught them wrong from right?

What on earth would cause me to fear? It's this question and answer I may hear:

WHAT'S ON EARTH? NOTHING'S ON EARTH! WHAT ABOUT MARS, ELON? Would you happen to have MORE room?

Enjoy the Holidays, Love and Light,

Happy Thanksgiving.

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 04:16:27 GMT

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving.

The end of the year is fast approaching, and so are the seasonal cycles, rhythms, and timings. We are finalizing projects, ideas, and, sadly, some relationships. New Year's resolutions include changing lifestyles and partners.

Statistics show that breakups, divorces, and lifestyle changes are more likely to occur during the Christmas and New Year holidays. Maybe it's due to the stress, anxiety, worry, and fear factor people have dealt with throughout the year. I don't know.

This is the time to be grateful for our spouses, family, and friends. We live in troubled times, is a phrase often quoted. My question is, when have we not lived in times of change, challenges, and uncertainty? These are the conditions of life, and so too are the beauty, love, joy, and happiness we experience.

I am reminded daily of our power to "ACT as if." This is a thought process, the mindset to establish a lifestyle we prefer to enjoy.

This "acts as if" concept is similar to the power of prayer. Prayer is a statement of what already exists as our daily experience. It is not a ploy to ask God for what you feel is lacking in your life. It is a daily opportunity to demonstrate appreciation for all the blessings you enjoy.

To "act as if" is the mindset in which you believe you are who you desire to be. I use this mental exercise to attract people, situations, and circumstances I prefer to experience.

People have difficulty experiencing what they desire because they spend time remembering the past and worrying about the future. Neither of these time frames exists in the present moment you live.

Where you are right now, in this moment, is the only place you can die. So, why do you continually make references to the past and future? You can't exist there. Why not attract what you desire where you exist in your present?

If you can only die in the moment you exist, then you can only truly live in that moment as well. Yet, we take ourselves out of the present, where we exist, and expect everything we desire to find us. How can it be?

Act as if you already have all that you desire. Act as if it is your present reality. Remember, when you imagine yourself as a changed person, someone different, you are different, a completely new version of yourself. Act upon that version with integrity; all the attitudes, mannerisms, and expressions will be present within this new version of you. Everything will fall in place naturally and create abundance effortlessly.

Remember, you are as powerful as you need to attract all the love, peace, joy, and happiness you desire because that is who you are: Love and Light.

Logic and Reason

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 04:15:11 GMT

Logic and Reason

Logic and Reason

Read this and see if it makes any sense to you.

One of the aspects of life I truly enjoy is the excitement of learning. It has been that way for the past several years. I have been blessed with so many beautiful relationships and unforgettable experiences. The extreme range of emotions I observe people experience is inspiring yet sad and disappointing.

I have witnessed the blatant disregard for human life and the love and compassion within us all. It is difficult to phantom the extent to which people will go to hurt and abuse one another while destroying themselves. Humans can place many limitations on themselves and be aware of them. Many people cross the thin line of sanity daily, which is remarkable. It requires unbelievable resilience to work through the complex challenges we create as our daily limitations.

To deal with the emotional rollercoaster ride of moments of joy, heartbreak, happiness, loss, pleasure, anxiety, and depression borders the performance of miracles. We only have God to thank for the occasional moments of love, trust, faith, respect, compassion, patience, and expressions of sincere humility.

The present state of our collective consciousness has manifested a global mindset of fear, hatred, distrust, greed, and disrespect for the rule of law and the personal rights and freedoms we all seek.

Choices, perceptions, and relationships are intertwined in our daily experiences, and it is often difficult to make sense of them. Some experience life with the ease and effortlessness of peaceful sleep, while others experience horrible nightmares of pain and suffering.

For many years, I have been on a path of remembrance, living a blessed life while finding it almost impossible to comprehend the difficulty others have in understanding they are the love and light they seek.

I know that the people I attract have values and principles similar to those I believe in. In contrast, others around me attract disappointment, unhappiness, fear, chaos, and confusion into their lives and are at a loss to figure out why this is so.

Just when I think I have figured out the riddles of life, I'm blindsided by a surprising twist as new challenges and stumbling blocks present themselves. I understand and appreciate the reality that no one is exempt from the hardships, cruelties, injustice, pain, and loss that happen in life. This is life, but we can choose how we react to the conditions, situations, and circumstances we experience. To respond positively, effectively, and efficiently, one needs to acquire a life of discipline and wisdom.

I feel a bit guilty when I look around me and witness the horrific choices people make in experiencing life and immediately deny they are responsible for creating the experiences. Even when faced with the truth of their negative experiences, they continually deny and reject taking responsibility for the consequences of their actions. It is impossible to have any experience you did not, on some level of creation, attract into your life. Being honest and truthful by accepting 100% of your choices' results, outcomes, and consequences is the best way to make peace with your soul. To deny or reject any experience is to deny you exist. This is impossible. There is no way you cannot exist.

You are as powerful as you need to be to experience anything without hurting yourself or anyone else.

Live in the Love and Light of your spiritual creation.

For Humans, Warriors, and Lovers

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 04:13:54 GMT

For Humans, Warriors, and Lovers

For Humans, Warriors, and Lovers

Your humanity consists of three essential aspects: spirituality, mentality, and physicality. These aspects were agreed upon during your transition from spiritual creation to your birth into physical reality—an agreement ensuring their coexistence throughout your life's journey.

These three aspects were designed to create balance and harmony in your daily experiences. Therefore, it is only natural to be disciplined in structuring a schedule that allows each element to be nurtured at various points throughout your day. Discipline and clear thinking must prevail to maintain order, harmony, and balance.

Maintaining Order and Discipline

To achieve balance, you must create a lifestyle encompassing all three aspects of your humanity. Developing a powerful mindset will enable you to establish daily patterns of thought, expression, and action—habitual practices that bring variety and fulfillment to life.

For example, if you are awake for 18 hours a day, design a schedule that integrates time for your spiritual, mental, and physical needs, desires, and expressions. The specific structure is up to you, but aim for a balanced approach that nurtures each aspect.

Below is an example of how I balance these three aspects in my daily life:

Morning Routine: Awakening the Mind and Spirit

I typically wake between 3:30 and 4:00 a.m., often from a dream that provides insight into a challenge or situation requiring a solution. During this time, my brain vibrates at an alpha frequency, conducive to problem-solving and positive decision-making.

While still in bed, I reflect on these insights, considering different options and perspectives. Often, I get up to write down my thoughts, capturing new revelations that surface in this state—a zone of consciousness between dreaming and wakefulness.

Between 3:30 and 6:00 a.m., I focus on my spiritual and mental development.

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Physical Discipline: Strengthening the Body

From 6:30 to 7:40 a.m., I engage in physical exercises while still in bed. This includes 70 minutes of continuous breathing, stretching, striking, and kicking techniques. During these exercises, I often listen to Hawaiian music, which connects me to my heritage, customs, and traditions.

My physical training is rigorous and structured:

• Striking and blocking arm techniques: 100 repetitions each

• Leg stretching and kicking techniques: 50-100 repetitions each (alternating between sets)

By the time I have been awake for four hours—yet still in bed—I have already balanced my humanity's spiritual, mental, and physical aspects.

________________________________________

Daily Activities: Engagement and Connection

Once fully awake, I transition into activities that keep me active and connected to nature. I do yard work such as raking, weeding, planting vegetables and herbs, and tending to my surroundings.

My approach to hygiene is also rooted in sustainability. Though I have two fully functional bathrooms, I prefer to bathe outdoors using rainwater collected in 50-gallon containers. I have been showering this way for nearly 40 years, which aligns with my commitment to water conservation. Additionally, I collect bathwater to irrigate plants or clean walkways around my home.

This time is also when I connect with friends and colleagues. I make calls to friends in Hawaii, the U.S., the U.K., and Australia, conduct podcasts, and interview. I regularly check in with my writing partner, Blake, and my longtime friend, Engelbert Humperdinck, staying engaged with their work and lives.

Midday: Nourishment and Productivity

Between 8:30 and 9:30 a.m., I enjoy breakfast while catching up on world news. My meals vary between yogurt, crepes, oatmeal, French toast, or eggs, always accompanied by fresh fruit.

A Life of Freedom and Exploration

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 04:11:01 GMT

A Life of Freedom and Exploration

A Life of Freedom and Exploration

Since I have never adhered to a conventional 9-to-5 job, my schedule is entirely my own. This freedom has allowed me to embark on extended journeys, sometimes lasting three weeks to three months, and engage in exciting experiences across exotic locations.

By embracing a lifestyle of discipline, balance, and mindful practice, I maintain harmony in all aspects of my humanity—spiritual, mental, and physical.

Your life force energy is not exclusively gained from the food you eat and the liquids you drink.

Being conscious of what you eat, how much you consume, and when you eat are essential factors to your health. You can also enhance your vitality by nurturing your mental and spiritual energies through meditation, positive thinking, and the power of words used in your daily affirmations.

Benefits of Fasting

Intermittent fasting—such as abstaining from eating for 24, 36, or 72 hours—can be a powerful way to conserve and optimize energy. Juicing fruits and vegetables is another way to get energy, lose weight, be mentally clear, and allow my digestive system to rest.

Question:

Why do you think people who use fasting to gain sympathy and support for their causes? Religious people use fasting (hunger protest), knowing well that they will benefit from these fasts while the public gives support to their cause. The people who fast benefit spiritually, mentally, and physically.

Energy Conservation – By giving your digestive system a break, your body redirects energy from food processing to healing and restoration.
Mental Clarity – Fasting for 36 to 72 hours can enhance focus, improve cognitive function, and sharpen awareness.
Spiritual and Physical Renewal—I extend my weekly and monthly fasting practices by committing to a 30-day fast, consuming only water, one month a year. This has been the most transformative practice that benefits all aspects of my humanity.

By embracing fasting and mindful living, you cultivate a deeper connection to your body's natural rhythms, allowing for greater vitality and inner balance.

Lifestyle Not for Everyone

Choosing to be different—embracing change to manifest a better version of yourself—can be empowering and inspiring. This transformation benefits you and positively impacts those around you.

Make the change you have always wanted to make…do it now

Death Of A Dove!

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 04:09:07 GMT

Death Of A Dove!

Death Of A Dove!

To say I have been swamped is an understatement. In my 40 years on this island, the past four years have been revealing, exciting, humbling, and a blessing. I am deeply grateful.

It is miraculous to sit at the edge of the great abyss, peering deep into the dark unknown with excitement and passion for the blessings that lie ahead.

I have been writing like a sane man sitting under the Christmas tree with thousands of unopened gifts from the universe.

I am thrilled to be writing the book The Nine Levels of Power: A Life-changing Experience with my partner, Blake Chavez.

I live a life like many others—a life lived in fear, hatred, envy, selfishness, greed, worry, doubt, frustration, anxiety, disappointment, resentment, loneliness, and depression. These symptoms have rapidly diminished in the last 10-plus years.

I must share a particular story through a poem I wrote many years ago, which capsulized my miraculous revelation.

Death of a Dove

Many birds throughout my life I killed,

Then, one day, I was presented with the bill,

When I shot a dove that flew on my land,

I raced over, knelt, and picked it up in my hand.

Barely alive with a hole in its chest,

Feeling proud of having shot my best.

Trembling, afraid, its tiny heart beating fast,

Stir, memories and images of my killing past.

Lessons of life have their turns and twists,

If you don't remember, they will persist,

Until I realized when the time was right

In bright daylight, or the darkness of night.,

Staring, amazed to see a tear roll down its beak,

As it cried out in an eerie shriek!

Then another tear welled up in its eye,

As it expelled its final breath and died.

I felt its spirit leave my hand to depart,

Pulling strings to open the doors to my heart,

At that instant, I learned of life and love,

Taught to me by the Death of a Dove.

Don't Complain About Negative Experiences, They May Just What You Need!

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 04:07:46 GMT

Don't Complain About Negative Experiences, They May Just What You Need!

Don't Complain About Negative Experiences, They May Just What You Need!

It saddens me to hear how people complain about their negative experiences these days. The truth is that life has been a challenging experience since birth, but you can change that instantly.

If you took the time, find a peaceful, quiet place out in nature, by the ocean or lakeside, in the mountains. Spend time alone, yes, by yourself, for one full day fasting on water only. You'll be able to do it.

Get some fresh ocean or mountain air, look out at the stars, and honestly reflect about who you are. Or change to who you'd like to be. Relax, think, and breathe deeply. Think seriously about your negative. Are you the one creating them? How?, Why? Don't leave until you accept that you are the creator of your choices and experiences.

I practice daily meditation after my morning exercises. I think about each daily reminder. I accept the truth, it's my life, it's my choices, my experiences. It's never a matter of blaming, accusing, or pointing fingers at anyone. It's not a matter of fault, but rather always about choices. This mindset allows me to create harmony and balance throughout the day.

For those of us who profess to be accomplished martial artists, it will not be difficult. You must have developed a level of discipline, courage, integrity, determination, and passion to possess the mental ability to focus and concentrate on developing skills in performing your basic drills and techniques.

I was once asked to help a friend who was experiencing a great deal of stress, anxiety, self-doubt, and depression, and seriously contemplated suicide. After a set of tennis, we chatted for 45 minutes, I didn't see him for 3 months, then one day I saw him enter a bank across the street and called out to him. He turned and walked across the street to join me. Not having seen him for awhile, I was relieved to see he was well and in great spirits. He shared how our short chat months earlier helped him reflect on his negative choices and decisions and literally turned his life around.

He said expressing daily gratitude for all his blessings by naming them gave him the courage and persistence to carry on with his life.

Start with this important daily reminder, gratitude. Start by telling your family, relatives, and friends how much you sincerely appreciate them being in your life, and how much joy you receive by simply being with and around them.

What Happened to Us?

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 04:04:14 GMT

What Happened To Us?

What Happened to Us?

Over decades of training, I’ve witnessed a significant shift in the world of martial arts. The disciplines that once centered on personal growth, respect, and character development have grown alongside new arenas of competition, spectacle, and self-promotion. This evolution has brought many positive opportunities—more exposure, more practitioners, and new ways to challenge ourselves physically. But I’ve also noticed something subtle and essential shifting beneath the surface.

The core principles that originally inspired many of us—the spirit of humility, integrity, and honor—sometimes seem overshadowed by a growing focus on ranks, titles, and external recognition. This shift isn’t a cause for blame or resentment. It’s a chance for reflection and renewal.

Rather than lament what has been lost, we have a powerful opportunity to reclaim what truly matters. The path ahead invites us to focus less on labels and more on living the values that give martial arts their enduring strength.

Ranks and certificates are helpful guides on our journey, but they don’t define who we are. True mastery lies in how we embody respect, courage, and compassion—both inside the dojo and out in the world.

We can lead by example, showing students and peers alike that character is the ultimate achievement. By creating spaces where kindness and resilience flourish alongside skill and discipline, we nurture a new generation of warriors equipped to face life’s challenges with strength and grace.

Imagine if the foundational values of martial arts—integrity, humility, patience, honesty, and compassion—were taught not only in dojos but in schools and communities everywhere. These principles have the power to enrich lives far beyond their application in fighting techniques.

Teaching martial arts means more than perfecting punches or kicks. It means sharing stories of perseverance and respect, encouraging self-awareness, and fostering a sense of responsibility to others. When we invest in this holistic approach, we nurture individuals who carry the warrior spirit in every aspect of their lives.

A significant part of this journey is learning to be honest with ourselves. That means acknowledging when we fall short, understanding our motivations, and embracing vulnerability. I’ve found that the more truthful I am—especially with myself—the more grounded and free I feel.

Taking responsibility isn't about blame; it's about reclaiming our power to choose our path intentionally. Living authentically allows us to lead with clarity, courage, and peace.

I remain a student, dedicated to learning and personal growth. The title of Shodan reminds me that the journey is ongoing. The warrior's way is not about domination or accolades—it’s about living with honor, serving others, and nurturing the spirit within.

If we embrace this approach, the heart of martial arts will continue to thrive—not in trophies or titles, but in the lives we touch and the values we uphold.

Together, we can foster a future where martial arts is a valid path of personal growth and community strength.

Meeting Bruce Lee

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 04:02:46 GMT

Meeting Bruce Lee

Meeting Bruce Lee

In October 2013, I was invited by Linda Lee, Bruce's wife, to present the keynote address at the grand opening of a Bruce Lee exhibit at the Wing Luke Museum in Seattle, Washington.

The topic of my address was, "Did you know Bruce Lee?" It was a strange question to ask an audience forty years after Bruce's passing. Did you know Bruce Lee? Many in the room hadn't even been born when he died. They knew Bruce through what his legacy had become, but they had never met him in person, never looked him in the eye, never had the chance to shake his hand.

Of course, I understood the underlying meaning of the question.

I must share the first time I saw Bruce. It was the afternoon of August 3rd, at an officials' rules meeting before the start of the elimination matches at the first International Karate Championships, in Long Beach, California, produced by Mr. Ed Parker. Bruce was introduced to a room filled with black belts from all corners of the world.

There was something Bruce said at that meeting that has burned inside me for over 60 years. He began his speech by telling everyone that what they had been learning was nonsense, not real martial arts, but merely a programmed, robotic, repetitive, and habitual way of learning and trying to emulate their instructor. This didn't go over well with those in attendance. Many considered him young, cocky, even arrogant. That was strange because that is precisely how some people perceived me when they saw me fight, which is why I got the nicknames 'The Animal' or 'Tiger Mike Stone.'

Bruce said that what they were learning would not be effective in a real fight or self-defense situation on the street. As a result, he decided not to compete in tournaments, which, in Bruce's view, restricts what is practical and effective.

As I sat there, absorbing his words, I instantly realized: these were my exact feelings and thoughts. I questioned myself. What did I learn in only six months? and would it be effective?

The very next day, I would be fighting in my first tournament as a black belt, with minimal training and no real experience. I would be going up against grown men who were bigger, stronger, faster, and more experienced. I wanted to know, to gauge myself against other fighters, and to compete. I chose to express myself that way.

Bruce called it a game of tag, but people were being seriously injured during the "Blood and Guts" era of competition. Fighters were tagged unconscious.

I had been thinking and feeling the same way Bruce did, but I never dared to say it out loud. Instead, I stayed silent, protecting myself from criticism and rejection. I went along with the status quo, compliant, well-behaved, keeping my place. All those thoughts remained trapped in my head. But when Bruce spoke, something stirred in me. In that moment, I felt a quiet bond between us, like he had given voice to something I had long kept hidden. It's been long overdue; now is the time to speak out with dignity and respect for all other forms of expressing their ideas about martial arts, even if I disagree.

After the finals and the conclusion of the event the following evening, it was I who had won both the Black Belt division and the Grand Championship of the event. Ed Parker invited Jhoon Rhee, Bruce, and me to a Chinese dinner to celebrate the success of the tournament and my victory.

It was during that dinner that Bruce and I formed a unique and special bond. Our relationship was never built on martial arts. It was built on two men—young, aggressive, and gifted—whose goals were the same: to be the very best versions of who we are, not just what we choose to do.

With us, it was never physical. It was always about mindset, spiritual balance, and harmony.

The most important lesson I learned many years ago was to tell the truth—to stop lying, especially to myself. To be honest in all my dealings and relationships. To accept 100% responsibility for my choices, their results, outcomes, and consequences. The values and principles of martial arts are real, and their benefits extend far beyond the dojos and training facilities into every aspect of our lives.

Everyone thinks and believes that Bruce and I shared countless training sessions. In complete truth, we only had one physical training session ever. The only physical things he ever taught me were a couple of his forms—or katas—so he could certify me in his system.

After sixty years, I've decided to tell My Time Bruce Lee, I will share stories about him no one has ever heard. They were funny, sad and serious. It will be released in the Spring of 2026.

The Way of Teaching Beyond Words

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 03:49:10 GMT

The Way of Teaching Beyond Words

Spiritual Intelligence: Teaching beyond words

After more than sixty years of practicing and teaching martial arts, I’ve come to understand that proper communication goes far beyond words. Words can be helpful, yes—but in the world of martial arts, they are often the last to matter. The body knows. The spirit listens. The intuition leads.

I don’t just speak to my students—I feel them. I sense where their understanding lies, not from what they say, but in how they move, react, and absorb the energy in a moment. Some learn best through hearing—absorbing the rhythm and cadence of instruction. Others need to think it through, to analyze and connect each movement to logic and structure. Still others feel it—through emotion, through instinct, through the unspoken resonance of the lesson.

And then some must experience it—physically. They need to feel the force of a technique. They need to absorb the intensity of a strike, not to be harmed, but to understand its intention. The focused energy, the timing, the commitment. The moment they feel it in their body, a door opens—the lesson lands.

This is where spiritual intelligence enters the dojo.

Instinct: The First Guardian

Instinct is the body's natural language. Before the mind can form a sentence, the body has already responded. In sparring, in real conflict, or in moments of real-life danger, instinct protects. It reacts, anticipates, and adjusts. You don't think about getting out of the way—you move.

This is not learned. This is awakened.

Martial training doesn't give you instinct—it refines it. It sharpens your natural capacity to sense danger, respond to subtle shifts, and act without delay. That's why martial arts is more than technique. It's the cultivation of awareness. Presence. Readiness.

Intuition: The Inner Compass

If instinct is the body's guardian, then intuition is the soul's compass.

In teaching, I've seen students suddenly “get it” before they could explain how or why. A movement flows through them naturally. A pattern clicks. A correction lands not in the ears, but in the body. That is intuition at work—when something feels right at a level deeper than thought.

As a teacher, I rely on this every day. I don't follow a rigid method. I read the room. I tune in to the subtle energy of each student. I let the lesson reveal itself—not just through the curriculum, but through connection.

Intuition allows us to see beyond what is visible. To hear what isn’t said. To feel where the real teaching needs to happen.

The Dojo as a Sacred Space of Knowing

The dojo is not just a place to practice combat—it is a temple of awareness. In it, we relearn how to trust ourselves. How to connect instinct with discipline. How to refine intuition through repetition and stillness.

In this space, communication becomes a holistic experience. Words may be spoken, but the real teaching occurs through breath, presence, and subtle energy shifts in posture and gaze. It happens in the pause before a strike. In the bow. In the silence between techniques.

This is a spiritual language—a language of respect, awareness, and internal mastery.

Returning to Inner Authority

Too many people in this world have abandoned their inner knowing in favor of someone else's definition of truth. But as a martial artist, you learn quickly: what you know in your body, in your gut, in your spirit—that is your truth.

Spiritual intelligence is not mystical fluff. It's the highest form of embodied awareness. It’s trusting what your senses tell you before your intellect catches up. It’s honoring your instincts, cultivating your intuition, and allowing experience to be your most outstanding teacher.

So yes—words matter. But only when they are backed by lived truth. What we pass on to others is not just what we say, but how we move, how we carry ourselves, and how we are in every moment.

Essential Truth

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 03:46:21 GMT

Essential Truth

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The Black Belt Betrayal

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 03:44:58 GMT

The Black Belt Betrayal

The Black Belt Betrayal: A Call to Return to True Martial Values

"I didn't start martial arts to be the toughest guy in the bathroom. I started to become a better human being."

Today, the belts are brighter, the stripes more numerous, the halls of fame more crowded—and yet the soul of martial arts has never felt so empty.

We live in an era when anyone with a checkbook can purchase a black belt. Where "grandmasters" outnumber students. Where some wear more stripes than skills, and honor is replaced with hashtags and hall-of-fame selfies. Where the sacred teachings of self-control, humility, and courage are traded in for fame, fear, and financial gain.

I've seen too much. I've seen schools hand out black belts after six months. I've seen instructors give themselves titles their masters never earned, because their masters are long gone, and can no longer speak up. I’ve watched America become the land of opportunity… and sometimes, the land of illusion.

And I'm here to say: Enough.

Martial arts were never meant to glorify violence, promote anger, fear, or hate, or become another pay-to-play arena for ego and entertainment.

They were meant to build people. Strong people. Honest people. People who stand up not for recognition, but for what's right.

The lying must stop. The fake masters must step down. The real teachers must rise again—and remind the world what this path was always about:

Discipline over domination.

Character over competition.

Honor over hype.

If you're a martial artist, I challenge you: Find your name. Define what you're really creating, supporting, and selling. Is it fear, pain, and image? Or is it growth, courage, and truth?

I was once considered the first superstar in the sport of karate. But I was only a shodan—a first-degree black belt. I never claimed more, because my belt wasn't about fame. It was about the foundation.

And so I stand here, not as a grandmaster, not as a hall-of-famer, but as a man who still believes in what martial arts can be. What they once were. What they still must become again.

Let’s bring back the soul of the art.

Let’s train with integrity.

Let’s teach with humility.

Let’s fight for the truth.

Martial Integrity Over Modern Imitation

As the art of karate evolved and merged into the realm of various combat sports, I observed a steady decline in the attitudes and values of many students. The art, the values, and the principles I fell in love with when I first began training were disappearing from the martial arts landscape. The future of combat sports seemed built on the passion and vision of young men seeking fame and fortune, venting aggression and anger. It was no longer a noble quest for self-mastery and personal growth.

The lure of money, fame, and entertainment was diluting the virtues and principles of the Bushido code. Aggression and violence were being rewarded and glorified under the banner of "mixed martial arts," overshadowing the deeper spiritual foundation that once defined the martial arts. The spirit of the art I had once fallen in love with must now make a focused and determined effort to reclaim its code of honor.

That code courses through our veins. It resides in our DNA. We are its guardians—the originators, pioneers, innovators, instructors, and warriors raised during the "blood and guts" era. We can no longer sit idly by, reminiscing about the good old days, silently suppressing the truths we feel deep in our hearts. Why has it become about money, ego, pride, recognition, and fame? Have we truly forgotten how to know ourselves?

I remember asking Koichi Tohei after one of my first classes, "Sir, how should I address you?" He replied simply, "Just call me Sensei. I'm a teacher." At that time, he was the highest-ranked practitioner of Aikido in the world, second only to the founder, Professor Ueshiba. In my entire martial arts journey, which began in 1963, I’ve met only a handful of exceptional martial artists whom I am proud to call Sensei.

When did titles, ranks, and certificates come to the forefront? When did Hall of Fame ceremonies become showcases for status rather than substance? When did we devote our energy to pursuing recognition rather than refining our skills, abilities, and character? And by whose authority are we calling ourselves Masters and Grand Masters? Did we receive divine blessings? Did God serve on the promotion board?

I’ve watched people skip the years of discipline and character-building it takes to earn a black belt truly. I've seen more self-appointed grandmasters in this country than in the homelands where these arts were born. Where are their teachers? Who validated their knowledge and skills? Many claim their teachers are deceased, conveniently unable to verify or refute their stories.

We must take an honest inventory of who we are. I have no agenda tied to my credentials. I remain at peace being a Shodan. I still see myself as a student, in pursuit of truth and honesty about my abilities and character. I do not feel I have contributed enough to deserve the praise and honors I have received. My passion has always been to learn, grow, and serve others.

Truth, Love, and the Inner Fight

Truth and authenticity are the highest states of being I strive for. This has been the most challenging pursuit of my life. I’ve failed many times, but I’ve always gotten back up. That persistence has been my saving grace. That spark is the essence of my spiritual existence—it is the force and nature of who I am.

Imagine if we committed ourselves to a greater purpose: working together to champion the original values of our martial code. I believe the Bushido warrior code should be taught in all dojos and implemented in educational institutions worldwide, beginning as early as age five.

Imagine a world where integrity, courage, respect, honor, honesty, humility, patience, compassion, truth, and love are not only taught but lived. It is up to us, martial artists, to return to our roots and transmit our foundational values to the next generation. It would be a tremendous contribution to society. We must encourage our youth to embrace the Warrior Lifestyle and nurture the Warrior Spirit.

We all seek love. It’s a universal longing that transcends age, culture, and circumstance. We want to love and be loved, to feel valued and understood. Yet, many of us are searching for love in the wrong places.

As physical beings, we are naturally rooted in the material world. Over time, that connection has become an obsession: homes, cars, money, luxury, and appearance. There is nothing wrong with enjoying the finer things, but problems arise when we let them define us or become the sole source of our happiness.

We neglect our inner selves—our mental and spiritual well-being—in favor of outward gain. This imbalance leaves us feeling drained and unfulfilled. True fulfillment comes from harmony between body, mind, and spirit. When one is out of balance, everything suffers. We may be successful in our careers yet struggle in our relationships or health. We may be financially secure but feel emotionally empty.

This imbalance affects our personal and professional relationships. It breeds stress, confusion, and insecurity. The key is realizing that real love is not about external validation. It comes from within—through self-awareness, self-love, and self-respect.

When we align our body, mind, and spirit, we create peace and draw meaningful love into our lives. This alignment empowers us to make better decisions for our health, relationships, and overall well-being. We no longer seek approval outside ourselves—we become grounded in truth.

To achieve this, we must ask: What do I truly value? What brings me peace? What fulfills me spiritually? What is my purpose? The answers shift our focus from the external world to the internal one, where genuine love resides.

Transformation doesn't happen overnight. It's a lifelong journey. However, every small step, whether through meditation, reflection, exercise, or a heartfelt connection, brings us closer to our true essence. Love isn't something we find outside ourselves. It's something we cultivate from within.

The Freedom of Truth and the Warrior's Legacy

After years of self-reflection, I made a quiet yet radical decision: I stopped lying to others, and most importantly, to myself. At first, it was painful to admit how often I had done it. Even well-intentioned lies slowly erode our integrity.

The most complicated lies to face were those I told myself, especially in relationships. I had to confront how I had betrayed my truth to avoid conflict or maintain appearances. My failed marriages taught me this. For years, I blamed others, but in time, I realized I hadn't been honest about what I needed or believed. I stayed silent when I should have spoken. I tried to keep the peace by sacrificing my truth.

That silence followed me into the martial arts world. I saw respected practitioners give themselves ranks and titles they hadn't earned. I watched our traditions get distorted and commercialized. I knew it was wrong, yet I said nothing—for fear of backlash, for fear of being labeled.

But silence in the face of dishonor is dishonor.

When I finally began to speak the truth about myself, my failures, and the martial arts, it was like breaking free from a shell. It wasn't easy. I was afraid. But I did it honestly. And with every truth, the burden lifted.

Taking full responsibility is not a punishment. It is liberation. It returns your power. It makes you whole again.

Truth burns away the fog, the uncertainty, and the illusions, and by accepting responsibility for my choices, expressions, and actions, I have gained internal strength and self-confidence.

Being honest and truthful in all my relationships and dealings with others leaves me feeling at peace, calm, and relaxed. Relationships built on truth help create lasting friendships and mutual respect.

Integrity creates a sense of freedom. When your actions align with your values, you no longer need to hide.

This path requires courage. But it is the path of the true warrior, not in name, but in spirit.

I speak not just as a martial artist, but as a man who has stumbled, grown, and evolved over a lifetime. A man who has faced his ultimate opponent: himself.

Responsibility isn't about blame, it's about authorship. What did I choose? What did I allow? What did I avoid? When we live with truth and integrity, we change from the inside out.

We gain clarity, peace, power, and freedom. We stop living in fear. We begin living in truth.

This is the legacy I hope to leave—not one of titles, belts, awards, Hall of Fames, and 17 10th-degree black belt certificates hanging on my walls. How outrageously arrogant.

Because belts fade, certificates gather dust. But character, integrity, honor, respect, courage, and humility—that's what endures.

A Warrior Lifestyle

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 03:37:51 GMT

A Warrior Lifestyle

A Warrior Lifestyle

Designed with Intention

For years, I believed that if I let life unfold naturally, things would eventually fall into place. I assumed that understanding would blossom independently and that the pieces would fall into place without my interference. But after many seasons of uncertainty, inconsistency, and frustration, I realized that clarity doesn't come from chance—it comes from conscious design.

Then, I turned inward and saw that my life needed a structure—one not built on rigidity or control, but on a thoughtful rhythm. I began by identifying the three core aspects that make up my humanity: my spirit, my mind, and my body. Each demanded its kind of care and discipline. I decided to honor them all equally, building my daily life around them, not as separate tasks but as one seamless flow.

Some might say discipline and freedom are opposites, but I've discovered the opposite is true. Discipline is the frame that gives freedom its shape. It creates space for spontaneity, presence, and flexibility, allowing for adaptation without falling apart. With a structure in place, I’m free to move, make, and live fully in each moment, without losing sight of who I am and what matters most.

My days begin long before the sun rises. I naturally wake between 3 and 4 a.m., a rhythm that surprises most people but suits me perfectly in terms of energy. There's a stillness in those early hours that nurtures clarity and creativity. Sometimes I wake up mid-dream, aware and conscious, and answers come in this liminal state. Questions I've been carrying—about relationships, projects, even spiritual dilemmas—begin to unravel gently, as if my spirit is whispering guidance into my waking thoughts. It's like having a quiet meeting with my soul before the noise of the world begins.

While still lying in bed, I begin a physical practice that has become both a ritual and a form of restoration. I move slowly through breathing and stretching exercises, focusing on the thirteen power points of the body: the neck, wrists, elbows, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles. Each is given careful attention through controlled rotation movements—a practice I've come to call isolate and control. It's not just about flexibility or strength. It's about intention. Precision. Energy. I do 50 repetitions for each leg and 100 for each arm, all while practicing a form of breathing I've developed: forceful exhalations as the limbs extend, deep inhalations as they prepare to strike.

By the end of this 75-minute routine, my entire body is alive. My blood feels charged, my mind clear, my breath complete. It's as if I've tuned my instrument, preparing it to play the day's melody.

Before rising, I sit in meditation for fifteen minutes. I repeat affirmations silently or aloud, depending on my mood. These are not idle words—they are recalibrations of my mind. Sometimes I focus on health. At other times, it's about financial goals or healing relationships. Often, I use this time to focus my energy on a person or situation that needs love, clarity, or release. It's a way of setting my internal compass before leaving bed.

Once I rise, I step outside barefoot to greet the day. The air is still cool, and the light is soft. I walk among my garden, touching leaves, smelling herbs, admiring the strength of vegetables growing in silence. There is a power in being grounded, literally, in the earth. I let the energy of the sun and soil seep into me, reminding me that life moves slowly, steadily, and with purpose.

I clean up next—but not in the usual way. Although I can access clean, modern showers, I prefer to bathe in the rainwater I collect in ten 50-gallon containers. It's a conscious act of conservation, a ritual of connection. I collect the runoff from my bath to water the plants and clean the walkways. It's a cycle of giving and receiving—of honoring the resources I've been entrusted with.

After getting dressed, I take my morning health tonic. It's a fiery blend of honey, garlic, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, and black pepper—a mixture that wakes the body, warms the belly, and heals from within. I take it on an empty stomach, knowing it's the first nourishment I give myself daily.

Then comes breakfast—simple, honest food: a bowl of oatmeal, a delicate crepe with cinnamon and honey, fresh juice, and a small bowl of fruit: pineapple, mango, banana, dragon fruit, and 15 papaya seeds, which I chew slowly, honoring their bitterness as much as their benefits.

After breakfast, I give myself time to explore my curiosity. I watch videos on topics that interest or challenge me—sometimes psychology, sometimes philosophy, sometimes something random and wonderful. This mental stimulation feels like a gentle warm-up for my next excellent task: writing. I then retreat into my work, writing for several hours. These books I've been working on for years are more than just stories—they are reflections of my life, lessons, and evolution.

Throughout the day, I stay connected with the people I love. I make brief calls to friends and family across the globe—3 to 5 minutes of presence that say: I’m here. I care. You matter to me. I check messages, respond to notes on social media, and tend to conversations with friends in the U.S., Australia, the U.K., Germany, and Hawaii. These connections feed my spirit and remind me that I am never alone.

The rest of my day is shaped by whatever feels most aligned with my spiritual, mental, and physical needs. Sometimes, that means rest, movement, or silence. But no matter what I do, I try to stay aware of what each part of me needs in the moment. I don’t aim for perfection, only presence.

Designing my life this way has been one of the most extraordinary acts of self-love I've ever given myself. It is not strict or fixed. It is a rhythm, a practice, a way of being—one that holds me together when I falter, guides me when I'm unsure, and brings me back to who I am,

Secrets

Sun, 18 May 2025 05:19:42 GMT

This is a subtitle for your new post

People love secrets, so I’ll share a SECRET with you. There are no SECRETS. We call secrets things we did not know, once discovered…no secret. Allow me to share a discovery I learned; it improved my life. The challenge was to apply this discovery to my life. “Everything is energy.” Nikola Tesla and Albert Einstein have been saying it for years.

Thoughts are powerful because of the energy frequencies that attract people, situations, and circumstances to aid you in manifesting your dreams into personal experiences. If your thoughts are negative, they can produce the opposite results.

Everything in the universe vibrates at a particular frequency of energy. Thoughts are the most powerful, attractive, and destructive energy you create. It all depends on where you place your intention and attention. You have the power to change your life by changing your thoughts. The thoughts you most often think will eventually be expressed in your words and actions to create the reality you experience.

Your thoughts act like magnets, helping you manifest them into physical reality. Remember, you are as powerful as you need to be to attract anything you desire. When you focus your time, energy, and disciplined emotions with trust, faith, and belief in how you prefer to live, you will attract what you think about most often.

A favorite technique for achieving the best results is to "act as if” you are living those experiences. You must think, express, and act as if you already live as you prefer, in the present moment, where you exist.

Quit waiting around thinking there is something special you need to do before you experience what you desire. Stop living in the past or worrying about the future. You live and exist now; it is the only place you can die and the only place you can truly live. Quit wasting your life.

Act as if it is a powerful technique for drawing the experiences you prefer into your present life. When you act as if what you desire is what you already are, you are living your preferred experiences. Add the energies of trust, faith, and belief that you are, in that moment, the person you desire to be, having the experiences you choose to have. To maintain the quality of your experiences, add daily expressions of gratitude and appreciation for all the blessings you enjoy.

Everything is energy; use all aspects of your humanity, spiritual, mental, and physical gifts and talents to manifest them into your daily experiences.

Love and Light,

Stoneman

ARICLES

Fri, 21 Mar 2025 09:43:47 GMT

BLOG ARTICLES

Breathing

Sun, 07 Jan 2024 05:56:35 GMT

Importance of Breathing

It is an especially beautiful day in paradise. I was greeted this morning with the blooming of these two gorgeous flowers.

Breathe …

I am often asked, what is the first thing to learn, or teach in martial arts? My answer usually shocks them, because it’s a concept most teachers forget as the foundation of all of life and to produce quality movement of the physical body…breathing. We have taken breathing for granted, like most other habitually repetitious things we learn.

One of the first things, after existing the womb, is to get the new born baby to breathe. In the old days the doctor or nurse would grab the infant by the ankles, turn it upside down and slap it on the butt to activate breathing.

I have found breathing is naturally connected to all physical movement. Breathing is vital in the performance of quality martial arts.

There is a natural rhythm and timing as it relates to your movements in martial arts. All movements when accompanied with correct breathing rhythm and timing will enhance the quality of the technique. Knowing how and when to breathe in harmony with what you are doing is paramount.

To start all physical activities with a breathing technique for that particular movement. The questions is, how do you know if you are breathing “correctly”? You can tell by the direction of the movements. If you are extending, pushing or moving out, away from your body, its best to exhale. If you are drawing inward to the body, it would be best to inhale.

Do not inhale a full breathe then hold and tense your body. Tensing your body only restricts, inhibits, it tightens and limits your body from releasing the energy and power needed to perform the movement focused intent.

When inhaling relax and keep your shoulders down, Don’t lift your shoulders up around your neck when inhaling. The law of Isolate and Control must also be practiced during all breathing exercises and movements. Isolate and control is your ability to increase your range of motion while isolating one of the seven power points of the body, the neck, wrists, elbows, arms, hips, knees, and ankles.

When isolating these power points, make the widest range of motion, don’t move, and isolate that body part from the rest of the body’s movement. This will allow the isolated part to get the maximum rotation and benefit. This will require you to focus, concentrate and exercise discipline.

Remember that all training and practice always include the three aspects of your humanity, your connection to your spiritual creation, your mental intent, development and power to focus and concentrate, and the health and maintenance of your body.

Easily said, but a major challenge for everyone to incorporate all three aspect into your martial arts training.

This is the origin, genesis, start, the beginning, this is your greatest challenge. This program is for everyone, but not everyone will be able to achieve any personal satisfaction or level of proficiency and effectiveness.

Everyone may be able to improve to some degree by NOT using this method of training, BUT if you desire to be your BEST, you will need a particular mindset to accomplish this. To create this particular mindset will take correct breathing, being able to isolate and control your mind and body through your ability to focus and concentrate in each moment of being your best.

You are as powerful as you need to be to accomplish anything in life you desire.

Love and Light

Happy New Year.

Count your blessing

Sat, 18 Nov 2023 03:15:55 GMT

Count your blessing

Aloha Friends,

It’s another beautiful day in paradise. Every day is a great day, some just different from others.

Every so often, I feel the need to express (explain) how I feel because often people will misinterpret or misunderstand what they thought I said. Or, it just may be what they wanted to hear. I am known for speaking my mind, heart and feelings, this too often is misunderstood or, misinterpreted.

As you may have noticed, I often express the idea of “being blessed”. I know, because I am often asked about this very idea, being blessed.

Over my many years of self-reflection, to get to the bottom of who I am, I have come up with a philosophy of life and living. I know it is different from many others but, I too have learned, that being different is not necessarily a bad, or negative thing.

Of the many character and personality traits human beings can manifest, my personal favorite, is GRATITUDE. I have adopted this one trait as my favorite. In my morning ritual when I become consciously awake, gratitude is at the top of my list of daily affirmations.

I know many of you are familiar with the concept of prayer, so, I will use it here to explain my perception of prayer and gratitude.

Prayer and gratitude are energies we release into the universe as fervent statements of what is in our hearts. Most people mistakenly use prayer as a means of supplication, not appreciation. Prayers are often used as a means of asking for needs and wants, not for what the creator intended, as a means of expressing gratitude and appreciation for the blessing you already experience. Counting one’s blessing and prayers are no different. They are ways in which we express to the creator and the universe who we are for what we have.

I experience this “miracle” daily, because of who I am, I thank the creator in advance for what I already have in my life, not what I lack and feel I need or want. I ask for nothing. This expression of thanking, is powerful because it sets into motion the law of attraction. By expressing your gratitude and appreciation for what you already experience, the creator and the universe will continue giving you more of the blessings you declare you already experience. This is how the universe works, the issue with Man is he believes he wants and needs, because he feels a sense of lack in his life. When you feel a sense of lack and “not enough-ness” in your life, one can feel a false sense of what you think you deserve, and may look for ways to possess things without having to earn it.

The universe was created with an overabundance of everything. The creator knew one of the qualities expressed by Man is greed. Many human beings intrinsically feel they don’t have enough, love, energy, time and money, or abundance, but they do, and don’t appreciate it. It’s this feeling of lack which produces the ideas of needing and wanting.

If you keep talking “sh--,” you are bound to attract more flies and lies into your life and experience fear, hatred, envy, jealousy, anxiety, worry, depression, frustration, disappointment and unhappiness along with a host of smaller flies.

Don’t supplicate, express gratitude and appreciate.

Much Love and Light.

Mike

Freedom and Discipline

Fri, 17 Nov 2023 08:17:07 GMT

Freedom and Discipline

To have a better understanding how I think and believe about discipline and freedom I visited my childhood. If you had the benefit of being raised in a two parent home, being disciplined by your parents was a major factor in how you learned and understood the world around you. Discipline was critical to your education and permeated all aspects of your life. Adults, teachers, religious leaders, schools councilors also contributed to your understanding of how closely related freedom and discipline are.

Discipline was the mechanism used to keep you in check from expressing too much freedom. Discipline was a way of teaching you to control yourself, and how others control you. Discipline was the umbrella term used to shield you from misuse and abuse of your freedoms. It was used a method of control. Discipline was the perfect word to use.

dis•ci•pline

[ˈdisəplən]

NOUN

1. the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behavior's, using punishment to correct disobedience:

"a lack of proper parental and school discipline"

SIMILAR:

control, regulation, direction, order, authority, rule

2. a branch of knowledge, typically one studied in higher education:

"sociology is a fairly new discipline"

This may be why so many people struggle to accept the positive aspects of discipline in their lives. Many of my clients and students express difficulty in being disciplined in making meaningful changes in their lives. People express feelings of confusion, frustration and anxiety, and often reject being disciplined.

I perceive freedom and discipline as two sides of the same coin.

This observation reminds me of the first attempt I made at writing the script for the movie, Enter the Ninja. It was the most mentally challenging thing I have attempted at that point in my life. I believed in my ability to express my imagination and creativity, but I was not disciplined enough to appreciate freedom to write, was at the expense of discipline. Sitting, starring at the typewriter without an outline, limitations, boundaries, believing I had total freedom to write anything, was the most frustrating, paralyzing mental experience.

What I lacked at that time in my life was discipline.

I have come to realize in life there can never be true freedom unless you create boundaries, boarders, barriers, limitations and parameters within which you have all the freedom to create the life you prefer to experience. One must have forces, energies to push against in order to build the mental toughness require to expand one’s freedom to create.

Without discipline there is no freedom, only chaos, frustration, anxiety, disappointment and unhappiness. Discipline is the fire, drive, determination that fuels the engine of freedom to express your imagination and creativity. It requires time, patience, insight and wisdom gained through clear thinking. To reach the realization and understanding also requires mental monitoring to be presently conscious of your thoughts.

My ability to dream awake, by being consciously aware and participate in my dreams, has given birth to clarity of thought, and solutions to queries I have regarding life’s challenges and obstacles. I find many answers to life’s questions during my dream time.

We chose to be born into the world of relativity, and by its nature we may choose between its polarities, dichotomies, contradictions and opposites which experience we prefer. Life is all about choices and relationships. Think deeply on this.

Love and Light,

Mike

Another beautiful day in paradise.

Tue, 07 Sep 2021 04:39:07 GMT

Another beautiful day in paradise.

Hi Friends,

Another beautiful day in paradise.

I believe we have many opportunities to act and feel young again. At 78 years young I enjoy steping out of the box of conformity, habit and predictability. When I started to mower the lawn this morning there was no hint on rain, but when I started to rake the yard it drizzled then rained a bit harder. It crossed my mind during the drizzle phase to stop, go in, and resume raking after it stopped, then I asked myself, why should stop? I usual answers didnt make sense to. Like, get out of the rain, you'll get soaked and wet, or you might catch a cold, get sick, a fever or a cold. Then a reply popped in my mind. " So what!?" For me raking the lawn is form of meditation, theraphy, relaxation, the rain was only making the experience more enjoyable.

At first I was not aware I was being taped. I just didn't care. But I must confess for an instant my ego was concerned about how I might to others seeing me in this vulnerable unguarded moment, but the answer was the same, I didn't care. I was having fun and feeling good about what I was doing and proud that I didnt stop, quit, or gave up, all which made me feel even better. I stayed focused on my intent to do my best and complete the task at hand.

Live your life in the moment you exist. You can only die then, so, it stand to reason you can only truly live then.

Be happy, Just saying...

Mike Stone

Difficult and challenging past year and a half

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 04:47:45 GMT

Aloha Friends,

Another beautiful day in paradise.

I realize how difficult and challenging the past year and a half has been for everyone. I too have felt the effects of major changes in my life. Everyone is dealing with their situations and problems in their own way, it doesn’t mean what they went through has been easier.

I have found a way to deal with the negative changes in a positive way. By creating a mindset, a way of perceiving what is happening around me.

The only defense we shared is the strength of our thoughts and the power of our minds. And, yet for many these gifts have been a curse. Perception works the very same way, it is either a blessing or a curse, you decide. Perception is simply the way we view, understand, and believe what is happening around us. It depends on our state of mind, our mindset, our thoughts, and our beliefs.

We are all natural creators and whether you accept it or not you are responsible for the way you view and believe what happens TO YOU. Accepting this reality becomes more difficult especially negative situations that happen halfway around the world which does affect you.

I agree with you, you are not personally responsible for the acts of violence and cruelty, but collectively, we are.

Your gift and power are in your ability to choose how you feel and react by WHAT HAS HAPPENED to you. This is your gift, your power, your right, your ability, your choice. You are in charge and in control of your life, you decide.

We have already given up so much of who we are. It is time to remember and reconnect to the love and light of our creation. We must hang on to our GOD-given right to choose, we must be protective of this gift and be careful what we are choosing for our children, family, relatives, and friends.

We have been blessed with our freedoms and now find they are being taken away. The famous words to a song are, “You don’t know what you’ve got until you lose it.” I appreciate and am grateful for what I got and I will not lose it.

What about you? Just saying…

Mike Stone

Awoken by my cellphone

Thu, 29 Jul 2021 04:49:50 GMT

I was awoken early this morning by the ringing of my cell phone.

Aloha Friends,

Another beautiful day in paradise.

I was awoken early this morning by the ringing of my cell phone. It was Jamie Cushions, a loyal and trusted friend of GM Pat Burleson for many years. I had a short chat with Mr. B.
The call trigger some emotional memories of my special bond with GM Pat Burleson

Pat and I enjoy a rare, and special bond for over 57 years. It started in 1964 at the National Karate Championships in Arlington, Va. Pat was the defending champion. He was the first National Karate Champion in sport karate. This feat alone cemented his legacy as a Legend and Pioneer in American Sport Karate History.

As many of you may be familiar, whether you are an elite competitive athlete or a weekend warrior, the idea of a bond between fierce competitors initially, has turned into affection and respect. This rare bond between Pat and I rose from the ashes of a fierce, aggressive martial combat into one of love and respect.

In 1964 Mr. Burleson was the defending champion. Four men ended up in a round-robin elimination format to find the champion for that year. This was the first time a major karate event was nationally televised, and I have been reminded often of my role that caused all major sports networks to ban the viewing of karate for the next ten years. Ironically I was the person responsible for having sport karate nationally televised again ten years later.

In my first elimination match, I fought a marine from Ft. Le June, a Mr. Worthy, and nearly blinded him with a kick to his face. He later returned to fight with a gauze patch over his damaged eye.
My second match was against the defending champion, Mr. Pat Burleson. I was both blessed and lucky to have won my match with Pat. The other elimination fights were hard-fought matches but the damage in the minds of the viewing audience, as a spectator sport, had been done. We seem to have come full circle with the blood and mayhem featured weekly by the UFC, MMA, and at least 20 other mixed martial arts events.

it seems strange to me that for a rivalry to exist you need two combatants to consider the other your enemy, opponent, or rival. We were combatants for sure, but I never considered Pat or any other person I ever fought as my enemy, opponents, or rival. as a competitor, yes,?

I created a different mindset in the ring. I never viewed the person I was fighting as having a personality or identity. It was never about the person but more about the skill expressed in the activity, the sport, the game we were playing. The contest was our ability to express our skill set, talents, gifts, and abilities. I was only interested in winning and being my best. Heck, I don’t even remember the names of most of the people I fought. I probably would not have been so successful had I focused on what kind of person they were.

It is because of legends and pioneers like Gm Pat Burleson that those early years are called the Golden Age of Sport Karate.

Just saying, Mr. B.

Mike Stone

mike-stone

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