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.

Spirit - Which is it?

The term “spirit” is rich, multifaceted, and used across disciplines including philosophy, religion, psychology, and the arts. Below are the widely accepted definitions of spirit, categorized by domain, along with scholarly or reference-based sources:


1. Philosophical and Metaphysical Definitions


➤ Spirit as the Non-Material Essence of a Being

• Definition: The immaterial, non-physical aspect of a person, often synonymous with the soul or the seat of consciousness, agency, or vitality.

• Reference: Plato (in Phaedo) refers to the soul or spirit as the essential, immortal self distinct from the body.

• Also in: Descartes’ Meditations on First Philosophy (1641) — “res cogitans” or the “thinking thing” as spirit/mind.


➤ Spirit as Universal Consciousness or Absolute

• Definition: A universal, cosmic consciousness that permeates all existence — the Geist in Hegelian idealism.

• Reference: Hegel’s Phenomenology of Spirit (1807), where “spirit” evolves through dialectical history as the realization of self-conscious freedom.


2. Religious and Theological Definitions


➤ Spirit as Divine Entity or Force

• Definition: A supernatural being or force, often regarded as divine, such as the Holy Spirit in Christianity or kami in Shinto.

• References:

• Bible: John 4:24 — “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

• Shinto: Kokoro no Furusato texts define kami as spiritual presences inhabiting nature and life forces.


➤ Spirit as the Human Soul or Breath of Life

• Definition: The soul or life-breath granted by a divine source.

• Reference: Hebrew ruach and Greek pneuma, both meaning “breath” or “spirit” (cf. Genesis 2:7, when God “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life”).


3. Psychological and Anthropological Definitions


➤ Spirit as Vital Energy or Animating Principle

• Definition: The life force or vitality that animates a being, used in psychological or anthropological contexts.

• Reference: James, William. The Varieties of Religious Experience (1902) — speaks of spirit as an experiential consciousness of higher realities.


➤ Spirit as Mood or Disposition

• Definition: A person’s emotional state or morale (e.g., team spirit, fighting spirit).

• Reference: American Psychological Association (APA) Dictionary defines spirit in this sense as “the prevailing emotional tone or attitude.”


4. Linguistic and Etymological Roots


• Latin: Spiritus = “breath, breeze, life-force”

• Greek: Pneuma = “breath, wind, spirit”

• Hebrew: Ruach = “wind, breath, spirit”


These roots inform many religious and secular uses today.


5. Legal and Ethical Contexts


➤ Spirit of the Law

• Definition: The intent or purpose behind a law, as distinct from its literal wording (“letter of the law”).

• Reference: Montesquieu’s The Spirit of the Laws (1748) — foundational political treatise on law and governance.


6. Common Cultural and Literary Usage


➤ Spirit as a Ghost or Apparition

• Definition: A disembodied soul or ghost, often of a deceased person.

• Reference: Oxford English Dictionary; also in Shakespearean literature (e.g., Hamlet’s father’s ghost).


7. Scientific or Skeptical Interpretations


➤ Spirit as a Psychological Construct

• Definition: A subjective mental representation rooted in human cognition, emotion, or culture — not verifiable in empirical terms.

• Reference: Dennett, Daniel. Consciousness Explained (1991) — explores how “spirit” may be a narrative humans apply to conscious experience.



In martial arts, “spirit” within the triad of mind, body, and spirit typically refers to a practitioner’s inner drive, willpower, fighting heart, or indomitable resolve—a non-material force that animates and unites mind and body into purposeful action. This meaning blends philosophical, psychological, and cultural dimensions rather than religious or metaphysical ones.


🥋 Definition in Martial Arts Context


Spirit = The internal force of will, determination, courage, and perseverance that sustains martial discipline and manifests in action.


It is the animating principle that fuels commitment, endurance, and moral character under pressure.


📚 Referenced Interpretations


1. Budo Philosophy (Japanese Martial Way)

• The word “seishin” (精神) means “spirit” or “mental energy”—essential in budō training.

• In Hagakure (Yamamoto Tsunetomo), spirit is the unwavering will to meet death without hesitation—a warrior’s resolve.

• Reference: Wilson, W. Scott. Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai (2002).


2. Karate-Dō by Gichin Funakoshi

• Funakoshi defines the “spirit of Karate” as an attitude of humility, perseverance, and moral development. He stresses that karate is not merely physical but about developing character through rigorous mental and spiritual training.

• Reference: Funakoshi, Gichin. Karate-Do: My Way of Life (1975).


3. Kiai (気合) – Manifestation of Spirit

• Kiai is a physical expression of spirit, often vocalized. It channels internal energy (ki/qi) into action.

• Reference: Draeger, Donn F. Classical Budo (1973) — kiai as a convergence of spirit, intention, and breath in action.


4. Bushido and Yamato-damashii (大和魂)

• The “spirit of Japan” (Yamato-damashii) emphasizes honor, loyalty, and stoicism as spiritual qualities of the warrior.

• Reference: Nitobe, Inazo. Bushido: The Soul of Japan (1900) — spirit is moral character and noble will.


5. Modern Sports Psychology Applied to Martial Arts

• Spirit is the mental toughness that sustains action under adversity.

• Often overlaps with concepts like grit, intrinsic motivation, and resilience.

• Reference: Loehr, Jim. The New Toughness Training for Sports (1994) — spirit as the wellspring of purpose and drive.



“The body is the instrument, the mind directs, but the spirit gives life.” — Traditional budō maxim




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