It’s always been there – the will to achieve and ultimately compete.

Everyone learns their lessons from a source – mine is geared towards the mindset of Internal Martial Arts and the alchemy of energy.  The principals have always resonated.  But, it was Skydiving that become the perfect sport for me – and, it was a long hard road.

The form I trained in was Style and Accuracy. Style is one of the fastest mind/body sports in the world. Accuracy is the science of flying a parachute to hit a one centimeter disk in the middle of a pea gravel area.  The Style competition is the epitome of mind/body focus – you’re all alone in the air, you only have 26 seconds of airtime, and you’re going about 200 mph. I achieved winning the first World Championship for the U.S. women – competing with the best from 30 countries. The most profound lessons in my training came from internal martial arts theories. I recount some of these ancient lessons by what I learned in training.

Great Potential and Great Function: from Soul of the Samurai, by Thomas Cleary

Everything has body and function. For example, a bow is a body, while drawing and shooting the target is the function. A lamp is a body, light is its function. So potential is the body, while the existence of various capabilities, manifesting outwardly from the potential is called function. Great function appears because of great potential.  Because this potential is always there within, when it is natural, an extraordinary speed occurs; this is called great function. When potential is unripe, function does not become manifest. In all paths, when concentration builds and exercise is repeated, potential matures and great function emerges. If you build up effective exercise, the potential will mature. Potential is energy. Mind is the inside, energy is the entrance. Since the mind is master of the body, it should be understood as that which resides within; energy is at the door, working outside for the mind, its master. Therefore the potential is something very important. If this potential is working, it emerges outside and the great function manifests.

Flashback: My lesson of: Great Potential – Great Function

I wanted to become good enough in my sport to be on the U.S. Parachute Team.  The best place to train was in Raeford, N.C. This is the headquarters for Ft. Bragg and the Army Golden Knights Parachute Team. People worldwide come here to train. It was the ultimate. At the time I owned a parachute center in Coolidge, Arizona.  So, I sold it. I also sold most every thing else I owned to go train. – the first lesson in doing what it takes – giving up all!

When I arrived in Raeford, N.C. I was intimidated from the start and was the most inexperienced jumper at the training center. It was a difficult place to make skydives. I was used to the desert where you had an expansive amount of room to land and the sky was clear and mild. At Raeford the sky was always heavy with overcast and clouds – it was hard to see the ground from the air. The landing area was extremely small with tall trees and buildings circling the DZ, which created a very bumpy and scary parachute ride into the target area. The wind was always blowing – if you could not “spot” your jump right, you would have a very difficult time landing anywhere near the drop zone. Just to make the jumps here took an expert.

Within about a week I knew I would probably leave. Then a former “sky god” flew in into the airport in his Cessna 180. A “sky god” is a playful term skydivers use – it’s someone who is a master in skydiving and has achieved significant status throughout the world. “Sky gods” are revered. “Sky god” watched some of my jumps on the telemeters (you can SEE EVERYTHING from these telemeters). He came over to where I was packing my parachute after my jump. He knelt down and spoke with me – he said “don’t listen to what people are saying – I can see that you actually have great potential. You have the body for it (gymnastic figure and strength) with natural ability, and the most important thing, a strong will and energy.” I listened – he became my coach. He dedicated himself to all who wanted to follow his unorthodox training. No one else liked his “out-of-the-box” theories. Normal training was the path everyone else took – I trusted in the unknown. “Sky god” saw my “potential” and began teaching “function.” I became a vessel, or, the potential for function. I became “teachable” so function could manifest.

Many years later, I now understand even better this theory of “potential.”  Through years of training and effort, I learned “potential” is the “foundation” – the starting point of desire, will and focus, but it is useless without proper function and cultivating the foundation from the internal energy directed by the mind.  It’s developing the “alchemy” and practicing right form over a period of time until it becomes mindless.  Your mind becomes refined where you can tap into the power – energy and right function when you need it.  Think of your own lesson on Great Potential – Great Function if you are beginning to train in any sports or endeavor. It’s a “key” to your success.

My Best,

Maria Camille