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.

Kata: Moving Meditation

Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)


As you already understand and know, there are a variety of ways we can meditate. Two of greatest interest to us in the karate community are, first is mokuso where our goal is to still the body sitting in seiza to clear the mind of all external interference and thus quiet the mind while second, is kata where our goal is to utilize a variety of concepts and traits in a moving model that promotes and stimulates thoughts and actions.


Let me be clear, kata as well as other moving aspects of martial arts has and always will be a form of moving meditation of a kind many don't consider as an intricate part of one's training and practice. 


Movement is something the brain, the mind and body, require to literally survive. We humans must move to maintain health, wellness and a solid psychological balance not of just the mind but of the body as well where non-movement tends to slow things down and quiet both the body and mind so that clarity of non-thought can also perform the yin of yin/yang, i.e., while moving meditation stimulates thought and movement the other, mokuso, stimulates a quieting of the mind and the settling of the body into a positive relaxed state. 


Yin/Yang, we sleep and we wake and move - this is the basic foundation of the human body and mind and is how we have survived over the millennium of our species existence. As we have come to understand through the philosophy of karate and martial disciplines the yin/yang principle is about attaining balance and in our body and mind we have to have movement, or action, along with stimulation of the thinking processes of the mind, or brain. We also have to balance that out with what you might say is relaxation so the body and mind can regroup and continue to grow and evolve. A constant unbalanced state of either leads to stresses and damage hindering our abilities as humans who think and do, to survive. 


Moving mediation in kata requires us to think, to visualize and to self-talk in order to learn moves, methods and techniques in a creative way. It has been proven through research that to move while thinking promotes creativity so when we learn the movement of kata, when we perform the chain of movements and when we contemplate it while in that moving state of being we stimulate our brains, our minds, to actually visualize things like the techniques, methodologies and we stimulate certain chemicals and processes in the body-mind that promote all kinds of memories that benefit us in a variety of ways when certain stimuli trigger those memories or cognitive cues to act in ways that sometimes come as self-protection in self-defense. 


That is why kata when practiced requires thoughtful, focused, intention oriented and visualization along with intenral self-talk that takes a considerable effort of learning and migrates it toward an instinct-like automated set of methods and movements that allow us to do what we do best - meditative movement of intent and purpose manifested through the art and science of kata - movement at its best. 


So, we sit mokuso to slow, silence and quiet the mind and body then we move in kata, etc., to stimulate activity of movement of body and mind in a creative way to best benefit body, mind and spirit not just of karate but of our nature, health, fitness and well-being that makes us - US!


For reference and sources and professionals go here: Bibliography (Click the link)

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