THEO JAN

We often think of success as a well-marked road, but true mastery begins when the path disappears. You know you are on your true path when the maps of others no longer guide you and you are, quite literally, "lost on purpose". It is in this space—without a pre-defined trail—that your own unique journey truly begins.

The video features a poetic reminder for moments of uncertainty: 

“What do I do when I’m lost in a forest? Stand still.”

. When we feel directionless, our instinct is to move faster, but there is power in stillness. The trees and the bushes around you are not lost; they are exactly where they are meant to be. By standing still, you acknowledge that you are part of a larger ecosystem that already knows your location.

Rather than fighting to find your way, the philosophy is to "let it find you". Practicing with a katana by the sea represents this surrender to the present. The blade moves not to reach a destination, but to express a state of being. When you stop chasing the "where," you become fully grounded in the "now".

Just as the border between two nations is an invisible line, the line between being "lost" and "found" is often just a shift in perspective. In the video, the rhythmic motion of the sword against the horizon serves as a reminder that you are always exactly where you need to be—provided you are present enough to realize it.

Finding Your Center: The Pathless Path at the Baltic Sea

JAPAN

The Mountain and the Void: Finding Mastery in Los Angeles

In my latest video filmed in the mountains overlooking Los Angeles, I explore the intersection of martial arts and internal growth. Using the nunchaku as a tool for meditation in motion, the piece reflects on the grit required to reach the highest goals of all time.

Below is a look at the philosophy behind the journey up the mountain.

Most people spend their lives chasing the "way to win," but they never learn how to accept the "way to lose". To accept defeat—or to "learn to die"—is to be liberated from the fear of failure. When you are no longer afraid of losing, you are finally free to perform with total presence.

To grow, you must first let go. This "art of dying" refers to the shedding of the ambitious mind and the old habits that hold us back. As the saying goes, in order for something new to come, something old must go. Sometimes, this means letting go of everything you thought you knew until now.

True learning requires a specific kind of humility. You must "empty the cup" and start from the beginning. By purging existing biases and ego, you become a vessel ready for new wisdom and refined skill.

The path to mastery is paved with "micro-failures". These aren't setbacks; they are an essential part of the process. When you want to reach the peak, you have to be willing to get your ass kicked all the way up that damn mountain.

The experience concludes with a transition from the intense movement of the nunchaku to a moment of stillness overlooking the city. This illustrates the balance between action and reflection—finding the "void" where the self disappears and only the practice remains.

Finding Mastery in Los Angeles The Mountain

Descending into the depths of the Blue Cave in Okinawa is more than just a dive; it is a physical manifestation of "entering the void." Much like the discipline required for nunchaku, scuba diving demands a total liberation of the mind to navigate an environment where you are, quite literally, out of your element.

Standing on the edge of the Okinawan coastline, geared with oxygen and fins, you are forced to confront the "ambitious mind." To dive safely, you must accept the reality of the deep—a place where you cannot survive without tools and trust. This is the ultimate "emptying of the cup." You leave behind the noise of the surface and sink into a world of profound silence and blue light.

In the Blue Cave, your breath becomes your primary focus. The rhythmic sound of the regulator is a constant reminder of the present moment. Much like the "art of dying" discussed in my recent training, diving requires you to let go of panic and old instincts to embrace a new way of existing. In the darkness of the cave, illuminated by a celestial blue glow from the opening, you find a harmony that only exists in the space between action and stillness.

Mastery underwater isn’t just about technical skill; it’s about how you interact with the life around you.

: Surrounded by schools of Sergeant Majors and Surgeonfish, you become part of their world rather than a spectator.

: Every movement must be deliberate. Buoyancy is a series of micro-adjustments and "micro-failures" until you find that perfect state of weightlessness.

: Encountering clownfish tucked into their anemones serves as a reminder of the intricate beauty found when we slow down and observe the world without ego.

Emerging from the Blue Cave back into the sunlight of Okinawa feels like a rebirth. You’ve "get your ass kicked" by the pressure and the elements, only to come out stronger and more centered. It is a physical journey that mirrors the spiritual one: you go down to the void to find what is truly essential.

Have you ever pushed yourself into an environment that forced you to change your perspective?

 If you'd like, I can help you create a specific set of 

 for a video edit that combines your mountain training with this underwater footage. Which would you prefer?

THEO JAN

Finding Your Center: The Pathless Path at the Baltic Sea

JAPAN

Finding Mastery in Los Angeles The Mountain

The Blue Cave of Okinawa