Written by the apocryphal Taoist philosopher Liezi, between 400 B.C. and 300 A.D.
The Earl of Kung-yi was famous among the rulers of the states for his strength. The Duke of T’ang-hsi mentioned him to King Hsuan of Chou, who invited him to court with the highest honors. When the Earl of Kung-yi arrived, the […]

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The principle of Subjective Reality—that the universe is consciousness and nothing more—has been employed by authentic spiritual traditions for millennia. Its intended function is not to reveal Universal Truth, but to prepare a seeker for the next stage in their development by dispelling their material illusions.
In other words, Subjective Reality is a spiritual colonic, […]

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Since we practice movement every day of our lives, it is easy to overlook the complexity of this task.

Voluntary movement, by definition, begins as an act of will. Willpower directs the brain, to signal the muscles, to exert force, to reposition the body in space, adjusting these commands in a real-time response to ongoing […]

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Credit: bluefootedbooby
The same strategies used by a military commander to defend the nation can also be used to protect one’s self. Sun Tzu’s classic manual The Art of War is therefore required reading for all serious martial artists.
Here is a summary of Sun Tzu’s most important points (based on translations by Roger Ames):
On Assessments […]

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In the past few years, mixed martial arts has enjoyed remarkable commercial success. Some fans imagine that its popularity is a result of its vast technical superiority over traditional martial arts styles. But neither MMA techniques nor training methods are particularly innovative; much of what you see in the competition ring was pioneered decades or […]

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The relationship between real fighting and full-contact martial arts competitions is like that of the dog and the hot dog. Although they are composed of similar elements—striking and grappling in the former, meat in the latter—one should not be confused for the other.
The essence of a real fight is not found in tactics, or even […]

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A genuine man does not reveal his true nature.
When the karateka receives his first belt promotion, he rushes out to tell everyone.
After he receives his shodan certificate, he exits discreetly through the back door.
This saying reflects the humility of a mature, well-trained Karate expert. More importantly, it contains practical advice for martial artists of all […]

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Did you really think we want those laws observed? We want them to be broken…We’re after power and we mean it.
Martial artist: are you an inherent threat to decency, morality, and public safety? No?
We, your elected government, say yes.
Make no mistake, martial artist: your avocation violates several contracts, agreements and laws. Never mind the combative trivia […]

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While conducting some unrelated research, I recently came across an book written by the disciple of a blind kungfu master. I was gratified to read his advice, so similar to that which I received from my own martial arts teachers. I’ll explain why in a moment; first, a few quotations:
On the primacy […]

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There are two kinds of agnostics in the world. The first are lazy and ignorant fools; the second reject the philosophy of Baruch Spinoza.
On further consideration, maybe there is only one kind of agnostic?

Baruch Spinoza
Baruch Spinoza was one of the great thinkers in the history of the West, celebrated by his peers as a “prince […]

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