In 2002, Gabe Sapolsky changed my life for the better. His founding of, and matchmaking at, Ring Of Honor shaped who I became as a wrestler and as a person.
ROH re-trained me and a lot of other wrestling fans to appreciate sportsmanship, with the implementation of the Code Of Honor.
It also introduced me to Low Ki, who made the strange-to-me concepts of respect, honor, discipline, and dedication very appealing. Low Ki became my favorite wrestler and because of him I began to study the philosophy of eastern martial arts and Japanese professional wrestling; of which the influence of both should be easily observable in my personal and professional life.
Sapolsky, through the unique concept of ROH, and through making Low Ki the first face of that company, did what no amount of lecturing had accomplished for me; he made being a good person seem cool.
Over time my subconscious seeking of coolness through goodness become the conscious finding of Inner Peace through loving kindness; just a more evolved form of travel along the same journey, it seems.
***
Want to know the Meaning Of Life?
As far as I can tell, this far in, it’s easy; it is to give your life meaning.
Step 4: KEEP Trying To EVOLVE, by surrendering to your destiny.
Fate is undeniable, yet people suffer from regret and indecisive-anxiety because they try to deny it.
Everyone reading this has had their past, present, and future shaped by outside factors and forces. You had no control over your genetics, or the experiences that led to you developing likes and dislikes; in other words, you had no control over your personality. Every decision you have ever made or ever will make has been influenced by the decisions of other’s pasts and futures. From where I’m standing your free will is an illusion.
“I call bulls___! What if I punched myself in the face, right now? That’s free will, right; no person or thing would be forcing me to do it!”
Ahem
I call bulls___ on your calling bulls___, my friend; if you do some “random act” to prove you have free will then it is because I questioned your free will that you were influenced to do it.
Not only can we use logical reasoning to see that everything we do/say/think is predetermined by influence, if you look into scientific tests to study the true nature of space and time, based on Einstein's General Theory Of Relativity, you will learn that time is relative to the observer’s position and movement in space; which ultimately leads to the conclusion that Spacetime is a single, solid dimension.
In other words, according to some of the smartest, most knowledgeable people that have ever lived: every moment that has happened, is happening, and will happen exists simultaneously; it’s only our minds that are experiencing them as if they unfold in a moment-by-moment sequence.
In other other words, you don’t have to be Einstein to see that Fate is real, but Einstein showed that it most likely is.
Once you understand and accept that it is written, suddenly you can make the conscious choice to take part in the writing of it; through your fate you came to know Fate, so that you could take part in creating your fate.
It’s all perfect; as are the consequences for your actions. So, knowing that you have to live with your consequences, act in a way that may bring about perfect-to-you consequences, but accept the perfection of whatever consequences come; learn from them, give them meaning, use them to evolve into the best version of yourself that you were meant to be!
***
In 2016, Gabe Sapolsky changed my life for the better.
I had just completed the WWN/EVOLVE tryout and was waiting in line with a bunch of other roster-hopefuls to be individually evaluated by Sapolsky.
As I inched closer to the EVOLVE matchmaker, and my destiny, anxiety was arising in my mind. I didn’t identify with it, though; I just noted it, as if it was something outside me that I was just watching through the window of awareness. Because I didn’t come out to play, the anxiety gave up and left.
Finally, I made it to the front of the line. As I was trying not to listen to the evaluation of the person in front of me, an army of stress-thoughts came to try to conquer the kingdom of my peaceful mind.
The gates to my castle of calm were bombarded with:
“I can’t believe you missed that dropkick!”
“He’s going to hate your look.”
“You’re so stupid!”
“You don’t fit in here!”
“You f___ed up!”
“You let your wife down!”
But inscribed upon the archways of my great Portcullis of Inner-peace was the magick incantation of protection:
It All Works Out,
It Always Has,
It Always Will,
It’s All Perfect!
The gates held and the attacking army gave up.
Regardless of the consequences of my actions, I would appreciate them as meaningful steps on the path that is creating my destiny; a path where I can’t help but keep trying, and, beautifully, in that, there is no trying, at all.
The evaluee in front of me left and Sapolsky waved me over. I approached him and held out my hand to shake his. I started to thank him for the opportunity, but, before I could get a single syllable out, he looked me in the eyes and said:
“You’re hired.”
And with those words, I was ready for Step 5:
EVOLVE
You can see part one at this link, part two at this link, part three at this link, part four at this link, and part five at this link.
