There was always plenty of punching and kicking, I spent hours and hours working on that stuff, doing kumite and kata and techniques and anything else I could. Unfortunately, there wasn't a lot of answers as to the zen nature behind arts like Jujitsu, Aikido or Karate. i was understanding the martial arts, but not the rather obtuse and difficult to describe 'zen of it all.'
Now, to be honest, the question was sort formulated wrong from the get go. If you ask a human being why, he'll go crazy, if you ask him how, he'll go sane. Go on, try asking these questions and watch how people react.
Anyway, I read every bit of writing I could find, couldn't figure out what was under everything, and then, out of the blue, I found the answer. I discovered it in an Aikido dojo, not in a martial arts book. The answer was in an old saying, 'A perfect circle has no corners.'
Well, that was more simple than I expected. And I practiced rolling across the mat, forward and backward, and I was astounded by the basic truthfulness of this simple saying. But even while I was marveling over this simple but concise answer, I was developing variations of much interest.
In arts like traditional Karate there is often noise. We talk about moving quick and silent, like a ninja, but the truth is that Karateka are noisy. And the light dawned upon me, 'The perfect art can't be heard.'
Now I practiced moving like a real cat, yet sinking the weight in every move. My kata, especially the kiai (spirit shout), became totally different. I understood what it was like to do a form like a ghost.
And then the third of these concepts manifested and totally undid me. This happened during my practice of Tai Chi Chuan, but it quickly wormed its way through all the other arts I knew. And the simple became apparent as, 'The perfect art cannot be seen.'
Three simple sayings, yet they impacted upon me, and change the face, and the very depths, of all my martial arts. I sought perfection through the smooth liquid of motion, the silent ghosting of movement, and the execution of technique without effort. Go on, try enacting these three phrases, and watch the zen martial arts concepts behind arts like Jujitsu, Aikido and Karate into more zen martial arts.
Now, to be honest, the question was sort formulated wrong from the get go. If you ask a human being why, he'll go crazy, if you ask him how, he'll go sane. Go on, try asking these questions and watch how people react.
Anyway, I read every bit of writing I could find, couldn't figure out what was under everything, and then, out of the blue, I found the answer. I discovered it in an Aikido dojo, not in a martial arts book. The answer was in an old saying, 'A perfect circle has no corners.'
Well, that was more simple than I expected. And I practiced rolling across the mat, forward and backward, and I was astounded by the basic truthfulness of this simple saying. But even while I was marveling over this simple but concise answer, I was developing variations of much interest.
In arts like traditional Karate there is often noise. We talk about moving quick and silent, like a ninja, but the truth is that Karateka are noisy. And the light dawned upon me, 'The perfect art can't be heard.'
Now I practiced moving like a real cat, yet sinking the weight in every move. My kata, especially the kiai (spirit shout), became totally different. I understood what it was like to do a form like a ghost.
And then the third of these concepts manifested and totally undid me. This happened during my practice of Tai Chi Chuan, but it quickly wormed its way through all the other arts I knew. And the simple became apparent as, 'The perfect art cannot be seen.'
Three simple sayings, yet they impacted upon me, and change the face, and the very depths, of all my martial arts. I sought perfection through the smooth liquid of motion, the silent ghosting of movement, and the execution of technique without effort. Go on, try enacting these three phrases, and watch the zen martial arts concepts behind arts like Jujitsu, Aikido and Karate into more zen martial arts.
About the Author:
If you like Zen Martial Arts, but want them now and not in twenty years, then head on over on over over to http://www.monstermartialarts.com.