(Approx 2 minute read) Close-mindedness isn’t always as obvious as we think. It doesn’t just show up as stubbornness or refusal to change. Sometimes, it hides behind the belief that you already know enough – enough about your martial arts, enough about the world, enough about yourselves, enough about others. . Ask anyone if they’re…
Tag: Breathing
Inhale Presence, Exhale Tension: Grounded in Breath, Connected in Spirit.
(Approx 2 minute 25 second read) There are all sorts of great tips for improving your karate, but for many, the issue isn’t technical; it’s about presence. It’s not that you need to be perfect, but rather that your mind isn’t fully there. . You might find yourself distracted or tense, caught up in your…
Just Relax! (Said No One Who Was Actually Relaxed).
(Approx 1 minute 40 second read) Karate, at its core, is a discipline built on efficiency – achieving maximum power and fluidity through minimal exertion. . A student recently commented while watching me demonstrate a movement, “We have a long way to go.” He was referring to how relaxed I seemed, compared to the tension…
Finding Calm amidst the Chaos.
(1 minute 30 second read) Finding Calm amidst the Chaos. . In today’s frenetic world, anxiety seems to be a constant companion. With so many people these days leading hectic, over-stimulated, and sleep-deprived lives, it’s no wonder that worry and anxiety are at an all time high. . Our brains are hard wired to be…
“To understand breathing is to understand Karate. It’s a direct connection between your body and mind.”
(1 minute 22 second read) Breathing in the martial arts. Easy right? . The most basic function of our body, part of an autonomous system. We don’t have to learn how to do it, we just breathe automatically, we don’t have to think about it. . However, the way you breathe can make a significant…
“Excessive slapping, kicking, punching may only constitute 1% of good testing of Sanchin. It looks great – too childish eyes.”
(1 minute and 52 second read) Sanchin kata, with its robust stances and focused breathing, embodies the essence of karate’s core principles. . Its testing, however, often veers away from this philosophical foundation, resorting to methods that clash with the true purpose of ‘shime’. . “Shime,” (締め) derived from the verb “shimeru,” implies “to lock,”…
“The quieter you become, the more you are able to hear.”
‘Mokuso’ (黙想) is a Japanese term that is commonly used in the martial arts. The term refers to a period of silent meditation that is practiced at the beginning and end of a training session. . Commonly translated as “meditation”, the literal translation means “silence/still” (moku 黙) and “think/focus” (so 想). . Mokuso is often…
What is Zen Buddhism?
What is Zen Buddhism? . Trying to explain or define Zen Buddhism, by reducing it to an article, to a post on a website is almost impossible, it weakens its meaning. . Defining Zen (禅) is like trying to describe the taste of honey to someone who has never tasted it before. You can try…
“You have two choices, to control your mind or to let your mind control you.”
Commonly translated as “meditation”, mokuso (黙想) literally means “silent/still” (moku-) + “thoughts/thinking” (-so). In other words, mokuso is the act of silencing our minds. . Your mind is the most powerful tool you have for the creation of good in your life, but if not used correctly, can also be the most destructive. To control…
“Smile and relax.”
“Smile and relax. You can’t demonstrate great power unless you are relaxed.” – Yoshimi Inoue Soke – Inoue-ha Shito-ryu (1946-2015) . “Smile!” When Inoue sensei thinks you are tense, he never says “relax!“. Instead, he says “smile!” – which is a psychological trick to make you relax. It’s hard to be tense when you’re smiling!…
Don’t build tension in your body.
“The most important points of my teaching are breathing, movement and timing. But breathing is first…. the first thing we do in this world is to breathe and, you know, even today, 90% of people do not know how to breathe correctly. If the breathing is wrong, your body will go wrong – your…
Practice calming your mind.
If you pay attention to what is going on in your mind, you will find that there is a near-constant stream of chatter. Our brains seem to be talking, and engaging in commentary, all the time. . This “chatter” represents normal brain function; it is simply something that the brain does, when it is not…