There is some odd form of irony that martial artists — of all people — tend to become more gentle as they advance. Gentle at least in the sense that we learn that the deepest and greatest strength is not found in grinding our teeth and clenching our muscles, but rather in relaxing. In a sense, the softer or more gentle we become, the greater our strength and power. I’m not saying that I’m walking around all the time like some movie star black belt. Rather, it’s something you learn and then turn that over in your mind for a while. And eventually, you start doing it here and there. And then more and more… because it actually works in everyday life.