Tag: teaching

Martial Arts and Health

Posted on Last updated on by joeharman8 | 11 min read | 92 views

We can think of health as energy available to us to live an intense meaningful life, free from disease and debilitation. It is this state that we should reach in order to train properly in Martial Arts. And so we must cultivate and live in this state as much as possible, so that we can put this energy into everything we do. That is, of course, if we want to devote ourselves to this path. We don’t need to go looking for this energy outside ourselves by learning all sorts of complicated moves, hoping this will give us power. No, instead we should move naturally in ways which correlate with the intuitive rhythms of nature.

Now that science has given us complicated explanations and exact methods of technical performance, we exploit the resources of the body in order perform these techniques. And yet, many people find themselves more unhealthy than ever and plagued with injuries, not to mention lacking in energy. This is because people think about performing certain moves, like a punch, rather than strengthening the body which animates them. They do all sorts of robotic moves unthinkingly, which just causes wear and tear as the years go on. In truth, much of scientific advancement has made us lazy and unwilling to do work.

Whilst skilled people don’t wear out overnight, the abilities they have developed, often during youth, don’t last forever, and before too long they end up stagnating or in a sorry state. Many people put all their energy into the move instead of cultivating health through exercise. What they are forgetting is that the move is just a means of expressing the goal of perfection. Instead they get it the wrong way round, thinking that the move itself is the goal, and perfection of this will lead to truth. They think “I’ll perfect this move and one day I’ll become perfect”. But really, People are deluding themselves if they think they will make long term progress in this way, because once they are worn out and no longer able to animate themselves with zest, they lose the impetus to grow and develop. The real goal is keeping this zest, as this is the means of evolution.

Yes lots of people get big muscles first, but even a giant brick wall will develop cracks and fall down if the foundations and alignment are incorrect. And it is the same situation for Martial artists. Say, for instance, you are driving a stake into the ground. If you take the mallet and hit the stake off centre, it might bend. If you hit it dead centre it will drive into the floor creating a stable root. In the same way, if you direct pressure through the ground using gravity, aligned from head to toe, you will be much more structurally sound and dynamically stable (Steve Morris, the authority on the subject talks about alignment and whole body tension extensively on his website). On the other hand, if you contorts the body in all sorts of unnatural ways, without the means of stability stability, it’s only a matter of time before you damage your structure2.

How do we learn these “Fundamental” means of action? There is an imprint of how to move, breathe, and learn correctly inscribed within us. If we follow these intuitive pathways we can, with work, learn anything relatively easily to our own specifications. Think of the body as your instrument, you might be inspired by other peoples music, but you yourself produce the harmonies which resonate with your requirements and tastes. You might copy someone else at first, to create a stereotypical impression, but this is not the end of it. You continually develop. This will ensure you never lose interest and keep on growing, which itself is the only real indicator of success. When you train intuitively, all the knowledge is already in your possession you just need the inspiration and living examples around you to bring it out.

So what about adding our own flavour? After we have a fundamental knowledge of how to train and work, we can then add certain embellishments on top of this these forms we create. What Most Martial Arts practice involves is putting on the embellishments first, rather than making sure the basics are in order. It takes many years to learn to walk, so how do you suppose you can embody more complicated actions quickly? This just shows how much work needs to be done, and if the great fighters have to do this, how much more so for the rest of us?

In other words, many people go for the martial arts form without working on their body’s structural capabilities. Many of them go on about persevering through difficulty, and being patient, but in reality they are often looking for the easiest way to learn as many moves as possible to earn a certificate or belt. When you see a fighter in action, ask yourself “Does this form or style embrace universal principles of development and practice?” And, “Can I embody this practice so that it relates to everything else I do?” If not then it does not represent the truth3. There is no point is beating others up around you whilst your practice becomes devoid of meaning.

A true Martial Arts Master takes no interest in mechanical dead forms. There is no point because they do not relate to everyday matters of health and life. In fact they often ruin health because moving so violently without art or grace wears out the joints and causes fatigue. The temptation to stop developing, through pride, dogs the heals of even the best Martial artists until the end.

Routinised, meaningless practice has a terrible effect on health and energy. And then what weapons will you have when you are older and worn out? What will happen when your inner weapons of energy and enthusiasm has gone? You will have nothing. But if you learn to increase your health, training intensely for only short durations4, you will be able to have a profound effect on your abilities whilst not squandering your reserves on mindless work. Yes it is possible, through intelligent work, to remain healthy and vigorous even into old age. This is how you know you are following true Martial arts practice, you will increase your abilities, happiness, and senses.

To the extent that a form of martial arts is useful, you should integrate this with your everyday behaviours and gestures which underpin movements in all domains. Obviously, this works by degrees. Then martial arts simply becomes another way of moving more generally. You simply take the forms in homeopathic doses, letting them colour your existing movement repertoire, and receive a new expression of the same intuitive movements you already posses. Yes, because we already have within us the means to learn, intuitive movement, enthusiasm, and intelligence, combine all three and you will learn anything naturally.

All movements share intuitive gestures and actions with which we should mindfully engage in order to connect the dots between seemingly different activities. In this way throwing a ball, swinging a bat, etc., is fundamentally the same as throwing a punch or kick. They are different expressions of the same truth. It is up to us to become aware of these connections. To divide is to destroy, what you must do is unify everything. You divide up simply to analyse, and then it becomes part of the whole again. Otherwise it becomes dead and disconnected. This is why once analysed, it must come back into our being adapted to the wisdom of the body. We want to work on this wisdom of the body, in other words, to embody knowledge, but what we often end up doing is practicing nonsense. The form is merely the model to aim towards within a discipline, but the greater form, the true form, encompasses everything.

We practice according to a perfect model, that is a representation of the higher self. This mental model, and physical representation, is always better than we ourselves are. It assimilates what is useful, in other words the essentials, and discards what isn’t. These are the fundamentals, and the intuitive movements we all posses like walking and grabbing are used as building blocks. I have no objection to practcing a specific style, they are good as far as the go, but the problem of inner evolution and and progress cannot be solved by an existing physical forms. But back to fundamental building blocks.

A baby can learn to crawl, and then walk, and then run.But adults often have difficult applying the concept to even more advanced movements as they grow in intelligence and power. Because they fail to capitalise ion this, they stagnate and go backwards. Martial arts is just an extension, and evolution, of these basic fundamental actions. Once they are tapped into, these basic movements stimulate and trigger the development of more advanced skills such as punches and kicks. They are not simply new movements disconnected from previous learning.

The flowers of one plant spreads and multiplies new plants which then blossom into new flowers. In the same way humans learn one skill and then cultivate it until it is ready to spread into new domains. The whole thing then goes on and on again, even into later eras after the death of the practitioner. These ideas are then passed onto someone else and then come back to where they began, inside the individual. That individual is then in possession of certain knowledge that he must then pour out onto others. If the flowers are uninspired, dull, and disfigured no one looks at them and it is as if they never existed.

By helping other develop, you will find solutions to your own questions due to this effort applied to the process of “blossoming”. Others around you will be attracted to your flowers as a bee is around nectar. Naturally, this is how ideas spread. In this way your own practice will develop, fuelling your optimism and abilities. There is no escaping this process. I know that this may seem naive and childish, and it may not be taken seriously, because as everybody knows that you need to flatter people and quote recognised authorities, otherwise you don’t get anywhere. This just proves that despite of the hostility and hazards around you, you must keep fighting, and it is these trials if you like which oblige you to develop will power and evolve. I will go further to say that this is a blessing in disguise.

People tend to be happy one minute, unmotivated the next, always changing theirs moods and ideas. The least little problem knocks them off balance. This is why we need a high ideal, or if you like a perfect model to orientate ourselves towards. Compared to this ideal we are weak and ignorant. We keep failing, making mistakes, making enemies… We then think this weakness represents truth, and we bring everything down to this level. And then progress stops because we have focused on our lower nature and its insecurities rather than treating the high self as a living being. So many people have received so called wisdom in this form, and became disillusioned by it. They think “That’s just the way it is, I’ve invested so much time is this big lie, and since my livelihood depends on it I’ll just be the one to lie to others as I have been lied to”.

But perfection does not have an enemy, nor does it make mistakes or errors. Perfection, of course will never be achieved, it just orientates us in the right direction. That is why it is without form, and greater than form.

Like the earth around the sun, we must become “Centred” around the high ideal5 which inspires us and keeps us in motion, keeps us revolving. All people posses this faculty, but they often spend their whole life not knowing how to use it. Some people think that they must resemble exactly the perfect form, other believe that having an ideal is a waste of time because it can never be attained. But really it is something for our will power to strive towards, representing essential truths symbolised by martial arts practice. All the forms are merely different representations of the same truth.

Our will power must desire perfection, because it has an infinite scope which can reach far beyond physical limitations. Only the best satisfies it and will empower you towards real success, and by success I mean reach your full potential6. It does not matter if you achieve the ideal, but the important thing is to keep trying.

1 Steve Morris http://morrisnoholdsbarred.com/

2 Alignment and Tension exercises https://harmanater.com/2020/03/22/alignment-and-tension-exercises/

3 Which Moves? https://harmanater.com/2020/04/30/which-moves/

4 High Intensity Work and Balance https://harmanater.com/2020/07/05/high-intensity-work-and-balance/

5 The High Ideal https://harmanater.com/2020/07/26/the-high-ideal/

6 Will power https://harmanater.com/2020/05/10/will-power/

The High Ideal

Posted on by joeharman8 | 12 min read | 108 views

A lot of people argue about which the best Martial art is, but the truth must always be looked at above form, in a high ideal. Of course, it is possible to practice a system and to bring it to life with years of dedication and sacrifice, but if you do this it is always thanks to the work you put in which reaches above and beyond mere form. Because the form is just an empty shell, a representation of truth, and a weak one at that. It is the inspiration behind the form that counts.

Whilst it may be possible to smash someones head in with a few moves, it is hardly a way to inspire the greatest dedication to an important cause. Work of this kind is completely unimportant when weighed against self development and longevity. It is only possible to relate to the greatest goals by channelling our own immediate desires and instinctive tendencies towards something greater. But that all depends on what you want. We can substitute immediate gratification for long term satisfaction, which on balance is a good trade off. This is true humility, which involves identifying with a self in the future. But this future work starts now in the present and in fact is inseparably linked to it 1.

Through ideas and forward thinking it is possible to transcend present limitations. That is why it is a mistake to put so much stock in dead mechanical forms, or even what can be achieved under present conditions. Much has been said about living in the moment, but most of the time people mistake this for living recklessly on borrowed time. Instead you should view ‘the moment’ as a part of the future which begins here and now. Even with all the progress that has been made in psychology and mindfulness, people often overlook this simple fact. Controlling your thoughts in the present so that the future perspective is represented in reality is the real work. This is the perspective of the true self. By adopting this attitude this you will be able to tread any path in life unwaveringly – Martial Arts or otherwise.

Present limitations are an aspect only of the past, so leave them there. Try and imagine yourself, to feel even, this ideal self in action, understanding that it is only possible to relate to this self by your own unceasing efforts. Many people say they lose inspiration and give up, but in fact it was them who abandoned the future perspective in the present. Yes, because we are inseparable from inspiring ideal thoughts, which represent our higher or true self, and what we will become. To the extend that this faculty is not exercised and practiced, it can be said to not exist. In that case, it is as if there were no imagination at all.

There is simply no point in bemoaning and living in the past, since it was you who chose to relate to it now instead of detaching yourself from it and living now. Instead you must think of all the gifts, talents and abilities that you posses in your mind through your ideas, so that they one day materialise. You of course then physically practice these. It all starts with a seed, an idea. Be awake to this reality, this is what the Buddha Symbolised, the meaning of the Name Buddha is “Awakened”. When you live the high ideal, everything begins to work, the chakras, chi, the energies, motivation, however you wish to view it.

By living in that moment ceaselessly, we may identify with our own progressive evolution as it unfolds and contribute to it actively. We are otherwise at the mercy of events and definitions made by others. This is why it is so important to watch your every move. Of course this is exhausting and even the best struggle at this and lose contact with this ideal, so don’t delude yourself. But the key is to notice when this starts to happen and take action. So it is not a problem to make mistakes, provided you are aware of them and seek to rectify them. In any case, even a brief encounter with this state of mind can have a lasting impression and can even enhance your motivation to go about the more mundane activities in your life.

What will protect you is the state of mind imprinted within you following years of dedication to a high ideal of perfection and the conviction that this can be achieved. This is true self defence. This work does not demand that you actually reach perfection, only that you never stop reaching. So develop a taste for the work of achieving this high ideal, day after day, night after night. Learn to rest and sleep properly, so that you emerge the next morning revitalised a new individual3.

Nothing is more important than identifying with this high ideal through our words, thoughts, gestures, actions, and behaviours, as this is how we relate it to ourselves. Every one of these has repercussions which contribute towards enriching or impoverishing our motivation, and therefore our abilities. Because it is always lofty ideas that precede meaningful results, not mindless activity.

The true meaning of Martial Arts is to strive towards the highest of all goals2. It is the intensity of this effort, not the time it takes to reach that counts4. Very few who practice martial arts or anything else manage to reach this summit. And only the greatest among them manage to dedicate all their energy across their whole life to get there. This is what the “Martial Spirit” is all about.

It is said that the famous Swordsman Itto Ryu had his entire style revealed to him after meditating for 7 days and nights at the Grand shrine at Mishima. Not twenty or fifty years of repetitive mindless work. And the process is the same for everyone. This is an incredibly important subject, which is well worth reflecting on. During seclusions of this kind, avoid all negative influences which may sap you of your vitality and willpower, so that you dont lose self confidence. You will then feel like making grand hopeful plans.

When someones whole concentration and will power is absorbed in one high ideal, closed to other influences, he is capable of almost supernatural abilities. He must serve this one ideal. However, suppose you give up most of your time to aimless activity with people whose attitude is flat and uninspiring, offensive even, you have the impression of being soiled and left unfocused. Just think of how powerful a suspicious glance can be! On the outside nothing has changed but inside there has been a weakening of energy. It is occasions of this sort which, which although unavoidable, you should guard against. It is the mental equivalent of being punched in the gut. You think I am being overly sensitive. No, I am just highlighting how every action has a powerful consequence on the road to true success. You must be constantly vigilant. Analyse these feelings and you will see that the real meaning of martial arts is to guard against these assaults as you would a physical attack.

From now on, I highly recommend you have nothing to do with a system of fighting which emphasises beating others, winning titles, or strutting about arrogantly. Why bother with this kind of life? The methods I recommend on this sight will never lead to a mindset of that sort. However, you shouldn’t believe that people who do any of that go about it consciously or deliberately. Far from it, it’s often just that they never received proper guidance from a higher ideal. To them, impressing others and personal ambition is the goal.

Think of all the people out there who take drugs and socialises with people that they know are bad for them. We see that same thing with many martial arts organisations, symbolically speaking. Their practices, which emphasises mechanical routines, end up destroying joints and even cause burnout amongst athletes. They were told that if they just give themselves over that a particular system, it holds the truth and will supply them with all the knowledge and skills they need. However, the methods advocated by many organisations are too short term. The work towards high ideal of perfection goes hand in hand with long term development, an idea we must ceaselessly work on, day and night.

Admittedly, this idea of long term work seems very far fetched, particularly if one is accustomed to hearing about all the promises of quick results, and perfect systems. It is much easier to supposes that with modern advancements there is no point struggling to find meaning in our training when all the technical aspects have been worked out for us in advance. However, the worst thing that can happen is to adopt this attitude. Instead, you must look at the situation as it is, saying “The temptation to believe in a system outside of myself is just a manifestation of my inner laziness, which I must work at subduing. It is absurd to suppose I can be good without constant work. It is the spirit that must take first place, not a mechanical system”. In this way you will develop your inner convictions and confidence.

Unfortunately, the situation we have in the market place of ideas is pretty dire. You see many so called masters out their stubbornly determined to keep their positions in the food chain, a position which they are quite unfit to represent. And what’s worse is they are quite proud of this stubbornness, thinking that it shows toughness, and that nothing and nobody can move them aside. However, with such a low aim in life, and such an uncompromising attitude, they are likely to bring about their own fall sooner or later. And who can blame them? One sees examples of this everywhere, so they say “Well, if you can’t beat them, join them!”. To overcome weaknesses of this kind is the sort of work I’m talking about when striving towards a high ideal. For work of this kind can go on every moment of the day. As you can see the temptation to succumb to this mentality is everywhere!

Picture now a great master such as Miyamoto Musashi, or outside of martial arts someone like Pythagoras, or Buddha. Obviously there are many others, but not amongst the living. It is even preferable to find inspiration from fictional characters, than any of the living examples one sees in the media. In fact many fictional stories, particularly centring around an incorruptible hero, correspond to a profound reality that you can grasp if you are in contact with inspiring ideas and notions. Use this reality as a model then, as you would build a car with an instruction manual. In this way, by relating to an ideal representation of perfection, and holding on to it, you gradually come to resemble it. It is entirely up to us whether we are able to extract this kind of inspiration from ideas represented in art.This is often a superior method than following a flawed character, particularly those represented in so called modern art which are full of imperfections and weaknesses.

We only need to observe how many iconic Martial arts teachers are when they interact with others – they talk to them like subjects in a captive audience. Claiming to be the only enlightened ones in the room, they represent a limited a warped truth. A true master should radiate the very enthusiasm and inspiration he feels. But instead, they usually kill off the enthusiasm in those they teach and inspire a kind of god like servitude towards themselves. This might be acceptable if they were living examples of perfection, but it is usually the case that they are simply putting on a show. There you have the sad truth. Personally, I’m disillusioned with them, and because of all their inconsistencies and errors, I no longer waste my time bothering with them. But who can blame them, people come to them asking for instructions and easy methods, and that’s what they get.

As an exercise, try identifying with a hero who inspires you. In the same way as if we think about a waterfall5, or certain other natural phenomena to relax, we can contemplate inspiring figures so that we might resemble them and enter into their state of mind. By identifying with these symbolic figures, you will come to resemble the high ideal that they stand for. This is an unbelievably powerful exercise. However, don’t suppose that you must try to resemble some average individual who is slightly gifted, and possibly troubled. This is a waste of time as you will only take on their limitations. There is too much important work to do. As it is individuals who are the cause of their own limitations, you must not focus on their weaknesses but their strengths, or if you like their ideal aspects. In this way you turn them into symbols of brilliance.

References

1 Fight in Chaos, Live in Harmony https://harmanater.com/2020/07/12/fight-chaos-live-in-harmony/

2 The True Meaning of Martial arts https://harmanater.com/2020/05/18/the-true-meaning-of-martial-arts/

3 Methods for Sleep https://harmanater.com/2020/04/28/methods-for-sleep/

4 High Intensity Work and Balance https://harmanater.com/2020/07/05/high-intensity-work-and-balance/

5 Active Relaxation https://harmanater.com/2020/04/27/active-relaxation/

Self Defence without Violence

Posted on by joeharman8 | 9 min read | 137 views

“Disciples should not be preoccupied with their own faults or those of others. When they study someone, they should seek out the good within him. The good lies deep within, and must be found.”

Peter Deunov

How do you become strong, powerful, and dynamic without descending into chaos and violence? How do you live an intense life, without being destroyed or going too far as so many have? These are some of the most profound questions that Martial arts Masters and philosophers have grappled with for centuries. Some such Masters understood that by giving themselves over to violence and chaos, which may seem pleasurable, an individual eventually develops their worst tendencies within, and to top it all off: self deception to justify such behaviour.

Many fighters strut about with an arrogant attitude towards others, even when no one is being hostile to them. This belligenerant attitude is often developed as a protective shell. It is is aimed towards others, as a means of warding off opponents, but actually ends up developing the very antagonism in others that they work so hard to fight. It’s a case of the old general who always fighting the last war. In other words the aggression seen in others, directed towards us, is often a result of our behaviour, a reflection, rather than a separate constituent part of the process. Put differently, people are aggressive towards us because we are at the same time aggressive towards them. Aggressive behaviour, then, must be combated at the source: Ourselves.

Many instructors will tell a young student “You simply do such and such a move to overcome an attacker”. And that’s the end of it. However, many people want to learn to overcome their sense of inferiority, not simply react against an antagonist to feel tough. However, It is often this sense of inferiority that is displaced onto other individuals rather than dealt with properly. Soon the supercharged ego, fueled by winning at all costs, finds enemies everywhere. When one opponent disappears another quickly takes their place in the form of somebody looking at them the wrong way, or chatting up their girlfriend, or whatever. Then you will have a horrible inner monster to contend with. This is the real enemy, and the battle against this is the very definition of “inner martial arts”.

By feeding kill or be killed attitude many fighters end up becoming the very thing they despise, because there is a certain reciprocal relationship between the antagonist and the antagonised. They both relate to each other on the same level and need each other. This is why when a bully is stood up to, the one who was bullied by them often fills the vacuum created: By becoming the bully themselves and finding a victim. “Those that lie down with Dogs get fleas”. In other words, don’t descend to this level.

The thing the bully and the victim share in common is that they both define others and themselves as either winners or losers in some narrow sense of a particular outcome. In martial arts the aim is to turn a loser into a winner. But the one can’t exist without the other, and they often gain all their confidence from relegating others around them to a lower position. In doing so, they work at this lower level themselves and get stuck there. Sometimes I get the impression that this is their only goal. If they really are determined to see it that way, let them go ahead, but a true fighter does not fight the enemy on their home turf by sinking to their level. You might say “I was told never to back down, and to always make the first move”. Yes that’s true, but move to a higher level and from that vantage point do your worst.

Doing away with others never puts anything right, inward disorder and chaos still continue long after the opponent has been defeated. You are better off avoiding those determined to be physical aggressors as a means of developing positive forces and energy. That is why The famous swordsman Yagyu Munenori said “What is gained or lost by winning of losing is trifling…It is not to kill people, it is to kill evil”. Because by destroying others with violence you create evil, an inner chaos. However, by saving them, in other words diffusing the situation, you destroy evil. This is the higher goal of Martial arts, an ideal if you like, that you will never find lacks opportunity for its practice. In fact, this is the only real goal of martial arts so why consider all kinds of contradictory notions? I know there are some rare occasions where fighting can’t be avoided but I’m not interested in that because generally speaking it can be.

So what I am saying is you should transform your oppositions attitude towards you by your gestures, expressions, bearing, energy, and attitude. That is why so many Masters of Tai Chi in the old days spent all their time practicing harmonious movements. By using these potent weapons properly you will transform opponents, and you are perfectly within your rights to use them whenever you like. This is work worthy of the highest esteem. These are the weapons I recommend cultivating principally unless you want others to despise you. Yes, because it is in your power to influence the behaviour of others for better or worse.

The method of harmony, fighting without fighting, also works on your self against emotional strain and trauma, often brought about by endless petty struggles of the kind you’re better off without. Unfortunately, this idea lacks any kind of a tough guy imagery associated with “the fight game” and therefore people lose respect for you. Instead, in the market place, you’ve got to pull the wool over peoples eyes with emphasis on certain styles and slogans. Yes, then you are a force to be reckoned with, a somebody. A simple philosophy of sacrifice and hard work is too “simplistic”. However, sacrifice, that is gaining something greater than winning in the narrow sense, allows for peace of mind against all that life throws at you. But if you go around with this philosophy people take zero interest in what you have to say and look at you like you’re a man from Mars.

Personally, knowing I could do some serious damage with a punch, that’s enough for me, I choose not to do it. There is no need to have a death wish by becoming a martyr for some cause, a hero that is unbearable to others in the impression he gives off. That is often what the self destructive attitude is about: A secret wish for defeat, and end to the constant challenges life throws at us. Once you have gotten over this obstacle, which should overcome on the path to truth, why go over it again and again? Why not see the challenges within instead, they are far more high stakes and numerous.

Most fighters think they have to show the other guy who’s boss. To them, fighting means possibly getting maimed or crippled, or becoming mentally unwell, living this way even, and that’s just the way it is. Either that, or the other guy may suffer the same, it’s 50/50. Personally, I have no desire to be limited and victimised by this stupid attitude, I’d rather put an opponents aggression to sleep at a distance. That is the true meaning of “fighting without fighting” or the so called “esoteric energies” of the ancient spiritual arts. You must not think of their powers in the literal sense2. No, it is not a case of taking some potion made by a tribal leader, or receiving the blessing of some sage to gain supernatural powers. Nor is developing a tough “iron skin” a literal phenomenon. Has anyone ever explained this to you?

Of course nobody ever thinks that there might be some truth to these legends, symbolically speaking. You might say “That’s a load of rubbish, where are you getting this from?” On the contrary, enchanting someone under a spell or getting rid of them from a great distance of “10,000 leagues away” as detailed in the Art of War by Sun Tzu, simply means destroying their efforts before they are close enough to do harm. This is the the real art1.

You must simply ask yourself: What is the best way of ridding myself of antagonists so I can get on with the real work of living? It is that simple. You will then be able to synchronise your thoughts to all situations, because they require peaceful settlement. If a Country goes to war they cannot at the same time advance their civilization optimally. However, if they go about diplomatically defusing situations they can then get on with proper work. It is only when Countries become Barbaric that they thirst for war rather than advancement. So you have to convert the thirst for war against individuals into a thirst for war against evil. There is then coherence in everything you do, because you then have one goal, rather than dividing your forces towards war and then trying to build on top of the ashes.

Just look at how people are hypnotised or seduced into wasting their money on all sorts of rubbish, no one would have any trouble denying these modern day “dark arts”. In the same way they are goaded into battles they don’t want. This is the lower self talking, the instinctive and reactive vestige of the past2. At the moment many people are content to give into these tendencies without using will power3, as if it was the norm. Be under no illusion, if you don’t use will power to think well of others, yourself, and your own future progress, you will be as susceptible as anyone else to despair and chaos.

Everyone knows the benefits of positive thinking, so why not apply it to what most people consider negative things by seeing the best elements? The more you do this the more perceptible you will become in making something out of apparently nothing. You can’t count on your physical skills, or even on your mental toughness, because simply exchanging punches with some maniac is always a 50/50 game, as Steve Morris often points out.

References

1 See Signs and synbols in Martial Arts Part 2 https://harmanater.com/2020/06/06/signs-and-symbols-part-2-pedagogy-and-the-art-of-war/

2 See The higher and Lower self in martial arts https://harmanater.com/2020/05/04/the-higher-and-lower-self-in-martial-arts/

3 See Will Power https://harmanater.com/2020/05/10/will-power/

Signs and Symbols Part 2: Pedagogy, and the Art of War

Posted on Last updated on by joeharman8 | 9 min read | 153 views

The ancient teachers and Masters of old used pedagogic methods involving metaphor and symbolic explanations. In Martial arts you have examples such as “Tiger” or “Dragon” style Kung Fu. For example the dragon metaphor is just another way of saying “Remain poised, vigilant, and dart in from all angles, waiting and stalking”. However, there are many interpretations and applications of the universal Snake symbol, which is known to provoke powerful imagery in the mind. Steve Morris suggests viewing the knife in the hand of an attacker as if it were a snake, to provoke the sense of urgency and danger required of a fight. In symbolism, most of the ancient examples are all quite obscure and impossible to understand if taken literally, and why this is so will become apparent in a moment.

Using the example of the dragon, or serpent, the disciple must shed their skin from time to time, that is, their old prejudices and ignorance. This takes time and happens many times for evolution to take place. All those who fail to make this effort remain at a lower level of evolution. Of course it’s tempting not to bother and stay in the same old familiar skin, but you must contemplate the new skin that awaits you in the form of a greater image. It all starts in the mind, and later takes physical form. Throughout history, man has had to make great efforts to do this in one direction or another.

Yet another illustration of the serpent is the Egyptian symbol of the snake eating its own tail. This means that the disciple must eat, symbolically speaking, their base motivations and passions represented by the tail, with the higher region, that is, brain represented by the serpents head. Another illustration of this was the Egyptian staff that showed two serpants wrapped around each other, representing the higher and lower self: that is the instincts and intelligence, married as one. Only then can disciples master themselves and direct their own forces at will, and move beyond good and evil1. Even ordinary marriage of two people is symbolic of something else.

Of course, this universal language of symbolism is necessary. Because then the disciple can carry about with him an internal method of reflection which requires no external teacher. This is the secret of internal teachings. Moves are not explicitly taught because they must emerge from a foundation. This is how children learn to walk, talk, etc., by watching little animals jumping around, animals who symbolise, in exaggerated form, some form of truth. The disciple must become a child once again, this time to their own intelligence, to learn more important truths later in life, often using the very same symbols they were brought up on in childhood.

Of course there have been endless foolish debates about whether mimicking a tiger or a dragon is effective, but this is besides the point. It seems that these images were invoked to make a powerful impression on the mind, and to teach complex movements by first using some familiar concept. This is an interesting point because this shows that the old Masters had knowledge about how the student can understand something abstract, like a mechanical fighting form, by first working through existing knowledge. In other words it’s always more effective to learn using metaphors and building on existing knowledge and experience.

Of course the situation is very different today, instruction is often devoid of meaning and highly unimaginative. Perhaps you are wondering if the advantages of the internal method are really any good. Yes, they are. By focusing on meaningful symbols, this encourages a creative energy that raises your imagination to its heights. Channeling ones energies is the real goal, to live an intense life whatever you are doing. Beating an opponent will never do this, even if you beat everybody. In this way, even the least gifted athlete can benefit and over time become a great martial artist in the wider sense. This is why I recommended mediating on these subjects for at least a few minutes everyday, and if you can do it for hours, then so much the better.

The process of inner focus triggers motivation from within, rather than from some meaningless external source, such as winning a contest or obtaining a certificate. To be fair, these are not meaningless in themselves, but the point is that vast quantities of these possessions and skills they are often obtained at the expense of quality. The problem is that many people are encouraged to switch off from the thought process entirely, with promises of learning some kind of self defence system within days. They will learn these skills, but their consciousness will have had nothing to do with it. Of course, thought take time and effort, but many people are unwilling to bother on the basis that they don’t get immediate results. Why? One reason is the pursuit of tangible or material results.

The old Masters were keen to put forward systems which neither individuals nor styles were able to refute. A higher Method. Because certain technical points differ from one school of thought to the next, you cannot eternalise a style in physical form. For example, one coach might says to punch from distance, and another might says to fight “inside” at close quarters. There is no point in debating which of these is right or wrong because these are just peripheral details which fluctuate with the times and depend on so many different situations. They often come down to matters opinion, as if an individual were able to refute the process by which we learn. However, you can instead use a metaphor which illustrates a universal point. This is why I don’t advocating learning from some organised system, instead you are better off relying on a method without form.

Take the saying “If the General be skillful, the spirit of his troops is as the impetus of a round stone rolled from the top of a high Mountain” from the Art of War2. In the language of symbols a mountain means from up high, which is where you must aim even though you might fall over, or overheat on the way up. Yes, there are many trials awaiting us before we reach the summit. A stone represents something which rotation occurs around an axis. This could be taken to mean “Sharply drop your centre of gravity into a strike” or “view things from the perspective of higher reason, with the use of natural forces”. It could also mean, in management of people “The leader does not gravitate around the troops, he keeps his distance so his followers are drawn to him. He is careful to not to be drawn to their level”. There are many more explanations of this simple sentence: use your imagination, that’s the whole point!

Even without knowing what they mean, you can begin to contemplate symbolic language and metaphors. This ignites the whole process. Because symbols apply to so many fields and on all levels, they must be kept deliberately obscure and simple. And this only increases their meditative value. Meditation begins by choosing a subject and contemplating it. Soon, the meaningful image you have conjured up quite naturally focuses your concentration. Then, eventually, eventually relate to it. Let’s look at some other examples of this phenomenon taken from the art of War, a classic text on Warfare.

Sun Tzu said “When the fire is at its height, attack or not as opportunity may arise”. This can be interpreted to mean “When the enemy has given themselves over to disorder, they will have lost their ambition and drive”. Equally it can be interpreted as “When you have channeled your inner fires, use them, or if they threaten to destroy you because you have been seized by chaos, then don’t”. But once again, it is not necessary to know the moves in martial arts to begin working with these methods. Some sayings and proverbs have such an impression on the mind that they provide enough motivation to run with them and teach yourself. It is not a question of their literal validity. And with enough motivation it is mathematically certain that you will succeed in your goals, using such symbols as an impetus for learning.

“War should not be undertaken because the Lord is in a moment of passion” Said Sun Tzu. Now many people have interpreted this to mean that there should be no passion behind practice, that their should be a void. But in fact, meaningful action is not possible without passion. Instead this statement can be interpreted to mean “If you are overwhelmed by your pure instincts, which have not been channelled by reason into power, then you will burn yourself”. Truth be told, many athletes, fighters, and other people, have never really wanted to channel their energies into something higher because they remain convinced that they would be unhappy. And for this reason it is impossible for many to see any truth in books like the Art of war.

The concept of Maya in Hindu Philosophy teaches us that what is immediately apparent is often and illusion. And that behind strength lies weakness. These deceptions are what the enemy uses to gain power over you. For example, Sun Tzu said “the Causes of defeat come from within. Victory is born in the enemies camp”. From this it is apparent that our own inner forces are liable to deception3. To overcome this, Sun Tzu said “the skillful in attack push to the topmost Heaven”. This is just another way of saying that the skillful fighter relates to a high ideal and channels his instinctual energies towards it. He notices the chaos around him, but like a laser focuses on the good.

Now the Chinese Divided Heaven into 9 levels. Similarly, the Yogis divided the self into 9 regions, or Chakras, the highest being at the top of the head. The highest point represents the high ideal, in other words perfection. Only by devoting all of ones energies to the highest form of motivation, rather than petty considerations such as ease and comfort (represented by the lower planes), can the fighter ensure intense vigilance and focus. Notice how, in the language of symbols, perfection is born from a foundation containing ignorance, or if you like the snake eats its own tail. This is what the fighter must aim towards: Perfection even if he falls very wide of the mark. Perfection is what inspires. The more powerful the symbol the greater impression it makes on the mind. Always use symbols and metaphors.

References

1 See Will Power https://harmanater.com/2020/05/10/will-power/

2 From The art of War by Sun Tzu

3 See The Higher and Lower Self in Martial arts https://harmanater.com/2020/05/04/the-higher-and-lower-self-in-martial-arts/

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