Please take a look at Articles on self-defense/conflict/violence for introductions to the references found in the bibliography page.

Please take a look at my bibliography if you do not see a proper reference to a post.

Please take a look at my Notable Quotes

Hey, Attention on Deck!

Hey, NOTHING here is PERSONAL, get over it - Teach Me and I will Learn!


When you begin to feel like you are a tough guy, a warrior, a master of the martial arts or that you have lived a tough life, just take a moment and get some perspective with the following:


I've stopped knives that were coming to disembowel me

I've clawed for my gun while bullets ripped past me

I've dodged as someone tried to put an ax in my skull

I've fought screaming steel and left rubber on the road to avoid death

I've clawed broken glass out of my body after their opening attack failed

I've spit blood and body parts and broke strangle holds before gouging eyes

I've charged into fires, fought through blizzards and run from tornados

I've survived being hunted by gangs, killers and contract killers

The streets were my home, I hunted in the night and was hunted in turn


Please don't brag to me that you're a survivor because someone hit you. And don't tell me how 'tough' you are because of your training. As much as I've been through I know people who have survived much, much worse. - Marc MacYoung

WARNING, CAVEAT AND NOTE

The postings on this blog are my interpretation of readings, studies and experiences therefore errors and omissions are mine and mine alone. The content surrounding the extracts of books, see bibliography on this blog site, are also mine and mine alone therefore errors and omissions are also mine and mine alone and therefore why I highly recommended one read, study, research and fact find the material for clarity. My effort here is self-clarity toward a fuller understanding of the subject matter. See the bibliography for information on the books. Please make note that this article/post is my personal analysis of the subject and the information used was chosen or picked by me. It is not an analysis piece because it lacks complete and comprehensive research, it was not adequately and completely investigated and it is not balanced, i.e., it is my personal view without the views of others including subject experts, etc. Look at this as “Infotainment rather then expert research.” This is an opinion/editorial article/post meant to persuade the reader to think, decide and accept or reject my premise. It is an attempt to cause change or reinforce attitudes, beliefs and values as they apply to martial arts and/or self-defense. It is merely a commentary on the subject in the particular article presented.


Note: I will endevor to provide a bibliography and italicize any direct quotes from the materials I use for this blog. If there are mistakes, errors, and/or omissions, I take full responsibility for them as they are mine and mine alone. If you find any mistakes, errors, and/or omissions please comment and let me know along with the correct information and/or sources.



“What you are reading right now is a blog. It’s written and posted by me, because I want to. I get no financial remuneration for writing it. I don’t have to meet anyone’s criteria in order to post it. Not only I don’t have an employer or publisher, but I’m not even constrained by having to please an audience. If people won’t like it, they won’t read it, but I won’t lose anything by it. Provided I don’t break any laws (libel, incitement to violence, etc.), I can post whatever I want. This means that I can write openly and honestly, however controversial my opinions may be. It also means that I could write total bullshit; there is no quality control. I could be biased. I could be insane. I could be trolling. … not all sources are equivalent, and all sources have their pros and cons. These needs to be taken into account when evaluating information, and all information should be evaluated. - God’s Bastard, Sourcing Sources (this applies to this and other blogs by me as well; if you follow the idea's, advice or information you are on your own, don't come crying to me, it is all on you do do the work to make sure it works for you!)



“You should prepare yourself to dedicate at least five or six years to your training and practice to understand the philosophy and physiokinetics of martial arts and karate so that you can understand the true spirit of everything and dedicate your mind, body and spirit to the discipline of the art.” - cejames (note: you are on your own, make sure you get expert hands-on guidance in all things martial and self-defense)



“All I say is by way of discourse, and nothing by way of advice. I should not speak so boldly if it were my due to be believed.” - Montaigne


I am not a leading authority on any one discipline that I write about and teach, it is my hope and wish that with all the subjects I have studied it provides me an advantage point that I offer in as clear and cohesive writings as possible in introducing the matters in my materials. I hope to serve as one who inspires direction in the practitioner so they can go on to discover greater teachers and professionals that will build on this fundamental foundation. Find the authorities and synthesize a wholehearted and holistic concept, perception and belief that will not drive your practices but rather inspire them to evolve, grow and prosper. My efforts are born of those who are more experienced and knowledgable than I. I hope you find that path! See the bibliography I provide for an initial list of experts, professionals and masters of the subjects.

1's and 0's


How do I relate yin-n-yang to western philosophy? One's and zero's, the language of computers. Why? Simply because we are now a technological society that relies heavily on one's and zero's, the language underlying all computers in every form. 

In reality all the wonderful technological advancements we enjoy in today's techno-society are actually run by one's and zero's. Every single language and every single architecture that runs the languages is based some where, some how on those one's and zero's. Our advancement appears to be far beyond these mere one's and zero's but in reality they are just layers upon layers fooling us into thinking we have control of the techno-society.

Techno-society has control of us. We are so consumed with the ability to receive instant gratification through technologies that the micro-second we are presented with some new bell and whistle we line up like cattle going to slaughter to purchase the latest and greatest. We think we need it but do we?

How does this apply to martial arts. The martial arts are based on some concepts beginning with yin-n-yang or yin-yang since they intertwine and exist as one. The yin is the zero's and the yang is the one's. Things are either off or on, action or inaction, right or wrong, up or down, left or right, and in a nutshell all of it can be extrapolated down to either yin or yang or various levels and combinations between the extremes. 

Take a look at multi-tasking. Multi-tasking of human efforts is similar to the perception of a computer having an ability to perform multiple tasks. In reality both simply rely on the ability to do one thing very very quickly and then simply switching, very quickly, to another task and so on. We fool ourselves into believing we can accomplish more in tandem with other tasks but what is occurring is we are simply switching quickly between many task but in any one single moment we are actually working on one thing at a time. Is this effective, efficient and productive? No!

It is proven that such things while appearing to be productive have been proven to be less productive and less efficient. Maybe this is why so many new young persons want to work on high level aspects of tasks so that the specifics are not addressed, hidden from view and hidden from inspection and analysis.

In martial arts we tend to think that the complexity of a thing means we are knowledgable and of expert levels. Our complexity of martial arts is another veil we pull down over our eyes to achieve comfort, security and confidence in what we do. In reality it hides us from the true underlying needs or foundation of martial arts or any physical skill used in conflicts. 

Basics are boring. Fundamental principles of martial systems are boring. Constant continuous diligent practice of simpler strategies and tactics are boring. But, it is that practice and training when done based on reality that tend to program our minds to achieve proficiency and expertise. Concentrating on the one's and zero's are closer to what our instinct and lizard brain can use effectively than all the complex chains of techniques and actions you see in most dojo or training halls. 

We as humans seem to think that we must fill up our time, minds and effort with things that will remove the boring aspects of training and practice so we may achieve instant gratification repeatedly. It reminds me of an addictions, they seem euphoric but when you go down to reality it pushes the right buttons to go for the euphoric again and again. Almost like we can't live in the real world and we have to get to the glory of a fictional world. Kind of like being in a Matrix.

Time and again I come across the teachings of experts that speak to the need to keep it simple but fun. It is actually up to us to achieve variety in the mundane, the simple and then provide our own excitement, or fun, while continually and diligently practicing over and over again those things we need to be efficient, proficient and productive in martial arts. 

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