Sameer Sharma

Image of Miyamoto Musashi by Utagawa Kuniyoshi

Since you've come this far, its time to take your understanding to the next level.

My own experience is testament to the value of great teachers. Without them, I wouldn't be where I am today. To honor their wisdom and generosity, I offer you my service as a coach.

We can talk about non-resistance, internal power and yielding to force all day. But until you experience it yourself, it will only remain a concept.  If you’ve read my blog posts, you’ve discovered that my emphasis is on experiential learning through understanding the mind-body connection. For me, the principles I’ve learned as a martial artist, athlete and yogi have proven invaluable in both my professional and personal life. Learning how to neutralize a physical attack translates into learning how to neutralize conflicts and overcome obstacles in our own lives. For example, understanding joint alignment and mula bandha (root lock) in yoga is synonymous with creating an internal locus of control, and working with the natural force of gravity to create balance and centeredness.

Does having balance and centeredness only apply to physical skill? Is it a coincidence that someone who is use to being attacked by four people at once can remain calm, centered and aware when faced with a business deadline or personal crisis? Is someone who wields a pen and writes you a bad performance review that different from someone who wields a knife and aims to hurt you? Both yield similar physical responses- panic, fear, anger, tension, and resistance. Both can be responded to with the same principles such as relaxation, breath control, detachment, and allowing.

The Four Principles of Self-Mastery

My method of Self-Mastery involves the integration of four principles that underlie the martial and somatic techniques I teach.

Awareness is the ability to observe what is present without judgment or interference. It includes both self and spatial awareness. Awareness is not only what is physically visible but also what is sensed and perceived at an emotional and physic level beyond the physical senses.

Centeredness is having an internal locus of control where thought and action originate from within yourself from a conscious choice rather than a habitual reaction to your environment. The term, “moving from your center” is used in martial arts and sports to describe movement that originates from your center of gravity- the origin of physical power and balance.

Non-Resistance is the ability to yield and blend with an opposing force. It is a welcoming of whatever confronts you; regardless of how threatening or adversarial it may seem at first. “Whatever you resist, persists,” is true physically, mentally and emotionally. It is only by yielding and welcoming the people and circumstances in our lives that we can be in an empowered position to control and change them.

Alignment is both physical and a mental. When your body is in alignment, it can move with greater ease, power and balance. When your thoughts, words, and actions are in alignment, you create the conditions for manifesting true power to achieve your goals. When the body is not aligned, it produces tension that blocks the flow of energy, which in martial arts is known as chi, ki, or prana. When our thoughts and actions are not aligned, we struggle to achieve our goals.

The Method

My method of teaching martial and somatic principles for self-mastery will vary based on the format in which you choose to learn them. However, common practices and techniques include:

• On-on-one, and group exercises based on martial techniques
• Breathing and meditation exercises
• Postural and gate analysis to uncover inefficient neuromuscular habits
• Push-hands
• Forms practice
• Centering practice
• Qigong techniques

The Benefits

The goal of these exercises is to learn and integrate the four principles in your life. The value of such training is that it takes you out of the thinking mind and gets you into your own body. Knowing a principle and feeling it in your body are entirely different. The more you feel and experience the four principles for yourself, the faster they will become a part of you. Soon you discover that these principles are timeless, and universal in their application to all areas of your life. Common benefits include:

• A greater ability to adapt to and neutralize stress
• Improved physical health
• More efficient and powerful bodily movement
• Greater mental clarity and calmness
• Enhanced creativity
• Increased confidence
• Ability to achieve your goals with greater ease
• More harmonious relationships

The Options

I offer three ways in which individuals and groups can experience and learn these principles:

Private Coaching

If you want a completely tailored program specific to your needs, then this option is for you. You get complete access to me during business hours via phone, email, and Skype. If you are in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, then we will also meet in person. Of all the training I’ve taken, one-on-one has been the most effective. This is the most effective way to embody the four principles.

Group Coaching & Workshops

You may know others who could benefit from this type of training and would like to do it with you.  Working alongside others who are facing the same challenges we are provides support and encouragement. Group mentoring is a great way to learn these principles since you will have the opportunity to practice with your peers in a safe, controlled environment and receive feedback from them. This format is ideal for both small and large companies that want to train their employees who are expected to work together to achieve a common goal.

Guest Speaking and Demonstrations

Its common practice for companies to hire a guest speaker or celebrity to an event in order to attract publicity, sell a product or service, or generate new business. Like you, I’ve sat through many such talks and have been bored to tears with endless Powerpoint slides and buzzwords that deliver empty promises. What was the take away? For me it was usually a numb rear end and a headache. But what if you were part of the talk or demonstration? What if you actually got to experience what the speaker was talking about? When was the last time a speaker asked you to physically attack him or her in order to demonstrate a self-development principle? If you want your audience to walk away with something more than just a glossy sales brochure, then consider hiring me for your next event.

FAQs

Q: Do I have to have years of martial arts training to learn this stuff?

A: No. Although I use my martial arts training as a teaching tool, it does not require you to have any prior martial arts experience.

Q: Do I have to have the flexibility of a yoga master to do this?

A: No. You can be stiff as a board and still learn this. You just have to have a flexible mind- one that is willing to set aside judgment and try something new.

Q: Do I have to be in shape?

A: It helps but is not a prerequisite. You may find some exercises more challenging than others but you will still gain the benefits and lessons that they offer.

Q: Does this stuff really work?

A: Yes, but only if you work it. Without practice, your understanding will only be cursory at best. Commit to the practice and you will reap the benefits for a lifetime.

Disclaimer: Since my approach to self-mastery includes physical movement through exercises and martial techniques, I encourage you to consult a physician before undertaking any exercise or diet program.

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