Don’t get me wrong—black belts are great. We live in a hierarchal world, after all. However, for all true martial artists out there, meritocracy is the only real measure; and I guess you just have to ask yourself one thing: am I a martial artist, or am I someone who just practices martial arts?
Read MoreIf we’re talking instead about Martial Arts Philosophy, then that is a totally different story, with only one true winner standing out against the rest: The Tao of Jeet Kune Do.
Read MoreAs someone who has also spent a lot of time pursuing more esoteric disciplines (Martial Arts, Yoga, Meditation, Shamanism, Zen), these fields are less focused on Semantic Learning (though there is still some degree of that) and are more driven by Motor Learning.
Read MoreIf I asked you to conjure up an image in your mind of the most spiritual person you can think of, you’ll probably think up a silent Zen Monk sitting under a tree; or perhaps you’ll imagine Buddha; or see an image of Christ. All universally accepted examples of highly spiritual individuals, but I contest that each of these spiritual individuals pales in comparison to a true Martial Artist.
Read MoreIt is a civil evolution, allowing you to rise above the pettiness of mundane day-to-day problems and see the world more objectively in relation to a plateau that is set much higher, and with greater stakes, to what the general public is willing to endure.
Read MoreMartial Arts, when practiced correctly (not merely used as a means for make money; diluting the art in order to turn an Academy into a belt-factory), is a practice of truth.
Read MoreMartial Arts is controlled chaos, which allows you to rewire and reinforce your neural pathways for perseverance, problem solving, and self discipline; while simultaneously affording you a better look into “who you are” as a person.
Read MoreIn order to further dissect the subtle difference between these two distinct ideologies, mathematics will be applied as an allegorical representation to facilitate understanding.
Read MoreThe great thing about being a black belt is that, though there may be degrees you could work towards afterward, you are pretty much there in class because you want to be. Thus, testing your will, in large part, is the name of the game. Can you push past thinking brain into reptilian brain?
Read MoreThe mind, like any other tool, needs guidance. Turn on a power saw and leave it there. It will begin to chaotically saw away at anything around it. Now, take hold of that same saw and guide it to help cut away at what's needed.
Read MoreThe breath: our most essential, energetic resource for sustaining all life. So subtle that we hardly ever stop to think about it.
Read MoreYour mind is that limit. Your mind is the origin of the self. And so, I began my journey from self-ish-ness into self-less-ness. No mind. No problem.
Read MoreSo, what was it that I had learned most during my time as (and still) a martial artist? Well, I had learned a lot about control, both of the body and of the mind. I also learned a lot about who I was.
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