(Approx 2 minute 5 second read)

I like to think that I follow some of the Buddhist principles. I’m not a Buddhist though, by any means. I make a lot of mistakes – probably more than would be tolerated within the principles they follow. But one idea that has always resonated with me is the importance of living in the moment.
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We are often caught saying to ourselves that something or someone has made us unhappy. Of course there are people who go out of their way to make peoples lives a misery at times. I can think of a few instructors in the past who were determined to make people lives hell in training. But that’s a different story.
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When we talk about being happy, true happiness can only ever be found here and now. In reality tomorrow never comes, and the past lives only in our memories – all we have is the here and now.
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Casting off past regrets and future worries, living mindfully in the moment, is easier said than done. Some people devote decades to prayer and meditation, hoping to achieve just a few moments of true mindfulness.
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“Happiness, not in another place, but this place, not in another hour, but this hour.” – Walt Whitman
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Buddhism teaches that suffering comes from attachment – clinging to desires, memories, or imagined outcomes. The mind gets stuck on what was or what could be, pulling us away from what is. Mindfulness is the practice of letting go of that grasping and simply being present.
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It sounds simple doesn’t it, but it’s not easy. Some spend years meditating just to catch a glimpse of this state. But mindfulness isn’t just about sitting still – it’s about how we move through life.
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In the martial arts, whether you practice for self-defense or for competition, overthinking is a liability. Hesitate for even a second, and you’re too late. True presence means acting without doubt, flowing with the moment rather than resisting it. We call this mushin (無心) – “no-mind”. The Buddha called it “sati” – mindfulness.
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Whether sitting in silent meditation, practicing kata, going for your morning run, or simply taking a deep breath, mindfulness is a practice – a return to now.
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In this moment, there is no burden of the past, no fear or anxiety of the future. Just your movement. Just your breath. Just being.
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Sounds easy, doesn’t it? Just be present. But the mind is a stubborn thing. It drags us back to old regrets, pulls us forward into worry, and resists letting go.
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That’s why mindfulness isn’t a one-time decision – it’s a constant practice. A battle. Like anything worth learning, it takes time and dedication. Just like your physical training, you get out what you put in. The more you train your mind to return to the present, the stronger it becomes.
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So, we practice. In meditation, we return to the breath. And in life, we return to the now – again and again.
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Crikey, I’m getting philosophical in my old age.
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Written by Adam Carter