Greetings all,
Monday night class is cancelled on 3/2/2020. I’ve had a mild cold over the weekend, and am still feeling a little bit of the tail end. I feel pretty good, but could probably use the rest. Additionally, with a potentially dangerous new virus going around, and with the extent of its spread still being unclear, it seems prudent to take the night off.
A lot of the training we do in Systema is to increase sensitivity to even very small changes within the psyche and the body — not to be hyper-vigilant, but to naturally notice contrasts earlier and be able to act accordingly. This has obvious application in martial arts. If you notice a dangerous situation or potential attack earlier, your opportunity to avoid or defend against those dangers vastly increases.
I want to point out that this same principle has deep application in taking care of one’s health. For example, if you get a cold, the earlier you notice that you’re not feeling quite right and that it may be a cold coming on, the sooner you can start getting extra rest, drinking extra fluids, and generally taking measures to create optimal conditions for your immune system to do its job. And, of course, you can avoid potentially exposing others to whatever you’ve got.
In my own experience, noticing these health disruptions earlier has lessened their impact. When I was in college and living a very unhealthy lifestyle, I would ignore sickness and go on drinking and smoking and staying up late … and couple times even landed myself in the emergency room with high fevers and dehydration. Now, in part due to Systema training, I find myself noticing sometimes even pre-symptomatic changes in the body, and I do my best to take care of myself right away. It makes a difference!
Consider that tonight’s lesson. Of course, do your pushups, situps, and squats … roll around on the ground … but also sit in silence, and pay attention to everything that enters your awareness. You might be surprised what you find. :) Let whatever wisdom is found guide your actions.
Our regular class is scheduled to resume next week Monday on 3/9 as usual.
Eugene Systema 