Fearless Asymmetry
As we move we quickly discover that our bodies are not symmetrical.One side is stronger than the other. This asymmetry is not a weakness. It is a key feature of our body structure. It is a survival advantage. This understanding was built in to our martial arts as they developed in China, Japan, Okinawa and […]
There is no Last Defense in Karate
They say there is no first attack in karate. There is no last defense in karate, either. It’s not over. Lets say you’re sleeping. It’s the middle of the night. You hear something downstairs. It’s probably nothing. You hear it again. It might be something. You get up. Quietly, so you don’t wake your […]
A Wild Moon
In Japan long ago friends gathered at night in an exquisite garden to admire the light of the moon. They basked in it, delighted in it, wrote poems, philosophized, fell in love, strolled and mused and set aside the cares and concerns of daily life. They looked up and saw what looked to them like […]
Arches of Energy
What if you could use your body as a perfectly tuned antenna? What if you could sense your opponent’s intention and respond instantly? At first we learn techniques. We mature as practitioners by changing the deep structure of our mind and body and bringing those techniques to life. Whether you are […]
The Three Powers of Karate
There is nothing mystical or mysterious about the three kinds of martial power – ‘jins’ or energy-flows – that are used in Chinese, Japanese and Okinawan martial arts. All three are useful in the dynamics of combat. All three are accessible to us. Some claim that karate relies on only one kind of power, and […]