“A student well versed in even one technique will naturally see corresponding points in other techniques. A upper level punch, a lower punch, a front punch and a reverse punch are all essentially the same. Looking over thirty-odd kata, he should be able to see that they are essentially variations on just a handful.” – […]
Martial arts and Mathematics…. Connected art forms. Read More »
You don’t have to “bring“ yourself into the present moment, because you are already there. What is required is to become still. And you don’t have to sit down in some difficult yoga position to be still. You don’t have to repeatedly recite a chant to be still. All you need to do are three
People don’t realize that now is all there ever is. Read More »
What is tradition, or traditional, in the martial arts? Who decides what it is? . Tradition can be described as; “an inherited, established or customary pattern of thought, action or behavior”. But what we refer to as “traditional” in the martial arts often isn’t traditional at all. . All of the past masters were
What is tradition, or traditional, in the martial arts? Read More »
If you have seen The Karate Kid movie, you will undoubtedly remember the wise old karate master, Mr. Miyagi, telling his student Daniel-san to; “Look eye! Always look eye”. . Well, not necessarily. At least not in the martial arts. . In fact, in Japanese culture, excessive eye contact is considered rude. And being rude
“Eyes that look are common; eyes that see are rare.” Read More »
I am often asked for answers to questions from people online that I have never met, without knowing who these people are, or what they are doing, or where they come from. There are no introductions, or any form of politeness, it’s just…. “I want information, give it to me NOW!” . Sharing knowledge is
So don’t cheat. Don’t pretend you did it. Don’t lie….. WORK FOR IT. Read More »
Just like learning to play a musical instrument, muscle memory is built by repetition, and doing something wrong during that repetition ingrains it into your mind. It is much more beneficial to do it right the first time, than training the bad information out later on. . In the martial arts, faster is usually considered
Sometimes its good to practice to “slow” down Read More »
Martial arts training is about training both the body and the mind. Part of training the mind is discipline. The discipline to do what is necessary. . It’s all about priorities, right? After all, you only practice a couple of times a week. . When I started karate almost five decades ago, I decided to
It’s all about priorities, right? Read More »
What is Zen Buddhism? . Trying to explain or define Zen Buddhism, by reducing it to an article, to a post on a website is almost impossible, it weakens its meaning. . Defining Zen (禅) is like trying to describe the taste of honey to someone who has never tasted it before. You can try
What is Zen Buddhism? Read More »
The word ‘mushin’ is comprised of two kanji characters: 無 (mu), meaning ‘nothingness’, and 心 (shin), meaning ‘heart’, ‘spirit’, or, in this case, ‘mind’. In this way, mushin can be roughly translated to ‘nothing mind’ or ‘no mind’. It comes from a longer phrase used in Zen Buddhism, ‘無心の心’ (mushin no shin), or ‘mind of
In Japan, cleaning is called ‘Soji’ (掃除) and apart from obviously ‘cleaning’ it is valued as a way to cultivate our minds. In fact, ‘Soji ‘is beyond mere cleaning. Buddhist monks when attending a monastery or shrine, put a great deal of time into practicing ‘Soji’. A monk’s day begins with cleaning, and cleanliness and
‘Soji’ (掃除) ‘Cleaning’ the Dojo Read More »
Is there a decline in what it means to be a ‘Martial Artist’, rather than just train in the martial arts? . Traditional philosophies in the martial arts have been watered down, and have become difficult to practice due to changes in society. . We don’t the have the time, the attitudes, the common interest,
The journey is the destination. Read More »
A warrior is not the one who seeks out fights. A warrior is the one who stands between the fight and the ones we love. A true warrior isn’t hateful or malicious. They are caring and aware of the needs of others. A warrior understands that not every fight is fought with hands and feet,
The warrior mindset. Read More »
