Spirit

The most important thing in martial arts no matter what anyone says is Spirit.
Spirit is many things and none. It is the most abstract and elusive and yet concrete idea, contesting only with that of energy.

Let's look at Spirit from the point of view of a kiai first.
Kiai is sometimes a yell that one lets out. Other times it has no overt sound. It is a sum total of all of  the warrior's feelings channeled into sound, and it is a throw out of an energetic bolt that penetrates to the opponents core. It can be used to stop someone cold, entice, show your readiness (or a lack of it), frighten, and so on. But more than anything else kiai is a warrior showing off his spirit, showing what he is capable of with or without moving.

Spirit is what makes a kiai powerful and potent. It doesn't matter how loud and fierce you are, because on the subtler levels it is not the volume but the sound vibration that is being projected towards the opponent. Sound is magical, like music is, and to be able to control the issue of sound, like its volume and its content makes one a sort of magician. As we all know the politicians have already mastered this magic.

You can bet that someone with a powerful kiai also has a powerful spirit. But it is harder to see the spirit, and yet it is easier to hear the kiai.

Spirit is the ultimate judge in all bouts. A looser by strength and skill can become a winner by spirit, how is that possible?

Someone whose spirit is intact and properly functioning seems happy, content, and is rarely at odds.

Even if someone is depressed, if their spirit is in place they will not be truly hurt. It is rupturing the spirit that causes the "illness of the soul" that eventually kills.

Let's be clear about it, most of the time we do not see the subtle substance that we are made of, mostly we tend to think of ourselves as meat with feelings, sometimes may be soul in a more traditional Christian sense. But what about the spirit? Why is that precious word not being used so often? That is because spirit is real and powerful, and it is what makes things happen. Spirit shares its territory with the Great Unseen and you can be sure that nothing is more important.

Intuition is fine, but what rules the intuition? It is spirit. By bowing to spirit you are bowing to your own protector and ally. Common, give a bow to your own spirit.

Spirit is what attracts the totems; totems communicate with the spirit directly.

If something scares you - fine, if something scares your spirit - you are only as good is dead.

Praise the Abstract, Praise the ever-present Spirit!

You cannot nurture the truly grand, majestic spirit without Nature. Nature gives nourishment for the spirit, it is truly a Mother when it comes to giving. The freshness of air bouncing off the trees, the smell of dirt of the ground, it is all just so sweet.

Spirit penetrates everything: material and immaterial. It makes inanimate things alive. In the eye of the spirit the rock and the human being are same.

If you want to learn something - connect and learn from the spirit of that.
If you want to learn Zen Buddhism - connect with the spirit of Zen.
If you want to learn a musical genre or about finances, connect with the spirit of music or finances.
If you want to learn about a human being, a person - connect with that spirit.
If you want to become a carpenter, connect with the spirit protector of all carpenters and you will succeed at becoming an excellent carpenter.