external exercise for internal development

Since the 1970s there has been a common dichotomy of martial arts practitioners presented to the public. On the one hand you have the big, tough, often brutish type- a well muscled guy who maybe yells and moves with lots of speed and intensity. On the other hand you have the gentle, leaner type who moves with grace. He is thoughtful and probably meditates. This latter has “internal power” that is much stronger than the muscular strength of the big man. But does one type of energy necessarily exclude the other? Can they not co-exist or even facilitate one another?

thoughts on breaking.

Breaking has been a mainstay of martial arts exhibitions in the US for decades.  In fact, the average layman when thinking of martial arts probably conjures images of a yelling "karate chop" through some material.  Perhaps this is due to to ubiquitous satire in popular culture.  Many legitimate masters decry breaking as mere parlor tricks or at the least unoteworthy or unimportant displays.  Still, they are a key component of many traditional systems.  Why?  Is there any inherent value in breaking some bricks, or is it just for show?   

experiences with chi.

The other day I did a little over an hour of yoga practice, afterward I lied in meditation for 15 minutes and experienced something quite interesting. Starting at my groin and working down, then from my waist back up, I consciously tried moving and focusing my energy through different body parts in sequential order. I have previously done similar exercises for relaxation but this time was able to really feel my energy, to concentrate it in specific areas. A couple times while directing my energy I “looked” briefly at a different areas of my body to see if the energy was in fact everywhere and that I was simply paying attention to it only in the area of focus. I found it was not in other places but that the energy was indeed concentrating only where I was consciously directing it. This could be something else and I will confer with an instructor but it seems that I am developing the ability to direct and concentrate my chi.

new breaking record.

Reuters recently reported on a Malaysian Kung-Fu practitioner setting a new record for coconuts broken with his index finger. The report and video are here. Mr. Ho's breaking 4 coconuts in 30 seconds has set a new record which he hopes will be entered into the Guiness Book.

a yoga retreat

I just went on a weekend yoga retreat that was quite interesting. There are a number of online resources out there on yoga retreats- reviews, how to pick the right one, what to expect, etc. so this entry will instead be a little something about my personal experience.

thoughts on ba duan jin.

Ba Duan Jin, variously translated as Eight Silk Weaving, Eight Piece Brocade and Eight Silk Brocade among other names is one of the most well known Chinese exercises for internal development. Due to this popularity there exist many variations of the exercises and disparate teachings on their benefits. Most practitioners utilizing these exercises perform them by rote without care or consideration for what or how they are doing them, or what the exercises are doing in return. As such, this article is an exploration of some of my questions on the “how.”