Tai chi competitions and sparring

[Scott R. Brown]

Agression is a part of us, and as such it has its place and deserves some honour for what it contributes to the whole.

Key to what you say is immaturity. Immaturity makes all of our emotions difficult to use, with difficult results. With maturity comes the skill to use all of our gifts - including agression, which is one of our most valuable attributes.

Murder, rape, robbery, assault, etc. are part of us as well yet we discourage these actions because we understand them to be destructive behaviors. Aggression fulfills a purpose, it is an emotional reaction to a fearful circumstance, but that does not make it an optimal behavior. I once again refer you to the writings of REAL masters, such as Musashi, Yagyu and Takuan and the example of Shoju.

As for REAL life - MMA int he ring is real - trainign on your own is real... real is whatever you are doing. Not every fight involves a gun, and if you are going to have knowledge, best to have the best, most useful knowledge.

You have changed the context of my comments. They specifically referred to REAL altercations with REAL bad guys who do not play by rules. They fight to win using diabolical means and are not concerned with the consequences. To them prevailing is the goal, not technique, the deeper insights of combat, or Tao. They will blindside you, gang up on you, and use any number of dirty underhanded means to get the advantage. They do not care about being fair or fighting you man to man.

The best knowledge in these circumstances is not technique, but perception and psychology. This allows one to avoid or defuse the situation before physical means become necessary.

One can never be prepared for someone who breaks the rules of how we THINK an altercation is supposed to transpire. The illusion of being prepared or capable is ones greatest weakness, not lack of ability.

Well, Scott, I have heard words like that before, but there's no way to say it without it applying to you as well - here you are, pointing out the deficencies in others!

Scott, it is ten times harder to be honest abpout ourselves than about others - and one of the ways we learn to be honest with ourselves is by practicing critical thinking "against" others, and then, if we have the courage and insight, applying it to ourselves. That's not an easy process - so, I would say let people follow the path of that asit unfolds for them - it's not an easy thing to do.

Asessing the merits or lack thereof of various styles is no great sin, Scott - you're over-reacting in my view. Critical assessment is good - the world could do with more of it, on every level.

I agree with examining our own deficiencies. I am merely taking the opportunity here to point out for you what you presume to point out for others. Think of me as a mirror of your own behaviors. I have not complained about anyone pointing out their perceived deficiencies of me and I have not presumed more than you presume for yourself. I have not commented in any manner other than mirroring your own comments back towards you. I have just as much right to point out what I perceive to be your shortcomings as you presume to point out for others and I accept your right to do the same to me. I will reply as my level of interest in your comments guides me.

I must disagree with you that one of the ways to find our own deficiencies is to practice critical thinking against others. The way to discover our own deficiencies is to examine our SELVES. Examine our own mind and abilities and test these, whether physical, emotional or intellectual, in the world of social interaction. We then assess the results and question our methods seeking more efficient and capable techniques for achieving our purpose.

Well, winning is irrelevent in the case of searching for knowledge. I have had many competitions with others where they have taught me something by getting me with a technique.

Other than that, I'm afraid people don't usually give you a warning that they will attack you, giving you a chance to get an equiliser ready. If you are saying that what matters to you is to win, so if you were fighting a boxer int he training hall you would iron bar him over the head because that is more "real" then we are in to very different things.

Well, there's more to life than beating people up.

You seem to be persistent in redefining my comments according to a context that is not explicit in my writing. Clearly and repeatedly I have stated: REAL world fighting with REAL world bad guys. You were the one who repeatedly criticized CMA for not fighting and winning in real combat to demonstrate their effectiveness. I have merely pointed out that your own preconceived notions fall prey to the same flaw. If anyone wants to really demonstrate their prowess they must not only fight in duels, but engage in REAL world encounters, and a lot of them. That means with people who do not fight according to any preconceived pattern using any means necessary to win. I am stating, apply the same critical view you have towards CMA to yourself. It is as simple as that.

I have made no claims that have not been illustrated through real life examples. This validates my points as worth considering within the context of REAL fighting. I am not addressing simple duels here although one would enjoy numerous benefits within this arena as well.

[Water-quan]

Hi Water-quan,

Hello.

If you mean by aggression “focused intention” then I agree with you.

No, intent is somethign else. I mean agression, as in the desire to hurt others.

Agression ius a vital part of us, and deserves honour, as do all aspects of us. Repressing aspects of ourselves is not controlling them. In ancient times a man would smash inthe skull of an animal and eat it without once feeling sick. All aspects of us have evolved for a reason.

However, you don’t seem to have much knowledge regarding the masters of Japanese combat during the Shogunate.

That's true. But neither have you - unless you were there. Second hand stories are just that.

I would refer you to the manuals written by Musashi, Yagyu and Takuan in particular. Emotional detachment is considered essential for mastery.

Emotional detachment is just some new age nonsense - yet another aspect of "it's bad to be human" - original spin. If anything, over-blown agression COMES from emotional imbalance - one emotion being in control - like agression. Supression of emotions isn't the answer - balance is.

Musashi had many fights and killed many people.

Agression is good and proper in its right place.

If one has a personal emotional attachment to winning or losing they fragment their mind/intention and become subject to fatal errors. Winning is to be an objective goal not beclouded by emotion attachment. The inclusion of visible aggressive emotion is merely a mask used to intimidate the adversary, but does not affect ones own internal equanimity. If your purpose is mastery of martial activities I recommend in-depth research on verified masters and the application of their teaching into your own training. These are the lessons of those who were verifiable masters who fought in life and death combat and were not merely MA athletes.

You seem like an intelligent person, so i am a bit ashamed to say that this is all surface nonsense in my view. Attachment to winning is not the issue. Agression is an emotional tool, used at the correct time. Verified masters means nothing to me - I verify my own understanding.

All the talk of no emotion is nonsense. Agression is a powerful tool.

On the other hand, uncontrollable aggression/fear is a great compensation for lack of skill. It can turn a mediocre fighter into a dangerous adversary for even the most skilled of fighters. However, this is not the optimal condition to find oneself in when one needs to defend their self or others.

Well, whoever gets the optimal condition? Talk of agression and detachment in that way are surface considerations in my book.

In fact, those involvedin real research in to martial arts know full well that many people simply can not bring themselves to strike another, even when they know they areunder attack imminently! Agression is supressed by socialisation, and it is essential for a fighter to access it again - and then keep it under a leash. I'm afraid all of your students will die in the first ten seconds of a fight, not caring whether they win or lose, and never finding their agression!

You have misunderstood my comment and taken it out of context. It is not my intention to presume what your goals should be for you. I have drawn a distinction between the goals of a professional athlete and REAL life and death altercations. The lessons of boxing and MA do not directly apply to the REAL world where diabolical means are used to prevail. The criticisms you apply to CMA also apply to professional athletes who believe they are prepared for REAL world encounters with REAL criminals. Your intention to learn and apply boxing principles is laudable; it does not prepare you for REAL life encounters (other than the simplistic duels that many consider to be the REAL world) anymore than the CMA you feel the need to criticize. REAL criminals use diabolical and unexpected tactics in order to prevail. They do not care about the consequences to themselves.

I practice CMA, by the by, not mma or Western boxing - although, such categories are really meaningless. Amazingly, I don't live in a fantasy land - I actually DO live in the real world. I would leave you to your diabolical means, whatever that means for you. A punch is a punch, whoever you punch. The punch needs to be correct, powerful, well timed and aimed, regardless of who the opponent is, or where you are. If al you have is a punch, then that is all you have, regardless of pointless arguments.

If someone nukes you, then it is meaningless to say "what point martial arts?"

I am talking about REAL fights where people die as in the shooting circumstance I mentioned in my previous post! Being a good boxer, MA, or professional MA does not ensure one will survive a REAL encounter. It is only a benefit when one engages in a duel, not a REAL encounter with a REAL bad guy! REAL bad guys won’t meet you on fair mano-a-mano terms. Their purpose is to prevail over you not to look good or try out their boxing or MA skills.

This is all surface nonsense. I have never had a fight with someone who jad a gun, and if I did, I would get shot no doubt. So what does that have to do with anythign else? If someone blows me up, I can't punch them - so what?

All this tak of real fights... people would hide away, never learning any useful skills because you say "what ifthey have a gun?" fifty times on the run. Well, you'll get shot! But what if they don't, but youneverlearned to throw a punch?? Well, you still lose, even if they don't have a gun! Bravo!

No, I did not and do not presume to determine what may be of personal benefit for anyone. I am speaking about survival in REAL world encounters. In these circumstances our purpose is to survive with as few negative effects as possible; negative effects, for civilized people, includes but is not limited to: physical injury, financial loss and social and legal consequences. This does not commonly apply to socio-paths and these are the ones that seek to prevail no matter what the consequence.

Well, that's like worrying about being nuked. The fates that you can't avoid - well, you can't avoid them. Buy a gun.

Once again you misunderstand the point. If you have no insight into the workings of your own mind and possess a limited understanding of psychology then you cannot understand the point.

I have a degree in social-psychology.

[Water-quan]

Murder, rape, robbery, assault, etc. are part of us as well yet we discourage these actions because we understand them to be destructive behaviors.

That's a reversal of understanding. Supression of emotions causes imbalance. All your stuff about supressing agression only causes other emptions to take over and cause imbalance. In our society, agression is repressed, causing people to lose the edge which made our ancestors geared up to survive.

Agression is simply an evolved survival trait. Without it, compliance takes over. Some people will be complied to death, lay onthe floor being kicked to death, because some fake teacher told them agression was bad. What a shameful end!

Aggression fulfills a purpose, it is an emotional reaction to a fearful circumstance, but that does not make it an optimal behavior. I once again refer you to the writings of REAL masters, such as Musashi, Yagyu and Takuan and the example of Shoju.

Those real masters aren't masters of my style.

You have changed the context of my comments.

So you keep saying.

They specifically referred to REAL altercations with REAL bad guys who do not play by rules. They fight to win using diabolical means and are not concerned with the consequences. To them prevailing is the goal, not technique, the deeper insights of combat, or Tao. They will blindside you, gang up on you, and use any number of dirty underhanded means to get the advantage. They do not care about being fair or fighting you man to man.

I have been there and met these people and beem ont he floor being kicked to death, so thank you for your theoretical input.

The best knowledge in these circumstances is not technique, but perception and psychology. This allows one to avoid or defuse the situation before physical means become necessary.

Well, I agree - but self defence is only one aspect. After all, one could say never go out, sit in your chair with a shotgun. In the meantime, while I am waiting for a chance to avoid fighting, I might do a bit of bag work, in which case, I may as well find the right way.

One can never be prepared for someone who breaks the rules of how we THINK an altercation is supposed to transpire. The illusion of being prepared or capable is ones greatest weakness, not lack of ability.

I know.

I agree with examining our own deficiencies. I am merely taking the opportunity here to point out for you what you presume to point out for others. Think of me as a mirror of your own behaviors. I have not complained about anyone pointing out their perceived deficiencies of me and I have not presumed more than you presume for yourself. I have not commented in any manner other than mirroring your own comments back towards you. I have just as much right to point out what I perceive to be your shortcomings as you presume to point out for others and I accept your right to do the same to me. I will reply as my level of interest in your comments guides me.

I am not offended by what you say, I just think it is one sided - but the other side you have correct. I laud your attempt to approach the subject with an open approach. However, your point is made - if someone shoots you, you'll get shot. Alternatively, embrace formlessness? I agree.

I must disagree with you that one of the ways to find our own deficiencies is to practice critical thinking against others.

Thus proving how right I am.

The way to discover our own deficiencies is to examine our SELVES. Examine our own mind and abilities and test these, whether physical, emotional or intellectual, in the world of social interaction. We then assess the results and question our methods seeking more efficient and capable techniques for achieving our purpose.

Self, others - examine it all. Most of our ideas, at first, come from others, so it is the same process.

You seem to be persistent in redefining my comments according to a context that is not explicit in my writing. Clearly and repeatedly I have stated: REAL world fighting with REAL world bad guys. You were the one who repeatedly criticized CMA for not fighting and winning in real combat to demonstrate their effectiveness. I have merely pointed out that your own preconceived notions fall prey to the same flaw. If anyone wants to really demonstrate their prowess they must not only fight in duels, but engage in REAL world encounters, and a lot of them. That means with people who do not fight according to any preconceived pattern using any means necessary to win. I am stating, apply the same critical view you have towards CMA to yourself. It is as simple as that.

What I say IS CMA ideas, by the by.
Sure, I understand your point, and it is not in contention. However, rules and no rules is not the point of the CMA issue. All encounters take place in the real world.

I have made no claims that have not been illustrated through real life examples. This validates my points as worth considering within the context of REAL fighting. I am not addressing simple duels here although one would enjoy numerous benefits within this arena as well.

In many ways we are in agreement .

[Water-quan]

Article fromthe martial arts consultancy Gate of Quan:

MORBID OBSSESION WITH VIOLENCE.
The essence of Quan is really only one small aspect of a greater essence – the essence of human movement. This in itself is only a small aspect of the essence of Human. The attempt to unfold the essence of Quan should in no way be taken as meaning the attempt to learn how to be the most violent and cruel that one can possibly be. That is a complete misunderstanding. The quest to unfold the essence of Quan is that of allowing Intent to act fluidly and without hesitation, achieving one’s aim in the most efficient way possible. No part of that concept can be taken as meaning that one’s aim must be violence or cruelty. One might have any one of an infinity of aims. In fact, in most situations, if one’s aim is self preservation the most effective strategy will probably be one of avoiding violence. In addition to this, fluid and unhesitating expression of Intent is a goal in and of itself, regardless of any concerns relating to self defence or violence.

Searching for the essence of Quan is a means to unlock the body’s true potential for movement. In fact, fighting is only one tiny aspect of this. Humans use their bodies for a myriad of tasks, and understanding how to most effectively use them is a benefit not only to self defence but also to health and efficiency in every area, including all other sports.

Strengthening ones ability to channel ‘Intent’ is a benefit to clarity and wisdom on many levels, and leads one to understand that there are usually more options than violence. In fact, violence is often only caused because of self-importance, but essence can not really be understood without losing some of this. And so there are peaceful benefits all round!

One thing is for certain, those who seek violence will invariably find it.

To actually become a formidable person, capable of executing extreme acts of violence is easy. The means to do this are within everyone’s daily reach. In fact, any person with a gun is far more dangerous than even the most powerful martial artist. This is not the essence of Quan. Fluid and unhesitating expression of Intent is the goal, not inflicting suffering on to others, or even the self. Those who desire to inflict suffering on to others are the kind of people who desire to inflict suffering on to others; there is no way round that.

The ‘essence’ is the free and unhesitating choice of the correct and most efficient action to achieve a desired aim. It is our assertion that the aim, the Intent, and the movement can all happen in the same instant, and are all part of the same event.

We assert that it is a mistake to think that martial arts should be simply ‘hurting people as efficiently as possible’. This situation has reached such a point of ridiculousness that the people who have reduced their technique simply to being, in effect, efficient killers, claim to have discovered essence. We assert that this is not so. It is a gross mistake. For one thing, there are many types of self-defence encounter, such as dealing with a drunken relative, or fending off a dangerous animal. One might need to avoid an inanimate object, or use one’s energy to shift a car. Those whose techniques simply encompass punching and kicking as hard as possible, far from being liberated from form, are in fact strictly bound by it as they can not freely choose from all of their available options and perform each one with equal efficiency.

We do not assert that it is wrong for people to be morbidly obsessed with violence, but we do assert that it is in no way necessary if one wishes to learn some effective self-defence. Some people desire truth, and this attitude does not express truth. We point this out specifically because some groups, clubs and individuals, even those claiming to teach essence, recommend morbid obsession – and by this we include thinking that we must go out and have fights or work as a bouncer to ‘understand’ violence. We assert that this is not so, and that understanding violence is a simple matter if that it one’s aim. We abhor the fact that so many people have been conned in to thinking like this. Essence is a part of you, yourself, and doesn’t come from without. Sadly, many people who truly searched for essence have been left without it, even after giving countless hours and plenty of cash to people who claimed to offer it. In some cases people have been left with nothing, even after years of training.

In the same vein, we say that it is not necessary to devote one’s life utterly to training. There is more to life than martial arts. Often, for financial reasons, instructors lead students to think that they need to spend much longer training in martial arts than they really do to get a good level. How terrible it must be for some people to realise that after years of training and obsession with violence the only thing that they are any good at is hurting people! What else did they expect?

Gate of Quan is happy to help people re-claim their own time, and asserts that gaining a good level is by no means as difficult as people have been led to believe.

Copyright 2005 Gate of Quan

[Scott R. Brown]

Hi Water-quan,

Gosh! Where to start??

You appear to have only a rudimentary understanding of this topic.

1) Controlling emotionally motivated aggression is not the same thing as repressing it. Transcending aggressive impulses is not the same thing as repressing them. Learning to control our impulses is an act of growth. Humans must learn to transcend the impulse to irrational aggression, just as we learned to control our impulses to murder, rape and pillage. It is an act of maturity.

2) Yes I do have knowledge of the masters I have previous mentioned! I have READ and STUDIED their written works. You may want to try it yourself before you make more ill-informed comments.

3) Musashi killed when he was a youngster, not when he matured. He also lived in a historical period and culture where such behavior was acceptable. As he matured he fought with a wooden sword and realized that true insight into and mastery of swordsmanship comes from the transcendence of aggression and the development of spiritual maturity and insight.

4) Emotional detachment is NOT new age nonsense. It is Buddhist AND Taoist philosophy. My god, educate yourself before you spout tripe about subjects you know nothing about! Your comments are revealing your complete lack of understanding on the matter. Try reading the works of Takuan, Musashi and Yagyu. A good fourth work would be the biography on Yamoka Tesshu, by John Stevens called “The Sword of No-Sword”. All four were established masters! Takuan was a well known Zen master who taught and advised Musashi and Yagyu. Tesshu was a sword master AND a Zen master. I would also recommend to you “Flashing Steel” by Masayuki Shimabukuro.

5) If you want to ignore the teachings of REAL masters who fought in life and death circumstances and believe the teachings of athletes who play for money and fame that is your prerogative. You will not reach the higher levels of understanding that you seem to indicate is your intention. But then you should stop throwing around the word Tao and pretending to know what you are talking about!

6) Yes you DO live in a fantasy world and you will enjoy the fruits and limitations of your poor understanding!

7) You are the one who presumed to criticize the training methods and teaching methods of others pretending to have true understanding about fighting! You appear to have learned very little by being kicked to death other than to over compensate for your fear by worshiping aggression! I am surprised you haven’t realized this about yourself, being a social-psychologist and all! Your ability to throw a pretty punch will do you no good against a REAL bad guy. One might think that being kicked to death by real bad guys would have taught you this! You are living in your own fantasy world, but cannot see it yet.

8) I doubt very seriously you have a degree in anything. You don’t write like you have an education and your insight is non-existent. If you actually do have a degree in social-psychology then I am appalled at the poor state of higher education. Your money or the money of your parents has been sorely wasted. You have not gained much by your efforts.

9) No one said anything about “suppression” of emotion. That is your own personal issues being projected onto the topic. Transcendence is not suppression. Growing up and maturing is not suppression of emotions. I thought you said you had a degree in social-psychology? Didn’t you learn anything? Perhaps being kicked to death has confused your thinking process.

10) If you only listen to the masters of your style then you are behaving foolishly! Learn everything you can about the topic of your interest and also learn about topics that are not related to your topic of interest. Musashi and many other true masters learned calligraphy and painting, practiced the tea ceremony and wrote poetry. They understood that mastery is a quality of the mind and not the body. When one masters themselves they are masters of all things. This was demonstrated by Shoju when he defeated the swordmasters with nothing but his insight and a fan!! Practice, read and learn more about your own mind and spirit rather than spouting your foolishness; then perhaps you will achieve your goal. Remain in the ignorance of your present condition and you will remain like one of those you self-righteously criticize!

11) Your critical views of the methods of others are of value however your manner of expressing them is unproductive. I am applying the same criticism to you that you have applied to those you criticize and you don’t like it. The lesson is don’t to unto to others what you don’t like done to yourself.

12) Rules and no rules is the heart of the matter. Your criticism of CMA is that they don’t train according to the real world. That is the real world according to your own narrow definition. You have changed the context of their purpose. I have done the same to your definition of the real world of fighting I have redefined your definition of what a real world encounter is just as you have done for the CMA. You are pretending to know what you are talking about just as you criticize the CMA teachers you don’t agree with. REAL world encounters occur according to a context. You have redefined their context to demonstrate them ignorant and wrong and I have redefined your context to demonstrate you ignorant and wrong. You claim they cannot see past their own fantasy world and yet you are unable to see past your own fantasy world. You are guilty of the same thing you have criticized the CMA teachers of yet you cannot see it in yourself. Your time would be better spent addressing your own ignorance before you address the ignorance of others. I have provided you with bona fide references written by well-established masters for the principles I have addressed and you refused to consider them. This is not the act of a person wishing to learn and grow and discover insights into their self, life and the MA. This is the behavior someone who doesn’t want their own fantasy world challenged! This reveals that you are just as enamored with your own fantasies as those in CMA you claim live in a fantasy world!

13) As I have stated above, try reading and thinking more in depth about the topics you are spouting non-sense about. Consider the opinions of others, especially the opinions that upset your apple cart. Those are the thoughts that will challenge the limits of your own belief system. Then, in about 20 or 30 more years, you MAY have something worthwhile to say.

[Water-quan]

Hi Water-quan,

Gosh! Where to start??

Firstly, by listening. Secondly, by understanding.

You appear to have only a rudimentary understanding of this topic.

Clearly.

1) Controlling emotionally motivated aggression is not the same thing as repressing it. Transcending aggressive impulses is not the same thing as repressing them. Learning to control our impulses is an act of growth. Humans must learn to transcend the impulse to irrational aggression, just as we learned to control our impulses to murder, rape and pillage. It is an act of maturity.

Well, transcend your agression then, if that is your aim, and best of luck with that. For me, I don't need or want to transcend who I am - I'm happy with who I am - human being.

2) Yes I do have knowledge of the masters I have previous mentioned! I have READ and STUDIED their written works. You may want to try it yourself before you make more ill-informed comments.

Why would I need their knowledge when I can unfold my own? There's nothing that they knew that can't be known. Anyway, I dare to say that I understand their ideas deeply.

3) Musashi killed when he was a youngster, not when he matured. He also lived in a historical period and culture where such behavior was acceptable. As he matured he fought with a wooden sword and realized that true insight into and mastery of swordsmanship comes from the transcendence of aggression and the development of spiritual maturity and insight.

Well, good luck with maturing spiritually! Personally, I am already evolved in to a human being, and that's ok by me. By the by, when i become spiritually mature will I be on the net telling people how un spiritually mature they are?? I would rather hope that I would have transcended that behaviour, along with my agression!

4) Emotional detachment is NOT new age nonsense.

Don't worry, no ideologies are hurt by questioning them.

It is Buddhist AND Taoist philosophy. My god, educate yourself before you spout tripe about subjects you know nothing about! Your comments are revealing your complete lack of understanding on the matter. Try reading the works of Takuan, Musashi and Yagyu. A good fourth work would be the biography on Yamoka Tesshu, by John Stevens called “The Sword of No-Sword”. All four were established masters! Takuan was a well known Zen master who taught and advised Musashi and Yagyu. Tesshu was a sword master AND a Zen master. I would also recommend to you “Flashing Steel” by Masayuki Shimabukuro.

Did any of these people know anyting that can't be known? If not, I can find it myself, without them, just by looking... as it says in the Tao Te Ching.

5) If you want to ignore the teachings of REAL masters who fought in life and death circumstances and believe the teachings of athletes who play for money and fame that is your prerogative. You will not reach the higher levels of understanding that you seem to indicate is your intention. But then you should stop throwing around the word Tao and pretending to know what you are talking about!

Well, I'll get by, just the same. Maybe I'll be like the Forest Gump of martial arts.

6) Yes you DO live in a fantasy world and you will enjoy the fruits and limitations of your poor understanding!

Well, if so, then so be it. Why does it bother you though?

7) You are the one who presumed to criticize the training methods and teaching methods of others pretending to have true understanding about fighting!

Oh, it doesn't take any presumption - just open eyes, then open mouth. Nothing to it.

You appear to have learned very little by being kicked to death other than to over compensate for your fear by worshiping aggression! I am surprised you haven’t realized this about yourself, being a social-psychologist and all! Your ability to throw a pretty punch will do you no good against a REAL bad guy. One might think that being kicked to death by real bad guys would have taught you this! You are living in your own fantasy world, but cannot see it yet.

Amazingly, I wasn't actually kicked to death - even without a degree in social psychology you could have worked that out! Very funny.

Is this what is known as a ****ing contest? It's quite fun! This obsession with real bad guys is an interesting compulsive view point you have.

8) I doubt very seriously you have a degree in anything. You don’t write like you have an education and your insight is non-existent. If you actually do have a degree in social-psychology then I am appalled at the poor state of higher education. Your money or the money of your parents has been sorely wasted. You have not gained much by your efforts.

Thank you for the kind and insightful words of encouragement.

9) No one said anything about “suppression” of emotion.

I did.

That is your own personal issues being projected onto the topic. Transcendence is not suppression. Growing up and maturing is not suppression of emotions. I thought you said you had a degree in social-psychology? Didn’t you learn anything? Perhaps being kicked to death has confused your thinking process.

Well, I'm sure it would of, had I actually died. Clearly I haven't. It;s my fault for saying I was being kicked to death - I see where the confusion comes from. They were trying to kill me, but I survived. Hope that's cleared up now! Otherwise, my zombie kung fu system would be all the rage!

10) If you only listen to the masters of your style then you are behaving foolishly!

I see what you did there - imposed your thinking on to mine. The master of my style is me - the master of your style is you. I am the only master of my stlye - who else knows more about me than me?

Learn everything you can about the topic of your interest and also learn about topics that are not related to your topic of interest. Musashi and many other true masters learned calligraphy and painting, practiced the tea ceremony and wrote poetry.

I am not them, nor do I desire to be them. I am happy being me. I am interested in different things, not pretending to be a sixteenth century samurai.

They understood that mastery is a quality of the mind and not the body. When one masters themselves they are masters of all things.

I don't want to be the master of anything.

This was demonstrated by Shoju when he defeated the swordmasters with nothing but his insight and a fan!! Practice, read and learn more about your own mind and spirit rather than spouting your foolishness; then perhaps you will achieve your goal. Remain in the ignorance of your present condition and you will remain like one of those you self-righteously criticize!

I'm not sure which of us sounds the most ridiculous. A draw maybe.

[Water-quan]

11) Your critical views of the methods of others are of value however your manner of expressing them is unproductive. I am applying the same criticism to you that you have applied to those you criticize and you don’t like it. The lesson is don’t to unto to others what you don’t like done to yourself.

Well, if that was true it would be quite funny.

12) Rules and no rules is the heart of the matter. Your criticism of CMA is that they don’t train according to the real world. That is the real world according to your own narrow definition. You have changed the context of their purpose. I have done the same to your definition of the real world of fighting I have redefined your definition of what a real world encounter is just as you have done for the CMA. You are pretending to know what you are talking about just as you criticize the CMA teachers you don’t agree with. REAL world encounters occur according to a context. You have redefined their context to demonstrate them ignorant and wrong and I have redefined your context to demonstrate you ignorant and wrong.

Well then we are all ignorant wrong, so that's at least a blank page to start from.

You claim they cannot see past their own fantasy world and yet you are unable to see past your own fantasy world. You are guilty of the same thing you have criticized the CMA teachers of yet you cannot see it in yourself. Your time would be better spent addressing your own ignorance before you address the ignorance of others. I have provided you with bona fide references written by well-established masters for the principles I have addressed and you refused to consider them. This is not the act of a person wishing to learn and grow and discover insights into their self, life and the MA. This is the behavior someone who doesn’t want their own fantasy world challenged! This reveals that you are just as enamored with your own fantasies as those in CMA you claim live in a fantasy world!

Well, then let me get on with it.

13) As I have stated above, try reading and thinking more in depth about the topics you are spouting non-sense about. Consider the opinions of others, especially the opinions that upset your apple cart. Those are the thoughts that will challenge the limits of your own belief system. Then, in about 20 or 30 more years, you MAY have something worthwhile to say.

Well, someone will have shot me by then, no doubt...

[Ma Long]

Thing is, we all know what to look for. If it was awesome, my Dad would be impressed, my kid would, my neighbour would.

I couldn't possibly disagree more

[Water-quan]

I couldn't possibly disagree more

Are you sure you are trying hard enough?

[cjurakpt]

LOL!

(10 characters)

[Scott R. Brown]

"Do, or do not. There is no try!" - Yoda

[imperialtaichi]

...Searching for the essence of Quan is a means to unlock the body’s true potential for movement. In fact, fighting is only one tiny aspect of this. Humans use their bodies for a myriad of tasks, and understanding how to most effectively use them is a benefit not only to self defence but also to health and efficiency in every area, including all other sports....

....In the same vein, we say that it is not necessary to devote one’s life utterly to training. There is more to life than martial arts....

Copyright 2005 Gate of Quan

I like it. Who wrote this?

Cheers,
John

[Water-quan]

I like it. Who wrote this?

Cheers,
John

I did........