RIT 3

¹The human experiences many things, good and bad, as it moves in its world. ²But TKS does not necessarily try to distinguish good from bad, rather, TKS understands that the state of the human must change, for all things change in time. ³And sometimes change is quick, but usually it is slow, only arising through deliberate repetition of action. ⁴For everything you do is a skill, in a way, and these things can be practiced and improved, the cycles and habits that guide you changing as you work to understand them. ⁵So therefore the rituals of TKS are not difficult, necessarily, but they can be uncomfortable. ⁶Because to grow or learn or heal, you must leave your current state, entering an unfamiliar state, again and again, until you finally achieve it. ⁷Extend is the third ritual of TKS. ⁸There are many ways to perform extend, but this ritual requires you to move. ⁹To extend is to change, to push your body beyond a place of comfort, where you rarely find yourself. ¹⁰For example, you might exercise, walking or running or stretching, or you can study a new skill, perhaps, as your brain is part of your body, too. ¹¹And even if your body and mind beg you to stop, you must keep going, through your faith and your strength, fighting to achieve the limits of your potential. ¹²In the modern world, it is easy to be complacent in what you do, to be comfortable in your ability to navigate the challenges of life. ¹³And to leave this comfort behind can be painful, but if you ever wish to expand the boundary of what is possible in your being, it is necessary. ¹⁴For it is not that pain is good, or bad, necessarily, but it is real, and to extend is to create something new, not just in your body but in your spirit. ¹⁵So you must allow yourself, with every move and every breath, to become enamored with the pursuit of the perfection of the execution of the technique, whatever it is. ¹⁶And the beauty of this ritual is that once you understand the technique, it becomes part of you, so it is hard to forget it. ¹⁷And pain is brutal, indeed, and it can be deadly, too, so you must be careful, but to extend is to face it, even if it is just for the moment. ¹⁸So you must be balanced in life, somewhere between comfort and change, understanding that if you ever hope to change tomorrow, you must change today.