RZA - If Not You lyrics

If Not You, Who?

It's time to step into the exploration today
We are in search of our true self but first
We prime the mind and the body
It begins in a sacred place
Free of life's noise sit yourself down in a
Comfortable but alert position
With posture that lets the air flow easily
In and out of your lungs put
Your hands together rest them gently on
Your knees close your eyes breathe
In through your nose and slowly out through
Your mouth continue with patience match
My flow feel every inhale and every
Exhale flow in flow out

Today we want to reach inside and uncover the
Fullest version of ourself when I was young
I did just this it
Lead me to my chosen name
The Divine Prince Rakeem i
Chose a name that I had to live up to
A prince in the ghetto it gave me strength
And it forced me to be original
I later on became the RZA: Rakeem Zig-Zag-Zig
Allah always reaching always growing now it's
Time for you to look deep down within
Yourself and visualize your true self
This begins with altering
Your physical stance
Which has a tremendous impact on your mental
State the right pose can help you
Think in deeper, more abstract ways
And encourage you to take risks

Rise up with me now i want you
To take on the stance of a
Warrior take a lunge-like position with your
Back leg straight and your front
Leg bending forward at the knee now slide
Your back foot a little big
And feel the strength in your balance
Place your hips and shoulders
Forward so that they are parallel with each
Other keep your breath steady make
Sure your feet remain rooted to the
Ground now become the warrior extend
Your arms as if you're ready to attack
Breathe hold it even when it
Gets hard, let your muscles generate with
Each other life is hard
But only through great struggle come
Ease push push yourself harder

Since the first day we entered this world
We had to push ourselves out of
A tight situation a warrior
Has the ability to push through
Laser beam focus our
Goal is for the body to act in
Unison with it'self in unison with the
Mind if your body knows that every
Other part is working as one
You can uncover a greater power you can
Push that boulder up the hill
Feel the strength in your stance feel the
Confidence that it creates visualize yourself
In this warrior stance now name it
This is you from this pose
You can take on anything remain here as you
Call to mind the next obstacle
That you must overcome
How will you approach it differently with the
Strength you now possess repeat
This exercise with a
Variety of obstacles like a kung-fu master
There's great power within you now
How will you use it?

As you move towards the
Exit of our exploration
I want you to remember this stance and
The confidence that comes with
It return to it
Any time you feel overwhelmed and ask
"how will this version of my warrior
Self respond to this challenge?"

Take a deep breath in through
Your nose and out
Through your mouth again focus
On the flow inhale
And exhale slow smooth and return to your day
And carry with you what you have learned