THE THREE MINDS: HEAVEN, MAN, AND EARTH

Author in qigong posture

A sound mind in martial arts is vital to ensure the safety of others and oneself. While many martial artists spend majority of their time practicing the martial techniques of their art; neglecting to cultivate the mind in the tasks of reason and judgement, through enlightenment, will hinder one's ability to master self. Day-by-day, people, not only martial artists, are being enlightened but fail to realize it. The human mind without meditation is imprisoned in a state of yin. It is in a yin state because the mind lives inside itself and is not aware of the things outside itself. Solving problems concerning work or social matters is the mind applying itself to matters outside itself; or simply put, is the mind working. Relying on martial arts practice alone to cultivate the mind will not allow one to realize the enlightenment that is being given each day, because applying the mind on martial matters is just the same as applying it to the social or work related challenges. Meditation is mind maintenance similar to exercise being body maintenance; and just as the body deteriorates with age and becomes weak without exercises to keep it strong, such is the same as meditating. Meditating each day allows the mind to free itself from its own inactivity of self learning and reflection by receiving enlightenment and applying these teachings to itself, thus entering a state of yang or activity. There are three minds that exist in humans: the heavenly mind, the manly mind, and the Earthly mind.

THE CONCEPT OF THE MIND

The mind is the definitive part of the human body and spirit; and is the link between the two. With this idea, one must be able to separate the mind from the body and spirit; and understand that the three exists as separate entities, but work together to create life for an individual. Comprehending the three minds can be discerned with more clarity by analyzing the concept of the mind. The mind exists on a plane between the body and the spirit, just as man exists on the plane between heaven and Earth. The mind is the tool to understand the body and the spirit, just as man is the tool to discern heaven and Earth. The mind didn't create the body and the spirit, just as man didn't create heaven and Earth. Finally, just as the mind can physically perceive the body but not the physical spirit; man can perceive a physical Earth but not a physical heaven. The relationship between the mind , body, and spirit aids in understanding the relationship between heaven, man and Earth