In Zen they say ‘enter a small door and penetrate deeply’.

When you do this on any subject, martial arts, religion or politics for example, you gain an insight and perspective way beyond most other people.

You shed the dogma, tribalism and narrow vision that we tend to be indoctrinated with and see with more truth and clarity.

At the heart of all these subjects tends to be a simplicity that is so clear that when the dogma and tribalism is removed we wonder how we missed it.

At the heart of all religions is empathy, compassion and kindness, the process of prayer and art should bring us to understand that everything and everyone springs from and returns to the same source, we really are ‘all in this together’ enabling us to treat everyone and everything without separation and as if it is ourselves.

Martial arts trains mind, breath, emotions and body into a unified and harmonious state so that we are able to become ‘peacekeepers’ bringing any violent or disruptive person or situation to a state of peace and harmony. In the end there are no ‘techniques’ or ‘styles’, only a highly responsive and skilful way of dealing with whatever the opponent or situation throws at you. Everything is dependent on them and not you.

Bad politics, religion or martial arts indoctrinates a person with separation, isolation, tribalism and nationalism, producing fear, anger and all the negative emotions through a dogmatic approach that brings about the violence and anger of separation.

We need to educate the next generation with kindness, compassion and a unified understanding of the truth of who and what we really are and therefore how this understanding will enable both humanity and this planet to survive together.

Otherwise we are all f****d.