Control & Abandonment

Manolete--A Bullfighter for All Seasons

It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell. ~Buddha

The intense battle to control one's own passions is the most important battle that any human being will fight. To master oneself is to master the universe. Without the ability to keep one's emotions, fears, insecurities and desires in control, we can never move one inch toward freedom.

Take the bullfighter. Is their any greater symbol of self-control in the world? One solitary man walks alone into a huge, crowded arena to face a man-eating machine bred solely to fight and kill. It is an either/or proposition: Him or the Bull. Only one of them will walk out alive, and the only thing between the two of them is a cape and a small sword which he will use in the later part of the fight. Is the bullfighter without fear? Absolutely not. Manolete, one of the greatest bullfighters to have ever lived, said that he was always afraid when he entered the ring. If he hadn't been, he theorized, he would have been killed immediately. The control of his fear, the use of that fear in the service of his art form, is what made Manolete great. Ultimately, he was killed by a fine bull, a torro bravo. But before he died, he showed the meaning of courage--of self-control.

Another example of the conquest of fear is that of the professional boxer. All the great ones will tell you that when they enter the ring, they are afraid, but through self-control, constant practice, nerves of steel, and strategy, they can use all of their fears in the service of their art. The result: a beautiful fight. If you don't believe boxers have fear, go have a look at some of Mike Tyson's early fights when he hit opponents so hard that they were literally standing in the corner crying!

In the practice of yoga, a form of spiritual and mental discipline, I find the ability to control myself. Yoga means in its literal translation "yoke," and the idea behind all forms of yoga is to unite or yoke oneself with the Divine. Through this practice, absolute mental self-control may be achieved, and then absolute freedom.

No freedom, no evolution, no movement forward in this life is possible without self-control. I have fears, just like everyone else, but I refuse to allow them to conquer me. When you truly seek freedom, you must sit down and go within. You must acknowledge your demons one by one, and conquer them utterly.

Self-control and restraint do not mean repression and avoidance. On the contrary, they mean acceptance, acknowledgement, and ultimately conquest.

To be a warrior is to fight. To be a hero is to conquer the self so that fighting is unnecessary.

Namaste.