MARTIAL ARTS

Martial spirit involves that which can be grasped, and that, which can be grasped.

"It was not...

*"It was not so very fast in motion. It couldn't fly.

"It probably didn't even know that it had to get away. It innocently puttered along at its own pace. I soon lost sight of it and turned back to the class. The matches changed and I was with one of the big boys: time to go for it. With a leg around his neck, going for a choke, I spotted the bug again, right beside us. My opponent rolled toward it and I couldn't stop it. Whose gi would get the stain? I wondered. Mine, probably..."

When your odds are a billion to one do not give up, you have something to hold on to.

~ *excerpts from "BODY MUSIC: DIARY OF A BLACK BELT IN ASIA."

"They are making concerted efforts...

*"...to increase their vocabulary to help me, and tonight they showed off a new English word.
Someone decided they should all know the English word for chest, conceivably because they are dealing with someone who has one different from theirs (and pointing and touching is not appropriate). The men all used this new word tonight, starting with the Master as he showed me the finer points of a throw in the air while squishing the "bust." Soon the whole room was talking about my "bust." My right "bust," my left "bust." I just about "bust" out laughing, but I didn't--I knew they meant well. They'd found the translation online. At least it wasn't "boob" or "tit" or "knocker"--those would have had me cracking up for sure...

...then it came, as it always does: the announcement "Finished...go home Alex-ee." They have to tell me to go home or I'd just stay there. I'd sleep there, yes, I'm sure.
I'm crazy for it--I would "bust" without it."

When you find passion pursue it boldly. It will fill you like nothing else.

RECOMMENDED READING

MUSASHI by Eiji Yoshikawa

BOOK OF FIVE RINGS by Miyamoto Musashi

THE STORY OF MY EXPERIMENTS WITH TRUTH by M.K. Gandhi

THE AUDACITY OF HOPE by Barack Obama

EIGHT VERSES ON TRANSFORMING THE MIND by Geshe Langri Thangpa

AKTIV UND GESUND DURCH DIE MAGISCHEN GIGONG by H.H.

BODY MUSIC by Alexander Loudon

ZEN MIND, BEGINNER'S MIND by Shunryu Suzuki.