The Conveyor Belt of Death by Andrew Salman
The following is Andrew’s thoughts and perceptions. Enjoy!
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The conveyor belt of death…when I first heard that phrase, I laughed and brushed it off. Then I kept hearing it more and more…and it created fear in my mind…and LOTS of questions. Then finally I heard the same saying again…and I learned the most valuable lesson of my existence.
I am truly blessed in this lifetime. Our martial arts school truly has some of the best quality training the world can offer. Sometimes it feels like I’m at Harvard or Princeton, but for Kung Fu, instead. When I see Master Baird move or hear him speak about martial arts…I just know I want that! I want to be able to move with such grace and power…the immense energy he can emit is mind blowing! The passion with which he speaks is inspiring. There was a time he inspired me so much that when our class ended at 1:00 in the morning…I went home and trained that night! It was truly one of my most favorite training sessions I have ever had…I felt as though I experienced a relaxation I had never known, and all my techniques felt like water that night. It was a great time! I hope to have many more like it.
There is one idea that Master Baird talks about in our advanced classes quite a bit. “The world is just a giant conveyor belt of death…nothing makes it out alive,” he says almost joyously! Wait, hold the phone…I’m dying??? Right now? My time is limited, the world is ending, I don’t know when I’ll leave…Facing my death is not something I am particularly used to. Westerners don’t really talk about it! We talk about all the stuff we have to do and all the things we have to get…and on and on…I have wrestled with this idea for years…as I’m sure many people do.
Something else Master Baird said once that stuck with me was this, “As soon as you are born, your body starts decaying. The process of death sets in.”
So it seems that the one “sure thing” in life is that I am going to die, and I am already on my way there.
If I am going to die, what is the point in trying? What is the point in living? Should I set goals, have aspirations, only to be smashed down in the years to come? So many wasted hours of thinking…why bother?
This has been on my mind for years and while pondering it this morning in meditation, I was blessed by a vision.
Two samurai were locked in a duel to the bitter end. Sitting there, with my eyes closed, I watched in my mind almost like some kind of epic blockbuster movie. For what felt like an eternity, the two warriors danced with death…at times I found myself holding my breath…right when I thought the final blow would land, it would be masterfully deflected…and the battle would go on…
When the vision faded, with both warriors still holding ground…a resounding thought came to my mind.
BE STRONG
It felt like I got hit by some immense force, while at the same time it had the gentleness of a father. Be strong!
The interesting thing about the seeming struggle was the amount of peacefulness the two warriors embodied. Neither one looked like they were willing to yield to the other, no matter the wound, no matter the clash of metal against metal by their master-crafted blades, no matter the wordless taunt their eyes occasionally sent. When one was about to fall, he would instantly turn the tide and bring himself back up to meet the other warrior. It was very exciting to watch! And learn! Oh, what I learned from this vision was immense!
I realized that they were not fighting…they were DANCING. Dancing with life and with death at the same time. While at first glance it appeared to be a struggle…they were actually in complete harmony with one another. There was a perfect balance of skill and equipment, a perfect balance of peacefulness…and a perfect balance of desire and strength.
I learned today that we are blessed to know that we are indeed dead men and women…but we do not know the hour. Many people say that this is God’s cosmic joke, but I suggest differently. It is our greatest blessing to not know when we die…because it keeps us on the cusp of life and death.
Could you imagine if you knew when you were going to die? Think about it, very long and very deeply. I realized that if I knew when I was to die, I would never know peace. I would never strive, never try, and never achieve anything in my life because I wouldn’t care. I am so happy that I don’t know when I will go, because it makes me appreciate everything in my living hours more and more. The people, the trees, the hills, all the fun things to experience and play with…
Coming to this understanding was freeing and calming. I can think about dying with a smile, knowing that from here on out, I will do my utmost to enjoy living.
Knowing that I will one day die used to fill me with fear…but today I no longer make that choice. Today, I choose courage. Today, I choose enjoyment. Today, I choose peace. I will always remember my vision of the two warriors…dancing with death and life at the same time.
If you were one of those warriors in that duel, would you give up? Would you simply fold because your death is so near? Would you let the other cut you down without raising an arm…Or would you defend yourself? Would you strike back his attacks with ferocity and courage? Would you give him no quarter, and try just as hard to take him down?
Would you realize that you are in that dance…right now?
Be strong.