Mind over matter. (Or those that don't mind matter, and those that mind don't matter.)

In writing this at about one am. I woke up and that was it. No more sleep for me.

Life can be really stressful. Feeling like a Platypus is stressful (massive bill everywhere you look). Work can be stressful. The commute to work stressful, you never get to spend any time with your friends all so you can afford to live somewhere you don't spend any time because you have to work. Pressure to look and act a certain way. Between supposed fitness magazines with half-starved models who are then air brushed anyway and films where the male stars shirtless for no reason at all. Talk about depressing. Only you can't because your labelled as ether an attention seeker or a snowflake. Is it any wonder people shut down.

I know I have several times in my life.

How to cope in the modern world.

Now on the lighter side of the news. Anyone else remember that? While it's true bad news sells can we have some good news please. Between corporate outlets depicting doom and despair and social media were everyone seems to be having such a wonderful time, it's easy to get dragged into the bog of despair. When the highlight of your day is you got five minutes to eat a cookie for lunch meanwhile according to social media Jo Blog is on their third holiday, but people are starving homeless and getting bombed so society says you have first world problems, and you should be thankful.

Stress and anxiety are at their core are survival mechanisms, they're meant to keep us alive. So why do they kill so many of us?

Mind and body.

Are bodies are really designed for short term survival while the society we live in demands long term thought. Get attacked by a predictor. Are body's flood with hormones designed to help us survive. Freeze flight and fight. One way or another it's over quickly.

Now put the bill or looming deadline in front of us and what happens? Those same responses kick in but the bills going nowhere, and we can't smack are manager with a club and run away. (Well, you shouldn't). That reptilian brain always wants to take over.

The source of the stress remains and are bodies don't understand it's not a physical threat and will keep kicking out these hormones. This not only can course mental health issues but also physical.

How do we cope with it? Some people turn to self-medication, alcohol drugs and so on. Seeing my friend drink them self to death was a somewhat sobering experience for me.

Pills from the docs? If it helps you then I'm the last person to knock it. They Just didn't help me.

Shun society and seek out the cabin in the wood with a open fire and no internet signal? Sounds kind of perfect, but then what will I live on, and what if someone needed to contact me?

Exercise? Gym is expensive and boring. Running is bad for you knees and really boring. Only two reasons to run. Away from something or towards the ice cream van.

Me I turn to Historical martial arts. Ok can be very expensive but it's certainly not boring.

What I get from HEMA.

It's important to note I was seeing educational psychologists at a really young age. I'm dyslexic. The Neuro pathways connecting physical and mental activity are really closely linked. Movement helps me put my thoughts in order.

In other words, putting my body through its paces, the joy of motion has an almost meditative effect. putting a sword in my hand, concentrating on my body, clears my mind. I forget my troubles for a while and can not only sleep better but I can cope when the world is on the attack.

Friends

Making and keeping friends is difficult for people like me again it's a bit of a neurodivergent thing. That said I can honestly say I've made friends through HEMA. There's nothing quite like training alongside someone sword fighting to break down barriers. Backgrounds, beliefs and even language barriers pale into insignificance. I believe I'm a better person for it.

Cultural context.

I loved history in school right up until the point I took it as an option and had to learn a bunch of dates. Through HEMA and studying different sources I've rediscovered my interest in different cultures that have existed and how they affect are life's even now. I've chatted with people from different countries, (All be it online) thanks greatly to are mutual interest in HEMA and the world around us.

Health

If nothing else HEMA helps to keep me fit. Not I have to say Gym fit but practically fit. I'm stronger than most people think I am and have a greater range of motion than the average person and that's just training once or twice a week. What I will say is I think I need to train more. Mabe then I will sleep, and you won't be subjected to things like this.

Chris

GSA senior Instructor.