Many of the accidents and set backs we receive in life start by way of inner disharmony. By dwelling on negativity, or the ugliness of an enemies tactics against you, you are not only handing power to the enemy but actually undermine your own defences. In this case is it any wonder the opposition seems so powerful, compared to one who is undermining their own position. People dream of becoming a martial arts master, and easily flooring anyone, or at least having the demeanour and self confidence to strike fear into others at will. But the confidence that you wish to gain from undermining others must come from within ourselves, and the one true way to cultivate this force is to develop and work on it directly.
Once you have established an inner harmony, a dynamic equilibrium, many things become clear. It is then even possible to withstand great stress without being swept away by the tide. In martial arts you can never expect a master to teach you some killer magic moves which will be able to disable an opponent in one strike. No, the methods are deep within us in the form of embodied knowledge1 and accessed through development of the Hara Centre2. When you are working with the hara centre successfully there is a clear feeling of both warmth and energy. It is these energies which must be directed intelligently. And it is this feeling of these energies which must precede and inform our academic knowledge of any technique we might practice.
When the hara centre is intimately linked to our conceptions of right and wrong technique, we are protected from stupid mistakes and incorrect form. It is true that some technical knowledge is needed, particularly at first, however concentrating with the brain on technical details simply exhausts our energies. It must be done sparingly. So rather than analysing what you are doing to death, which ends in boredom and frustration, simply simply draw your thoughts to the hara centre and concentrate on it. If you want to draw energy from this centre, you must try to practice according to the same rhythms and integrates its methods to your own.
To be sure working in this way takes many years to master, which is why you need a high ideal to in order to inspire ceaseless work which enriches you just by engaging in it3. Then, you will not even think of it as work in the ordinary sense. In fact, you will answer the questions yourself and find answers to questions you didn’t even have. This is because your work will entail a lack of preconceived ignorance. So my advice is to work and meditate on the Hara centre as much as you can, in and out of training. Then, many of the mysteries will be revealed, even if you lack any special intelligence or extensive combat experience. Yes because many who once experienced some things have since given up the work of finding answers, and have stopped putting their energies into the pursuit of a high ideal. These energies can eventually dry up if they are not renewed and cultivate anew each day.
Many people suppose that time spent practicing is the true indicator of progress. However, what we should instead consider is how much energy is wasted in practicing what we already have physically embodied. For example, if we already know how to do a punch, it is useless to mindlessly practice it over and over without linking up to the hara centre correctly. On the other hand, if we manage to link up with the Hara centre, over time our previously empty techniques will take on a life of their own and our training a whole new meaning. Yes, even the most ineffectual technique can be transformed. So link up, and remember it is the quality of the experience which leave the biggest imprint on our subconscious, which underlies our physical expressions.
Thinking about all the details of a training exercise… where should my arms be, what must my feet be doing, where should I be looking, which detail is the most important? These are all natural questions, and it can be interesting to consider. But when it comes down to it, it can be best to close your physical eyes and ears to the confusion and listen only to the dynamic equilibrium of the hara centre. It is almost as if it sings at you at times, and if this isn’t felt then a techniques is just empty. In other words if the physical technique, which may have once served you well, is later emptied of its contents (the feeling), it becomes worthless. And then, yes, see how your hands look in different covers and guard positions, what alignments of the body feel best, etc., but always in relation to the hara centre not some scientific theory of performance based on appearance.
Every time you feel out of harmony, try to reconnect and establish this inner link once again. A good way to do this is with breathing. You should breathing deeply into the hara centre to stimulate the energies there. For example, breath deeply into the belly whilst concentrating on the hara centre. This can be a good way to warm up before training, or re-establish harmony after training. You can even say a few words, or think “Harmony” as you do this, to strengthen the link so that thoughts, words, breath and feeling are all mutually reinforcing one another. If you are looking to develop power, then “Power” can be useful as an associative word to use. Do this with the idea that you are performing the most serious and effective training. By working consciously in this way, you will eventually influence the subconscious and your own habitual behaviour. Do not be put off by the meagre results you might experience at first, I assure you this is work worthy of highest consideration.
Many people think you have to be wound up and inspired by violence to perform dynamic moves. This is true to an extent, as harsh circumstances force us to act, but in fact these situations are only a stepping stone to action, a transient moment to impel us to rise above challenges. In other words if you are blown around by tornadoes you might have the appearance of looking alive but eventually you will be smashed to pieces. On the other hand, if you make this cyclone your centre, you become a force of nature in yourself. And this cyclonic force can be used to channel power into a technique, or simply manage your own inner feelings and thoughts through meditation. In other words, it has both meditative and performance value, and it almost feels as if one is polarizing themselves for a moment when performing this inner energy cultivation outwardly, channelling it into a target. This is why the force must come from within, so that it can direct and instruct your inner thoughts, feelings and then manifest in action.
References
1 Embodying the technique https://intuitivemartialarts.com/2020/08/09/embodying-the-technique/
2 The Hara Centre https://intuitivemartialarts.com/2020/10/25/the-hara-centre/
3 The High Ideal https://intuitivemartialarts.com/2020/07/26/the-high-ideal/
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