For as long as I have been teaching, I’ve always taken a minute before every class to give thanks for the honour of being in a position to teach. I also ask my God to use me to assist all those in attendance to the best of my ability and to be aware of the roller coaster of emotions in the room; fear, anxiety, eagerness and my favourite – LOVE?
Throughout my years on the training mats, I’ve always sought to be alert and as attentive as possible. For it is only when alert are we in a position to absorb everything we see, touch, smell and hear. Being alert allows me to be present and to seek out the level of love in the room, in doing so I can greatly contribute to each and every students development. Love is the key that opens the gates to progress.
I have trained in many systems and learnt a lot from negative instructors (mainly how not to teach) but my own growth soared when I was under the tutelage of an instructor who was alert and understood the power of love as an instructional tool.
For me the to be at my very best many factors have to be in balance but the glue that holds it all together is having the home advantage – LOVE.
I have no doubt that the success of Hard Target School of Self Defence was built on a solid foundation of love. And every day it needs tending to. I have a beautiful, loving and supportive wife… my soul mate.
Not a day goes by that I don’t tell (or show) her how much love I have for her. Like every couple we have ups and downs, however, thankfully the downs are rare.
In order to achieve this, I first needed to love myself. I could not give what I did not have. I remember a great quote: “This is the miracle that happens every time to those who really love, the more they give, the more they possess.” – Rainer Rilke (1875-1926)
I don’t believe in luck, never have. When I teach, my students feel a love from me that is cultivated from my home life, this was not a stroke of luck. It was created and continues because of daily gratitude, I am then in a position to teach through the power of love.
When a student is developed in this way, they are constantly reminded (not forced) that fighting should be avoided whenever possible. The first thing I teach all my students is how to avoid fighting, both physically and verbally.
Hurting people (physically or verbally) is easy, healing people is where the masters reside. As I age my body weakens but my mind strengthens and this can only be achieved with love.
When we use love as our foundation in everything thing we do our lives become beautiful, it creates hope, leaders, self esteem, respect and when we respect ourselves and each other we will have no need to fight.
Post by Aidan Carroll