All aspects of training have their advantages,

whilst free sparring keeps the reflexes tuned, and gives the artist a chance to see what techniques can work or be applied to relevant situations. Katas are the key to any martial art, the goal is not comfortability, but muscle memory,
which can only come from repetition.

Muscle memory is when the body reacts without the mind thinking, when in a street fight situation you do not have time to think.

If you can achieve mastery of a pattern and get away from the mere kick punch aspect, then you will find that there is much more to a pattern/kata than what you first thought. many artists think of kata as just a thing you must do to get the next belt, and just going through the movements without ever really learning the kata

The reference to “destroying” or “destruction” in your above quote does not refer to the act of willfully imposing one’s will on another or causing the untimely demise or suffering of another. The cycle of birth, life, and death is a basic outline of the natural cycle of creation. That is a more accurate interpretation of the Hindu and Vedic messaging. There is no violence involved in that process according to our definition of the word.

Ahimsa is considered by the Yogic sages throughout time as one of the two most important guidelines of personal being taught in the system of Yoga. So is yoga really non-violent? The answer is unequivocally yes. That is why it forms the perfect basis for a healthy interactive process of conflict resolution.

As far as videos of Satyara technique, I have not created any yet, but I will do so. I’ll probably post them on YouTube and send you the link once it’s done. I appreciate your offer to make them available here as well.

Thanks for the opportunity to share with you and everyone else, and I hope we can keep the discussion going.

In his best-known evocation of the Goddess Kali, Ramakrishna observes her as a graceful young woman sinuously emerging from the waters of the Ganges. As her belly breaks forth from the waves, we realize that she is late in pregnancy, coming to dry land to deliver her child. When she reaches the shore, she gives birth to a beautiful baby whom she fondles affectionately and lifts to her breast, where the child suckles until it is content. Holding her baby once more in her arms, the woman becomes the Kali we are more familiar with, a frightening old hag, gaunt with age and hunger. In her ferocious aspect, Kali then lifts the infant to her mouth, crushes it between her teeth and swallows the baby whole. Without a backward glance, she returns to the waters from which she emerged, disappearing again from view. Kali’s Essence: Creator, Destroyer, Transformer.

In his vignette Ramakrishna captures the essence of Kali as Mother Nature in her creative, nurturing and destructive aspects. Surrender to such a deity is hard to imagine until we realize that it is not viciousness that motivates her destruction. Kali is by necessity both the good and the terrible mother. Every nursing woman has to sustain herself in order to nourish her children, and since Kali is the mother of everything in the world, she has to feed on her children as there is nothing else to eat.

Hinduism’s world mother exemplifies the fact that life often creates through destroying, just as we humans recreate our bodies anew each day by destroying the plants and animals on which we feed. What Kali vividly demonstrates is that we live in a unified ecosystem, the interconnected web of all existence, each a part of the other. Ramakrishna’s image forces us to confront our place in the food chain. Kali gives birth to us; we are sustained by eating her other children; and finally we are eaten in turn. Life feeds on life. Life is a sacrifice to life. These are the sacred truths that such a picture opens to our view.

Non-violence is nice, Yoga is nice; but is Yoga really non-violent?

Do you have some videos that showcase the distinctive characteristics of your practice? If so, I’ll consider posting them on the front page to stimulate further discussion.

As funky as this sounds, it works. My training partner and I have used these techniques to successfully deal with attacks that would have resulted in significant injury in the traditional Aikido classes that we used to attend. My partner was recently invited to attend an Aikido seminar sponsored by our old dojo. To make a long story short, 2nd and 3rd dan black belts found it very difficult, and at times impossible, to take him to the mat. He was able to neutralize their techniques in many cases by applying some of the energy channeling and physical alignment concepts of Satyara.

The point of the story is not to brag, but to illustrate that we have had a glimpse of what is possible. I believe with all of my being that the idea of a high level, functional, completely non violent martial art that is effective at many levels is viable. I think that we are well on our way to experiencing it.

What do you think so far?