In the true spirit of the Lenten season the real challenge is to GIVE UP your training for the 6 week period. See whether you have it or it has you--
During the time you give up your training you can reflect on how critical of a role it plays in your life, at what expense does it come with regard to your personal relationships such as wife, children, family, friends, etc. etc..
You might get a chance to see how little impact, outside the world of marital arts, that one's training has in the world at large. You might get a chance to find balance, again.
But most important, IMHO, is you will come face to face with the fear that if one doesn't train, one will lose something and then one really has to reflect on what it is that they might lose--how much of it is ego, how much of it is fear, how much of it is a false identity--what does one submit to when one engages in training? Who does one submit to?
One teacher I knew of always told his students that if you lose day of training you lose a week of advancement--Advancement of what, was my question.
Instead of training one could spend an hour everyday reflecting and journeling or even a visual journal:
http://www.fcds.org/faculty/RebeccaSton ... elines.aspSome may decide to leave the art but for others the 6 week fast from training may even intensify their training when they return.
Does the art have you or do you have the art? An old Jungian friend of mine once told me that the only real test is to be able to let go of it, to sacrifice it--even if one tries it for a day or a week and can't handle it, one can always return to it.
Another view is that one may become more appreciative one's good health and ability to train--imagine if you got into a car wreck and lost a leg or two--what then becomes of your training? What then becomes of your life?
Interesting time indeed for taking a challenge and ultimately one may discover an authentic answer to the question:
For what purpose does the training REALLY serve? LOL