All Things Primal

I've been going through (what I hope isn't just) a phase lately, where I'm being more and more attracted to the "primal" or "paleo" lifestyle, basically just thinking like a hunter/gatherer. Truth be told, I guess, I've always been a little bit of a caveman, but there is just something that is alluring to me about the minimalism, simplicity, and character born out of a life of necessity. While the patriarchs definitely didn't have a soft life, they probably did have a better appreciation for the things that were truly necessary, as opposed to all the crap that we fill our lives with.
Now, this has mostly been affecting the way I think about food and fitness. I had a realization while I was looking for something to lift for my CrossFit workout a little while ago, because my apartment gym is full of a bunch of garbage (read machines) with it's only saving grace being a decent set of dumb-bells. Anyway, I was looking for a substitute weight and realized, "I don't need dumb-bells and bar-bells. Nature is full of heavy things that I can lift. When was the last time hat I had to pick up something with perfect, centered little handles in my daily life anyway?". God made (most of) our bodies to move in very efficient ways, and to be capable of incredible feats of fitness. There is something very profound about natural movement. And the patriarchs were hip to this. Some how we have gotten away from this simple concept; we've lost sight of many of the simple truths of the simplicity of the way God designed and created us, and tried to devise our own "new and improved" (read arrogant and foolish) ways of doing things. It screams with pride and vanity and self-seeking glory. It over complicates the most simple of actions. And now, what would have been a normal function of everyday life (like running, bending, lifting, climbing, etc.), and the healthy diet that occurs naturally from foraging, are just one more demand on our over-busy schedules and over-squeezed budgets (eating healthily can be very expensive). So that now this philosophy has started to bleed over into most everypart of my life.
We try to fix the problem of overcomplicated lives by adding more things to our day, rather than seeking what is true; seeking what is necessary, and eliminating the extraneous.
When we read in the Old Testament, especially pre-Noahic Genesis, we read about men who "walked with God". I think that this was probably due in part to the state of the world at the time. God hasn't stopped walking with us. He is EVERYWHERE. But we just get ourselves so wrapped up in everything that is unimportant, tiny, and insignificant in this temporary vapor we call our life, that we miss Him every day. I think that when we seek to live more out of neccesity than the "how much extra can I get" mentatlity; more need than greed; more require than desire; then we will probably find how richly blessed we really are. It all boils down to truth. We have to seek truth.
In coming posts I will be featuring websites, books, and other good sources of a neccesity driven lifestyle. Until then ...

Nikao,
Tom

Change and Progress

Tuesday was a really big day for me. I made a decision to let go of something that has been a very big part of my life for the last 3+ years. I was a member of a RMA (renaissance martial arts) club since the summer of 2007 and had even become the study group leader of the local chapter. But, over the last few weeks it had become clear to me that it was no longer the right place for my time, energy, and money. A friend of mine, whom I was asking for advice, said that he thought my goals had changed, but on further reflection I don't think they have. I think that my goals have simply become more clear (and clarity is something that I have been praying for lately).
The main purpose of RMA is preservation. To rediscover and preserve the fighting combat arts of the European Renaissance. I realized somethings though:

1) The aspects of RMA that I am most interested in have already been preserved. Let me explain. The majority of the time of most RMA organizations is spent on weapons combat, known collectively as fencing. Now, the concept is that all of the different aspects (whether sword, pole-arm, unarmed, etc.) are all interlinked by the same principles. The art is holistic. Physiologicly a thrust with a rapier, spear, or longsword is the same. Because of this, the point can be made that in studying weapon skills, you are studying unarmed skills at the same time. This is a very valid point, and I don't argue it one bit. The realisation that I had, though, was that I no longer have as strong of an interest in learning how to fight with a 15th century longsword. Most of my interest is in the unarmed aspects. And while, yes, I could stick with it, put my resources into learning unarmed principles through weapons application, why go the long way around to get to the same destination? Because as interesting as it is, and as fun as it can be, the likelyhood of getting into a sword fight in the near future is only slightly more than being attacked by someone with a lightsaber. And as this video should illustrate, the unarmed techniques, the most applicable ascpect of these arts have preserved themselves through natural selection. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHldHRSi-jo&feature=related)

2) With the occasion to use a sword to defend myself in a life or death situation being as likely as it is, I decided that I should use my resources (time, energy, and money) a little more prudently. This boils down to basic stewardship. God has given us all we have. Every breath is a gift. And I can no longer justify the practice of swordsmanship over servanthood. "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven... for where your treasure is there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19-21) I'm not saying that martial arts are sinful. Simply that my goals have become more clear, and they don't include historcal fencing. I did learn some very good lessons about self defense and martial arts as a whole from my time spent in the RMA community, and I will take those lessons with me from here on in my life. But I found what I didn't even know I was looking for and it's time to look elsewhere.

And on a completely different note, I had a record breaking day yesterday. I surpassed my personal best on hand stands twice in one session. I had one 16 sec. followed shortly by a 20 sec. attempt at holding a hand stand. I'm excited to see my balance and shoulder strength improving.

Nikao,
Tom

Why I am here.

First post of my first blog... I guess I should start by introducing myself and stating the purpose of this blog. My name is Tom, and I am an overcomer. I have a love for most things involving nature and survival; a drive to prevail and overcome (nikao in Greek). Under this umbrella fall a wide array of skills, but just to touch on a few and give a general overview of this blog I'll list the more predominant ones on my mind:

Camping/Hiking - Now I don't mean "camping", with an RV, that's not camping. I mean camping, the more primitive the better. As for hiking I love a long hill and beautiful view at the finish, and trail running falls under this category as well.

Fitness - True fitness, not just body building, but functional: strength, power, endurance, stamina, balance, coordination, flexibility, speed, accuracy, and agility. For those of you who know CrossFit this will sound familiar.

Survival - Camping skills fall under this one to a degree as well, but this isn't just "on a desert island" survival. This is "tourist in a new city loses wallet and cell phone" kind of survival as well.

Primitive Living - Really getting back to nature and the original, most basic state of our existence. Again, sort of another over lap, but you will find that these skills will all overlap to some extent, each supporting the others.

Self Defense - The skill and ability to not just survive a physical encounter, but to avoid one as well.

These all have one thing in common, and that is overcoming. Through the life of this blog, I intend to document and journal my experiences in the practice and application of these skills, and hopefully through that, to show what it means to truly overcome:

"Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God."

- 1John 5:5

Until the next post,

NikaoTom