“What could be more futile, more insane, than to create inner resistance to what already is? What could be more insane than to oppose life itself?”
— Eckhart Tolle
If you’ve followed along with my blog or know my background of training with the SEALFIT and Unbeatable Mind programs, you might know that I attended an intense 3-day training event called “Kokoro” back in the winter of 2016. I was emptying my ruck out today as it has accumulated lots of random gear over the past couple months of summer travel, and pulled out the patch I received after completing the event. It’s always fun to think back on these life-altering moments in our lives, but as I looked at the patch it actually reminded me of what Kokoro means, and reenergized me to focus on training my Kokoro spirit.
According to Mark Divine, founder of SEALFIT and Unbeatable Mind, Japanese culture sees the heart as “an essential organ of life and the source from which all action should emanate. The Japanese term used is a word that vibrates the resonance of the warrior.” That word is Kokoro.
Kokoro describes a person’s way of being. It means “heart, mind, and spirit aligned in action.” There isn’t one word in English to capture this essential nature. Most believe the mind is the end all, be all. As the Western world has evolved in our understanding of the body-mind-heart connection, we use the word energy more and more commonly, just like the Japanese use the word Kokoro. For example, you may hear someone say, “She has good energy,” or “I don’t like their energy.” Also, the word spirit is thrown into the mix, which somewhat embodies what Kokoro means because it’s really about a person’s essence: how they feel, think, and communicate when operating from their higher Self, with aligned body language, words, and actions.
If you have been training with us at CrossFit Kent Island or following another hard training program that tests you physically but also mentally and emotionally, teaching you about yourself and evolving your body and mind simultaneously, you have been developing your Kokoro intelligence. The integration of the first four “mountains” in the Unbeatable Mind system (physical, mental, emotional, intuitional) creates mastery at the fifth mountain, the “Kokoro-spirit” level.
With your body, heart and mind all working together as a team, the obstacles in your training — or in your life — don’t stand a chance. You are acting from your whole mind like a enlightened Zen master, and shifting your life toward a positive trajectory.
Final thought: when you have strong Kokoro, you’re tapping into your true Self. If you’ve been searching for your “why” or “purpose”, I believe this is the way to do it. Train hard, remain focused, listen to your heart, and you’ll get there!
Ryan