Note
In the following article, you may find some commonly held assumptions interrogated as well as some unusual perspectives explored. However, take nothing on faith. In the process seeking truth, many preconceived notions become limited, and others get brushed off as hot air. At the same time, all of the information here is easily verifiable with a quick internet search, so it up to you to find out whether these concepts are workable for you. Martial Arts is about fearless self study, and reaching towards an uninhibited life process that you are.
Reproduction
When people think of sex, they probably mainly think about procreation. Procreation is the main driver for survival of the species, which is why its such an enduring process in nature. During the physical manifestation of sex, both parents reach the infinite by passing on their genes to the next generation. In this way, the genetic material lives on even after death. So in many ways, the life force of the parents is passed on to the next generation. At the same time, it can be an extremely enriching process for the parents to bring up their children.
So reproduction is the earliest form of activity alongside eating. It was there from the beginning of evolution, unlike forms of cognition seen later in evolution. In nature there is a certain longing between two to become one. So reproduction is one way. In spiritual terms, this same energy manifesting within has been symbolised as Yin merging with Yang, or the masculine merging with the feminine. A basic example of this interaction is how heat warms water to change its state to more active, or how water cools heat to make it more temperate. Essentially, this is energy finding a a balanced expression through two opposite poles and becoming one. This attempt at merging can be successful, partially successful, or incompatible.
When you remove the psychological and emotional aspects of reproduction, you have an energy expression which has a form of its own. Obviously, this emotional aspect is highly significant in human relationships. On the other hand, the energy expression of the same energy which is referred to a sex takes on a different dimension within the chakra system, or energy body. The energy body, or Chi body as it is known in Chinese Systems, has two polarities within it, the Yin channel and the Yang Channel. This corresponds with the Indian Chakras system of Ida and Pingala, which is talking about the same thing. For simplicity, the Yin Channel is considered the feminine channel, and the Yang channel is considered the masculine channel1. So when a balance is struck within, and the two aspects of an individual begin to function as one, this means that a certain fulfilment and merging has taken place. This is so with or without two people.
Hormones and Energy
When the hormones kick in during puberty and beyond, there is increased testosterone in the system, as well as other sex hormones. It is well known that these same hormones are responsible for athletic performance, motivational states, and other energetic behaviours2. So when an individual starts arriving towards their reproductive prime, there is an influx of new states of energy which is responsible for increased physical and mental power as well as sexuality. This is goes on towards the age of, say, twenty five to thirty years old quite naturally. This is an increased activity related to muladhara, or the root of the energy system. In martial arts it is said that the martial artist must develop a strong root. This can be interpreted in many ways.
Historically in martial arts, it was important to engage the young practitioner in high intensity activity at around the age of thirteen or so, because the root system is highly active at this time. Common experience tells us that around this age teenagers can get despondent or easily distracted if their energies are not usefully employed. On the other hand, they can begin to show exceptional promise in certain ways. So they would be put either into traditional martial arts forms, which had an intellectual dimension, or fighting. This is similar to how in wider society, kids are put into sports clubs or perhaps a more intellectual or creative pursuit like Music or Science, or possibly all of these. The idea is that if the young martial artist can channel the energies into some kind of activity, then these same energies would naturally find an increased expression in this form of activity. Otherwise they would just dissipate at the level of Muladhara, the root, before flourishing within to their full potential.
Developing a strong Root
So activity to do with with the root chakra, roughly related to the pelvic floor and hip region, is strongly related to reproduction and energy generation. The hip and spine are the areas of energy generation for both reproduction and physical work. The root, the instinctive energies, is also related to the pinnacle, which is to say the head or conscious thought. So the whole process of evolution and raising ones energies has to do sending energy upwards from the base. This is why there has traditionally been great emphasis on work and energy expenditure in youth, because at this time the energies go up and down quite naturally as the root is strong. Establishing this root so that an oak tree can grow is a commonly used analogy which is extremely accurate. There is also the same need in later life, however once this foundation is established the later work can develop from this and take on a new dimension. So there is a need for the ground work to take place first.
What we understand as sexual anatomy also has another energetic anatomy in both the Yogic cultures and internal martial arts. The reason it can be important to look at the energy mechanics of sexuality is because this energy takes on a different form once it has been cultivated further up the system. This is why such emphasis has been placed on postural alignment in martial arts, to direct the energy from the root so that it piles up and expands throughout the system rather than just at the root level. In this way, the martial artist can turn an instrintive drive into a force driven consciously from within that takes on an entirely new form. This is all made possible because of the internal longing to evolve and transcend limitations from the ground up.
The Truth about NoFap
In recent years there has been a movement known as NoFap. The idea is that if a person stops sexual activity for a time, then there is an increased level of testosterone, and motivation, as well as general well being. In martial arts, some trainers promote abstinence from a variety of activities before an approaching bout to increase competitiveness and power. One thing that is often overlooked is that it’s not the testosterone or abstinence that creates motivation or power. It is living a healthy lifestyle. So wether or not this is necessary depends on the individual.
Increased testosterone is a stimulus which kind of pesters the system into action, or what the Yogic systems calls Rajas. So the whole point is to change these Rajas into Oojas, which are subtler energies. It is like turning fertiliser into productive soil for a plant. These Oojas are just Rajas transformed and raised to a higher energy pitch. So it is not necessarily that one who has more hormones is more motivated, it is just that it is possible to transform testosterone so that its influence goes down and is converted into oojas through activity in some way. It’s not that it just sits there indefinitely tely. In this way it has become useful whether our not that was the intention.
So bringing physical energies down through work is one way to transform energy. This can be very productive. When a father holds a child, the same thing happens and testosterone goes down. When it goes up, and one engages in work the same thing. So It is being in a stable environment, whether that is within or without, that creates the power and inner clarity to be able to focus and cultivate the energies. So traditionally, sometimes marriage was advocated, whereas at other times, under certain circumstances the disciple remained went to a monastery to work. In both instances either emotional or physical work and effort is going on in a big way.
Sex is just basic biology, and as we have seen there are many expressions of this same life energy elsewhere. Biology is neither something to be denied or glorified, nor does it have to be imagined in any particular way. If it is viewed romantically, the thoughts are different to when it is viewed energetically. It is up to each person in which they they explore it. When it takes on an additional transformed dimension, then this is inner martial arts.
Establishing Stability
When Martial arts takes on an increased inner dimension, it becomes necessary to establish a security within oneself. Traditionally, a person would go to a monastery or temple and remove themselves from certain influences which might draw them towards unnecessary sex content. For example, many of the television and internet influences have a lot to do with sex, in its purely superficial form. So this isn’t always the best place to make attempts to go deeper and to avoid the cyclical nature of fluctuations of hormonal influence. At the same time, there’s no denial of biology, it’s there. When it comes to the biological side of it, there’s no meaning or right and wrong by itself, it’s simply fact.
If you look at India, many of the temples are covered in sexual imagery but they are handled appropriately in a certain environment. These images are on the outside of the temple, the periphery. Once you enter the temple and move beyond this, there is a different ambiance, one of spiritual seeking. So once the way it is looked at changes, there is a shift in understanding first of all. Then there is further development. So it is about seeing the different aspects, to make an informed decision. When it comes to the Karma Sutra, this is a document that was looked at like any other anatomical text, because this is what it is. In the same way, books on Killing written by warriors, as well as Gods of war adorning Chinese temples, were looked upon with “No mind”. This simply means that these things were included in their proper place without undue fixation or obsession. So facts of life don’t need to become an obsession because they don’t have a philosophy or theoretical position attached to them beyond what is basic biology. So how to make a stable position out of this?
So what are these other dimensions of energy we were talking about earlier? When energy circulates and ascends, it is a different experience than that of ignition and dissipation, or start and stop. It is not better or worse, there is just a difference. There are many ways of looking at this. Essentially, when one is able to contain and distribute energy within themselves, having established a certain balance and stability, there is a decreased need to search for an object. This search is going on all the time, whether it is in some kind of conscious martial arts practice, the search for God, or simply in reproduction. The ultimate goal is that one want to find oneness of experience, and this search is limitless. And once there is no object there is no limit.
Reaching the Crown
In Tai Chi, as well as many other practices, when one seeks to expand their consciousness to a higher level, they are looking to awaken the third eye and to reach the crown centre. This is the whole reason behind meditative and inner martial arts practices. This is why the Asian systems insist upon extending the head from the crown, as well as extending the chin down. This stretches the neck, increasing the energy ascension from the root to the pinnacle3. The whole posture is stretched and through the stretched spine, energy transmission is optimised. If this is practiced regularly, then over time one begins to raises their level of awareness, even if they don’t known the exact mechanisms behind it. The goal is a state of no mind, or experience inclusive of everything. This is what is known in Tai Chi as the grand ultimate, or totality of experience. There are many names to it of course. Essentially it means that you include everything in its proper place and in a productive way, around the crown of your experience.
So the energies of the grand ultimate are always trying to come together, either through reproduction or through the spiritual process of universal oneness, love, or whatever you might call it. This is what sex means, and this is what martial arts mastery means. Union of energy is called the merging of yin and yang, or oneness of masculine and feminine energies. This is not some theoretical concept but knowledge which leads to methods of practice. These methods of practice are various forms which encourage harmonious movements and postures, as well as particular attitudes which are conducive to productive behaviour. So all kinds of postures and codes of conduct were established, which essentially are back up systems for the real thing, which is realisation of the ultimate nature.
In nature, the two types of energies take on certain forms which are commonly referred to as a male and female types4. However, these are also considered tendencies which are present in each gender. However, both of these opposite states of energy are really two dualities making up a whole, which is similar to the positive and negative pole of a battery. The two opposites contain power when they unite, which is why there is a strong attraction. This is why it is relevant to martial arts, because these two opposites coming together are at at war as well as drawn together intensely, depending on how you look at it.
When the battery is plugged in, there is an increased energy state which powers the system. For example, when energy particles in distant galaxies create high energy rays, these waves occur far from the Earth. The full extend of these high energy states is not felt on Earth, because they would fry the life on Earth. So, even though they are the most powerful they are tempered by the atmosphere for good reason. In the human being, the earth is the physical body. The Sun is the energy body. So the Earth never feels the full extend of the sun which powers it, because it would be burnt up if it did. The job of the Earth is to make up a protective atmosphere to take in moderate levels of the sun. At the same time, the full extent is felt. There is much confusion about all this. So it is not that if you increase the physical body’s dimensions you get powerful. The best way is to increase its integrity and potential to establish the right atmosphere.
Love
The symbolism of good versus evil and of love are essentially one and the same. The work of the aspiring martial artist is to establish the right atmosphere for successful flowering, or for war to play out as in the best possible way without division. When one achieves love within themselves, if it is not handled appropriately is is like the sword of Damocles hanging over your head. Otherwise it is great. So you could say that what is good and what is evil is a sort of temporary separation of union into a duality. When a balance is achieved there is acceptance and non distinction. In other words, when the two opposite forces within ourselves or the environment finds a common ground, there is balance and stability, which creates harmony. This harmony is a dynamic interplay of intense forces, which is tempered. Balance will be achieved differently according the the individuals type of need. There are many aspects to this.
There is nothing wrong with sex as it is. There is no reason to dress it up into something it isn’t. The various types of physical and psychological forms it takes have nothing to do with the internal side of martial arts. The romantic ideas about it are fueled by imagination and memory, not intuitive sense or direction experiential perception5. This is because in order for sex to become a psychological or biological process, this involves somebody else. However, when these two parts become separate rather than united, they become opposites rather than united. When this happens, all sorts of distinctions can be made between people, as if they are separate species.
If people break up from a marriage, there is an increased emphasis on differences, even if nothing much may have changed. It even sometimes happens there can be an increased attraction, but also an increased separateness. So separateness need not have anything to do with lack of attraction, and two becoming one doesn’t mean necessarily there is an increased attraction. This is because if we stay at the physical level, that is just the front end. In reality, for at least most of the time, there is a lot more which unites peoples than separates them. whichever way allows you to see this is unity between people the right path. When you realise this, you are looking cultivate your relationships with others to reflect this reality.
So when there is an increased separateness, there is a strong opposition, as well as acts of pursuit and avoidance. However, it is a simple biological fact that there is more in common between people than there are differences. The basis of sex is often that peoples differences are exaggerated, which is why there is a powerful urge to get together. These differences are really very minimal and not actually relevant most of the time in our day to day activities. It isn’t enough to make a whole reality out of small differences unless they are worked out properly.
So a very small aspect which separates us has become increasingly the basis of interaction between the sexes in many parts of society. This is largely because differences have often been exaggerated, and many people have become frustrated and alienated from each other as a result. So insecurity and limited identification with differences has gone up. This, in a nutshell, is the problem of modern society, that such a small aspect of life should become such a focus. This has lead to many frustrations. I’m not saying that differences are unimportant, but its just biology, and when you go about your day to day tasks, it’s a small difference.
In martial arts, there is no difference. For example, traditionally at least, every dressed and looked the same in uniforms. Strict social conventions were upheld, not as a way to suppress, but so that everyone looked around and saw familiarity rather than difference. This was the traditional view in its proper context. Normally, it was never about suppression of the individual because everybody knows that suppressing usually has opposite results to those intended. So as a reactionary approach, there was overindulgence. But that too failed to solve the problem of utilisation of energy in its most productive sense. So when you are seeking the best possible way to use your mental and physical energies, this is what martial arts is all about. Each individual will have to address this in some way, but how you go about that and to what extend is down to individual choice alone.
References
1 https://intuitivemartialarts.com/?s=feminine
3 https://intuitivemartialarts.com/fundamental-techniques/
4 https://intuitivemartialarts.com/2021/04/05/balance-ida-pingala-ying-and-yang-mental-and-physical/
5 https://intuitivemartialarts.com/2023/03/31/from-knowledge-to-intuition-part-2/