I began to incorporate healthier practices in my life during the last four years. In 2008, I finally felt empowered in life by my passion, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. This led me to compete in the Pan-American Jiu-Jitsu Tournament, the second largest tournament in the world, in Editor's Note: Jason is traveling across the US, to different Academies. We're happy to present his travels and experiences with JiuJitsu, people and personal exploration.April of this year.
Leading up to the event, I trained very hard in the gym, and spent just as much time and energy outside visualizing and preparing my mind for this leg of the adventure. I did everything that I could. Come tournament time, I truly did not feel nervous. If anything I felt more alive than ever. I felt this deep sense of gratitude for my life and all that I had been through and was on the verge of tears. I had finally experienced what it was to be in the Now, to go with the flow (or “flow with the go” as Rickson Gracie once said).
I finally found them and stripped bare-ass in the middle of competitors, spectators, coaches, Professors, etc. I sprinted back to face my destiny, got ready, went out there, and got smoked.
They called my name and any butterflies I might have felt were eliminated as I was almost disqualified for a tear in my gi. I spent the next few minutes running around the Bren Event Center at UC-Irvine looking for my teammates. I finally found them and stripped bare-ass in the middle of competitors, spectators, coaches, Professors, etc. I sprinted back to face my destiny, got ready, went out there, and got smoked.
I fought hard, did all that I could, and I lost. But that’s the thing. I didn’t lose. I won in so many ways. Let me sum it all up by stressing that following my passion helped me to grow exponentially as a person and allowed me to experience what being in the moment/truly being alive was. I came home and somewhere along the way forgot that feeling. This column is about my journey from Hawaii across the US and learning how to really “flow with the go.”
