Congratulations! You are about to learn Bushcraft/Survival using the concept of Beginning with the End and then applying it to a karate kata.
By beginning with the end, it forces you to actually do the activity that you want to incorporate. In this case the activity is specifically martial arts. Coincidentally, beginning with the end will also help in the visualization portion of a sanctuary meditation, which is the main tool that I would like to focus on to lower cortisol levels.
There is basically nothing new under the sun that pertains to bushcraft/survival, however I can offer a new delivery system. I’m here to tell you that it can be found not only in karate but can be applied universally to other arts. This will give you dual access to both and give you other options when the wrong decision could leave you in jail or dead. After all violence only solves problems in the movies or tv and vice versa trying to take on mother nature head-on unprepared will kill you. Since there is a saturation of self defense focus, this course will only pertain to bushcraft/survival. I can think of nothing greater to start with than laying a good foundation. Back when I was a kid I would make mix tapes and name them after the first song. When I started this journey, right from the get go, I saw a Nessmuk firelay. Then I realized that it could mean more. Here are the top 5 Cranes Beak Bushcraft including Canoe Rescue. For free!
Beginning with the End. In order to do this lets talk about cortisol control. Let me tell you about my crazy work schedule. I do shift work which means that every week is a new shift. But my third week is by far the worst. I get to do all three shifts in one week. So you can imagine that my cortisol levels are off the chart. I began searching for a way to combat high cortisol naturally and I came across something called a sanctuary meditation. You start with the breath. 4 second inhale, 4 second hold, 4 second exhale. Rinse and repeat. Once this becomes automatic you imagine a path that goes to a castle. Details emerge. You imagine activities and fun stuff at this location. I find that if you don’t have guided meditation it turns into work with that comes stress. I would rather just remember a location or an activity. Somewhere I have already been. “If it’s not in your head it will be in your heel” -Joe Saladin
Please check out the Free Top 5 alternative functions of a Nessmuk firelay.
In conclusion, if you have access to a guided meditation then by all means. If not, I recommend a cool memory instead. Remember that once you get practice with the free 10 alternatives to a Nessmuk firelay the kata will turn into a choose your own adventure book. Just rmember that the transition into and out of the meditation is to imagine bright white light.
Check out this guided form of this meditation. Cortisol detox. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCPBr--MLAg&t=287s
Triangle breathing!
Navy Seals and first responders use this to deal with freeze, flight or fight response where hind brain takes over and performance is inhibited. This breathing helps you regain your frontal brain. The frontal lobes are important for voluntary movement, expressive language and for managing higher level executive functions. Executive functions refer to a collection of cognitive skills including the capacity to plan, organise, initiate, self-monitor and control one's responses in order to achieve a goal. Coincidentally this breating pattern is the same as the sanctuary meditation.
My memory to substitute a guided meditation occured because of a wedding in Jamaica. Ocho Rios to be exact. We each had a beautiful little villa. Coincidentally, the one featured in the picture is the same color as the sanctuary castle in the meditation. The end of the journey ended up here. So beginning with the end is made up of a lovely cricket orchestra, daqueris , jerk chicken, and yoga. The highlight for me was the ocean.
Beginning with the End Memory