The word “invincible” comes from a negation of the Latin word describing the ability to be defeated or conquered which emphasizes a passive state of limited impact on oneself and one’s environment. This limitation is felt by everyone, but those who can claim to be invincible in spirit are those who deny the possibility of failure any chance of becoming realized. This requires a special sort of mastery that goes beyond technical mastery or mental mastery, but a mastery of existence itself. So, in a world where many people feel as though they do not have power, how is it that there are a few who see through this limitation and achieve greatness beyond the doubting people’s ideas of reality? What I have learned recently is that the answer is so simple, we often overlook the significance of it and misjudge those who preach its blessings as champions of something greater than ourselves. The answer is that they work for it.
I do not mean that these people simply put in enough time generically “practicing” to have reached a quota of energy expenditure that magically grants them a wish. I mean that they live for the sake of their greatness because it is only through limitless striving and consolidated energy that anything can be achieved and sustained. These people understand themselves and the reality they face on a metaphysical level, and strive to craft themselves to be worthy of the position in the world they seek to attain without a doubt in their mind that once they are worthy, the position is theirs if they wish to claim it. This is the epitome of work.
Our consciousness is limitless in its creative and innovative capacity. We are constantly evolving from day to day, adapting to the changes we’ve faced and adjusting to face more changes in the future, all according to our most sincere wishes and actions; our desires and karma. If you truly wish, for example to be an expert fighter, you do not simply seek instruction on fighting or start practicing any style that seems interesting, but you organize a comprehensive approach to becoming a competent fighter. This will specifically advance you towards becoming a better fighter, but great capability comes from an understanding of the steps involved and the way in which one grows and learns.
Generically putting energy into any area which draws interest is like building up experience points in a video game but never leveling up. Great practitioners of any technical skill, like great creators, draw energy and knowledge from any source that has value to offer, and they put that energy towards a specified goal. Studying multiple fields or topics and practicing multiple techniques is most conducive to learning, and thereby growth, because one subject or practice may fill in for missing pieces of other subjects and practices, creating a more comprehensive understanding of the multiple subjects or practices they engage in. What we are all experiencing is a reflection of our nature as individual aspects of the infinite expanse of existence, so we all necessarily engage ourselves in various aspects of existence that resonate with our individuality. It would be foolish to only focus our learning and working on a single aspect of our reality, just as it would be foolish to only ever identify with one aspect of our reality, especially if that aspect is an artifice of humanity’s ability to arbitrarily make abstractions from reality. That would distance our focus from natural truth, draining the natural sustainability of aspects of reality that reflect natural and truthful essence. A foundation in reality is sustained by reality. This is why focuses on things such as monetary wealth, divisions among people, and other vain objects that don’t have any intrinsic value only lead people to feeling as though their achievements are hollow or futile. they do not reflect the intrinsic meaning of the natural reality they are in, and so the meaning and value of these achievements is arbitrary and ambiguous because it is not based in anything real which supports its own existence.
The invincible one knows that the most solid foundation is one rooted in truth and something naturally tied to their own essence, whether it’s a strong emotional motivation from their life experiences or an ambitious attitude to test the limits of one’s infinite consciousness. Looking back at the fighter, he or she cannot view fighting as an isolated sport or competition, but the systematized art of martial action. Even animals have specific techniques and strategies. Fighting is a natural process and phenomenon that can be studied, and it has natural and necessary conditions and effects. Understanding great fighting ability is more than just understanding the relation of fighting techniques and the body’s functions, but also understanding the mindset and philosophy of violence. One cannot win a fight, no matter the technical skill and knowledge, if one cannot adopt the mindset of necessary, ruthless violence. A great fighter also needs to learn how to adopt this mindset in addition to learning how to practically apply fighting techniques, which are not inherently aimed at scoring points or winning competitions, but causing physical damage and exerting control over another’s physical form.
An invincible master of one’s life and reality does not allow the limits of always “staying in one’s lane” to stop them from growing; rather, they understand that stepping outside of one’s comfort zone and usual area of activity or thought will give them a new perspective on their usual area, which they can return to with new knowledge and a deeper understanding of the facets of life and existence. The mythological hero, in order to bring heavenly salvation to his or her land or people, must venture to a metaphorical hell to gather an understanding of the powers that he or she fights, and the ability to take advantage of the weaknesses of that power. This is what is meant by fighting fire with fire. In order to not be overcome by the drive of the forces against you, you must cultivate your own force from sources of energy, support, knowledge, and ability, and you must attach yourself to these powers and accept any losses or sufferings that present themselves like they’re lessons for your future success. Something can only be fixed once it’s broken. You only fail when you stop striving for success.
In order to succeed in actualizing certain achievements, we have to do more than simply achieve a mental understanding of what we seek, or drive ourselves physically without a deeper understanding of what it is that we are getting ourselves involved in. These together are the parameters of the greatness we seek, but in order to really achieve this greatness, we must learn how to embody the essence of this limitless greatness by tapping into our infinite potential to realize anything we can conceive, drawing impetus and support from any sources available. To me, this begins with a firm understanding of our infinite and mutable nature as consciousness, while understanding the instrumentality of our physical reality and bodily forms. We must understand that growth, expansion, and progression require struggling and rest, external support and internal motivation, limitless mentality and firm practical boundaries. With this understanding, we can realistically work to achieve anything we can imagine.
The Enlightened Mind 