Guard your Time, Guard your Essence

Written August 2019

The concepts of Yang Sheng Fa are important beyond internal arts practice if one wishes to live a long, healthy life. Most things in society are asking something of us, whether that be money, time or effort in order to live and function in our daily life. This isn’t necessarily a problem, unless there is over demand of any resource.

It is too often in modern living that we are taxing our lifeforce and negatively effecting our health and well-being when there is an over demand on us. Now, sometimes we even choose this for ourselves, making short-term sacrifices for our perceived long-term benefit…a benefit we hope or plan to come, but sometimes it comes at a cost to our health we were not expecting.

However much you value your time is likely reflected in how much time you make for yourself. Taking time for “self care” and to do whatever it is you need to nourish your well-being at that time. No one else in society will give you time, this is something you must give yourself. I find time to be one of the ultimate resources, and so I guard it well.

Obviously we can’t just sit around all day and expect bills to be paid though…well maybe some might, but not most.. We have to generate the means by which we live, and by all means do this – but be mindful of how this taxes your being. Haven’t you seen someone who looks tired or taxed lately? A sluggish pace, lack of vibrance, bags around the eyes? We have all seen this I’m sure and it’s likely you may see it daily – at least in North America it’s very common to see people who are overworked.

The essence of our being is finite. We are given life and set along the developmental processes that carry us from birth until death. How we navigate daily living impacts us on a level that we may not always be aware of. It’s exhausting to be completely busy from the moment you awake to the moment you sleep. And yet many people do this regularly. It’s shocking the amount of people I’ve met and known who have worked multiple jobs to fill all their available waking time. That’s hard work, and koodos to people that can do this. Consider the cost to your health and longevity though. What good is money if you are exhausted and have health problems by retirement?

Another factor in guarding your essence is in our habitual patterns. Our habits impact us greatly though we may not perceive the change because it’s gradual. Ignoring our body’s intelligence trying to communicate to us that something is over demanding or burdening us is unwise. Though it’s common for modern people to accept stiff shoulders and muscles knots in their back. The gradual acceptance of poor health is in our daily habits and living. It’s easy to see how a car accident impacts someone, but it’s not always easy to see how a daily habit or ritual like drinking coffee each morning can impact your life on the whole. Having awareness of our regular habits and interactions can reduce wastage of our essence and with practice one can improve or maintain the quality of their essence.

An often unknown factor that depletes our essence is desiring, wanting, and lusting after something. Even over-stimulation of information feels very draining. Desire stirs up our essence into motion, which can help us achieve that desire, but if left unchecked this will also deplete us. The desire for creating change in your life can be a very powerful tool if used appropriately. The yearning desire for a more luxury car each time you see that certain car on the road will be like a leaky garden hose to your essence.

To guard your essence and your time means to hold space and time for yourself to do whatever it is you need to do. When you have time, you’re generally more at ease. When at ease, your essence is not easily lost. Make good use of the time you have! Enjoy the journey rather than racing to the end in a flurry of days blurring together. Take time to do the things that nourish and fulfill you, your soul will thank you!

I came to recognize the importance of time and essence during a period in which I was in school full-time and working full-time, which resulted in hardly enough time to eat and sleep. Something had to give and it didn’t last long, but it was worthwhile to produce this realization. That my time is valuable and linked to the essence of my being, and that only I can really guard these. I then began to prioritize this by giving myself some time every day to do whatever it is I choose to do. My priority became to nourish the internal state of health and well-being, which effects everything. And long-story-short, this changed my life in incredible ways! Sometimes a little time and space can help catalyze great change.