Hi, this is me, Iggy Spirit. Today, I am going to write to you about my road to Self-Defense mastery (on which I am still), and to the understanding of the so-called "Martial Way".
Of course, you probably don't know much about me, judging from my previous posts, but I am a martial arts student! So here,
My journey into the Martial Way started around the tender age of 6 when I picked up some Chi Gong exercises and breathing techniques from the health magazine to which my grandparents used to subscribe. Then, I started studying Wu Shu, a Shaolin style, at the age of 12, and was a co-creator of the basement gym in my building where bunch of us kids, young and old worked out, punched and kicked bags, and sparred. Occasionally we would study with some Army guys upon their return from the service. From them I picked up some moves in hand-to-hand combat, some Kyokoshinkai and a little bit of Western boxing. I also saw and played with a pair of real nunchaks. Simultaneously I tried to study some Freestyle Wrestling at the middle school.
My journey into the Martial Way started around the tender age of 6 when I picked up some Chi Gong exercises and breathing techniques from the health magazine to which my grandparents used to subscribe. Then, I started studying Wu Shu, a Shaolin style, at the age of 12, and was a co-creator of the basement gym in my building where bunch of us kids, young and old worked out, punched and kicked bags, and sparred. Occasionally we would study with some Army guys upon their return from the service. From them I picked up some moves in hand-to-hand combat, some Kyokoshinkai and a little bit of Western boxing. I also saw and played with a pair of real nunchaks. Simultaneously I tried to study some Freestyle Wrestling at the middle school.
At around the year 1998 after a long depression that came from my 1st relationship and not knowing what to do with myself I started to read Plato. Particularly, I was influenced by the "Protagoras", who claimed that it is not enough to just study the philosophy, but one also has to study and exercise the body in order to become a complete man. Thusly, I came upon a soteriological approach to training. I started doing some push-ups and run a little, just to awake myself from what seemed to be a prolonged slumber.
About a year later, around 1999 I came upon some yoga books that my Dad gave me, and I felt that that was something that I wanted to get into. At the same time I was going to the park and was doing some calisthenics, but yoga and particularly its meditative aspect has grabbed me from the off-start. Yoga offered liberation, salvation and many other great things, like the supernatural abilities, and unity with the Universe. On the rational level I had no idea what that meant, but liked the way it sounded and thought it was something worth studying. Of course, at the time, I was looking for an easy way to mastery. "Dedication" wasn't my favorite word, and I was arrogant enough to think that I already got it. That was good in certain way as it propelled me to unceasingly explore, and yet, perhaps I could be humbler.
Then, my practice came to a stand-off, when around the year 2003 I felt that I was missing something in my practice. I have been doing this yoga posture called vajrasana, which is what they call seiza in Japanese. It is basically sitting on your knees/heels with a straight back. I was also doing quite lots of meditation in the lotus posture, and others. From those of you guys who are yogis, you know that meditation/concentration, the dhyana is something that becomes inherent in any posture in hatha yoga when you start holding it.
Anyways, back to the story. Are you with me?:) I was sitting in the vajrasana and I realized one evening, that I was missing something from my life. That something was the martial way. Or the martial arts and sciences. Yoga is cool, but I felt that I had to do more to be complete. I had to use the skills of yoga to evolve and grow. Discovering that was like being hit by a bolt of lightening, and I hastened to Barnes and Nobles trying to regain that which I had so seamlessly lost. I looked through many books, and bought many, but one that was particular to my liking was a sleek T'ai Chi: The Supreme Ultimate Exercise for Health Sport, and Self Defense by Cheng Man Ching and Robert Smith. And so I started to learn the 37 Posture Yang Style form.
...To be Continued
About a year later, around 1999 I came upon some yoga books that my Dad gave me, and I felt that that was something that I wanted to get into. At the same time I was going to the park and was doing some calisthenics, but yoga and particularly its meditative aspect has grabbed me from the off-start. Yoga offered liberation, salvation and many other great things, like the supernatural abilities, and unity with the Universe. On the rational level I had no idea what that meant, but liked the way it sounded and thought it was something worth studying. Of course, at the time, I was looking for an easy way to mastery. "Dedication" wasn't my favorite word, and I was arrogant enough to think that I already got it. That was good in certain way as it propelled me to unceasingly explore, and yet, perhaps I could be humbler.
Then, my practice came to a stand-off, when around the year 2003 I felt that I was missing something in my practice. I have been doing this yoga posture called vajrasana, which is what they call seiza in Japanese. It is basically sitting on your knees/heels with a straight back. I was also doing quite lots of meditation in the lotus posture, and others. From those of you guys who are yogis, you know that meditation/concentration, the dhyana is something that becomes inherent in any posture in hatha yoga when you start holding it.
Anyways, back to the story. Are you with me?:) I was sitting in the vajrasana and I realized one evening, that I was missing something from my life. That something was the martial way. Or the martial arts and sciences. Yoga is cool, but I felt that I had to do more to be complete. I had to use the skills of yoga to evolve and grow. Discovering that was like being hit by a bolt of lightening, and I hastened to Barnes and Nobles trying to regain that which I had so seamlessly lost. I looked through many books, and bought many, but one that was particular to my liking was a sleek T'ai Chi: The Supreme Ultimate Exercise for Health Sport, and Self Defense by Cheng Man Ching and Robert Smith. And so I started to learn the 37 Posture Yang Style form.
...To be Continued
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