I thought this was a great insight on the matter;

"My standards for earning a black belt, of any rank, have been set by people who have either set a standard for their own lives that is wonderfully high –or they  have, through some life-journey, knowingly (or unknowingly) embarked upon a path that required them to be people, to be human beings, of the most extraordinary kind.
The ultimate testing board for black belt –especially high ranking black belts, could (and should) be made up of people who have demonstrated genuine courage in the face of danger; who have achieved things that made the world a better place; who, against enormous odds, have succeeded in serving as living examples of the best-of-the-best that a man or woman can be.
Kicking ass is easy; being a cognizant, involved, compassionate, make-a-difference human being, now THAT is tough. That's what I want from myself -and from my students.  
Why?
Why not? What does someone have to lose by seeking to be a human being of the highest order?
Let’s measure our accomplishments against those of Mohammed Ali, against Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Eleanor Roosevelt, Martin Luther King, Per Anger, Oskar Schindler, Jimmy Carter, and other people, living and of history, that represent life-purpose mastery. Let’s give up the crazy quest for more and useless material wealth/garbage and start being human beings who represent something worth being.
This is, as a teacher, what I’m thinking about when you step on my mat. This level of accomplishment is what I’m thinking about when I think about my next black belt test –which is my life.
My life is my dojo. My black belt test is my life –and my goal is to live like a champion in the world, for myself and others, and to act like today is my black belt test. 
This is known as "the practice."

-Tom Callos-

Time...

Hello my friends,

Time slips away doesn't it? In August it was 1 year since my dog Angel passed. I spent the day in reverence of her memory. My son Roman is getting bigger by the day. Summer flew by. With Autumn here and the amazing colors on the trees. It will be winter soon, Thanksgiving, Christmas, on and on it goes. I want to slow it all down, but alas I can't. I must pause and give thanks to all who brighten my days. My wife... Thank you, I love you so much. You are the most amazing wife. I am so lucky. You are my light and the most amazing mother to our son. Thanks to my son Roman who makes my life complete. Thanks to my doggies who teach me every day to live fully in each moment. To my mom who is the most amazing mother one could ask for. To my sister who is an amazing mother in her own right. To all of my wonderful friends, you are amazing individuals. Finally, I give thanks to God.... that's all I have to say.

From the mountains,

Jason

Stay Hungry

Hello friends,

Choose today to consume a little less. Eat less, waste less, just minimize a little. It is by staying hungry, that we feel alive. It is by over consumption that we became lazy, lethargic, and blind to the reality of being. Today... push away from the table before you are full, remember what it feels like to be a little hungry. Feel what it's like to be alive again. more later...

from the mountains,

Jason

To my son

To my son,

The times they are a changin- I have been listening to this timeless Bob Dylan song a lot lately. It is poignant to me in many ways, not only personally (marriage, and a new baby), but also in the broader sense of the world in which I live. The economic downturn, the opportunity to find ourselves again. It's a chance to reclaim our honor.

How often do we hear "If only so and so wasn't in office" or "If only I could catch a break", or better still "Why can't I have the luck of so and so" Well... I believe... wait... I know, that we need this uncertainty, we need strife, and we need a return to the hard working, "I make my own luck" attitude of the "Greatest Generation" With the World War II Generation there was very little sense of entitlement, a man knew it was up to him to provide for his family, it was his duty to serve his country, and disputes were handled face to face, not in the cowardly courtrooms of today.

How do we return? How do we get back to Honor, Duty, and Commitment ?

I have some ideas......

A Child is Born

Almost one week ago, my son was born. It was an awe inspiring event that has changed me deeply. I love him in a way that I did not know was possible. I feel humbled from the experience. I love you Roman! On this Father's Day, I make this promise to you Roman, I will defend you, and take care of you until the day I die. You are my son.

From the mountains,

Jason

Rationalizing Dishonor

Honor.... It's an all or nothing proposition.

In these turbulent times, economic uncertainty, moral crisis, and plain old fear are the order of

the day. It is easy to turn a blind eye to "Doin the right thing". We tend to feel justified in

the "two wrongs make a right" way of handling things. I have been there, waded in that deep

abyss. We must resolve to hold to our principles in these tough times, just because someone lies,

or steals, or wrongs us in any way, does not make it ok to lose sight of our own honor. Honor is

unwaivering. Honor is what gets us through. If we hold to our honor in tough times, it will

truly make the biggest difference in all of our lives. I admonish you to live this day with

honor, and I, as always, will try and do my part. God Bless.

From the beautiful mountains,

Jason

What is Real?

Hey Gang,

It's been a while since my last post... sometimes it's hard to find the words.

This past weekend, the Throwdown Fight Show came and went... and with it some good victories, a couple of dissapointments, and alot of hard work. It's times like these, that I sit back, and realize what's really important. It's not winning, or losing. It's not making money, or not. It's what we find out about ourselves. What lessons we take from experience. Life is about overcoming adversity. It's a constant buffet of choices. Do we push forward? Do we overcome? or do we regress, and be vanquished? I, for one, choose the road of progress. I take with me, this day, the lessons life has so perfectly laid before me. Do you?

from the mountains,

Jason