Finding Mastery in Los Angeles The Mountain

The Mountain and the Void: Finding Mastery in Los Angeles

In my latest video filmed in the mountains overlooking Los Angeles, I explore the intersection of martial arts and internal growth. Using the nunchaku as a tool for meditation in motion, the piece reflects on the grit required to reach the highest goals of all time.

Below is a look at the philosophy behind the journey up the mountain.

The Liberation of Defeat

Most people spend their lives chasing the "way to win," but they never learn how to accept the "way to lose". To accept defeat—or to "learn to die"—is to be liberated from the fear of failure. When you are no longer afraid of losing, you are finally free to perform with total presence.

The Art of Dying

To grow, you must first let go. This "art of dying" refers to the shedding of the ambitious mind and the old habits that hold us back. As the saying goes, in order for something new to come, something old must go. Sometimes, this means letting go of everything you thought you knew until now.

Emptying the Cup

True learning requires a specific kind of humility. You must "empty the cup" and start from the beginning. By purging existing biases and ego, you become a vessel ready for new wisdom and refined skill.

The Power of Micro-Failures

The path to mastery is paved with "micro-failures". These aren't setbacks; they are an essential part of the process. When you want to reach the peak, you have to be willing to get your ass kicked all the way up that damn mountain.

Harmony in the Void

The experience concludes with a transition from the intense movement of the nunchaku to a moment of stillness overlooking the city. This illustrates the balance between action and reflection—finding the "void" where the self disappears and only the practice remains.