Martial Arts is a lifestyle not just combat training

[Cirdan]

What's this about some God character spying on people when they are enjoying themselves in private? He sounds a little shady, isn't there a commandment against that sort of thing or something?

Careful man. It only takes him a heartbeat to turn you into a pillar of salt. :uhohh:

 

[Sukerkin]

I'm willing to give pretty much anyone a break, on one measly little condition: that they don't go around giving pious gratuitous advice on how to live to people many of whom probably had been training MAs (among other things) before the advice-giver was born. :wink1:

Well, I can see that the latter condition would certainly grate and I'm of much the same mind myself.

I just thought that the tone of the first post showed youth and receiving so many replies of non-complimentary nature could drive away the new member before he's even taken his coat off .

A simple matter of feeling sorry for someone who'd accidentally stepped in something he'd probably have been better advised to steer clear of for a while .

 

[exile]

A simple matter of feeling sorry for someone who'd accidentally stepped in something he'd probably have been better advised to steer clear of for a while .

I see your point, S. It's just that there is so much pointless moralizing and posturing that seems to gather around the MAs and it gets so irritating... well, you know what I'm talking about, no point in preaching to the choir!

 

[bobster_ice]

*No Pornography

I am not worthy lol

 

[Cirdan]

It's just that there is so much pointless moralizing and posturing that seems to gather around the MAs and it gets so irritating...

You got that right. Any true moral of the arts can be summed up in one very short sentence: "Shut up and train"

 

[MJS]

I don't know what you people think about it. But I personally feel most people relate martial arts only to combat training. TO me its a Life Style. I always dream of living in Hawaii, waking up at five o clock in the morning and practice Tai Chi. Awesome isn't it.
I made few rules for myself and always advise other beginners to follow them too. Here are these rules,

No Drinking
No Smoking
No Pizza's, burgers and cold drinks
No Late Night Parties
*No Pornography

* Purity of mind is very important. As once a shaolin monk said , If you want to be a good fighter, You must have a pure mind.

I consider myself a beginner. But the above rules totally changed my life.

Well, like I've said many times, we all train for different reasons. I train for SD. That is my first and foremost goal. Sure, I've got in better shape, but I don't need to MAs for that. I've met many people whom I consider close friends thru the arts, but again, I don't need the MAs to meet people. I don't rely on the MAs to teach me whats good for my body and what isn't, as the things you listed, such as smoking and excessive drinking, and eating certain foods in excess, should be common sense. As for the porn...well, how often do we turn on the TV and see two people in bed. While what you see on public television is not on the same level as a porn movie, its apparent as to whats going on. But, I'm not going to stop watching TV.

Like I said, we all train for different reasons, but IMO, it seems like the majority of people that I know all train for SD.

Mike

 

[MJS]

Incidentally, taking a look at the top MMA fighters and the girls they hang out with, I'm going to say that the connection between "purity of mind" and being a "good fighter" is weak at best.

Here, here!!! :ultracool A while back I went to a live UFC show here in CT, and needless to say, there was no shortage of eye candy!!!

 

[Kacey]

Any true moral of the arts can be summed up in one very short sentence: "Shut up and train"

Indeed... kind of like the Hillel quote about Judaism:"Do not unto thy neighbour that which you would not have him do unto you. This is the whole Jewish law. All else the rest is but commentary. Go and learn it."

The whole of MA training is what start it for - self defense, fitness, skill, whatever - then you add the things that make it work for you.

 

[Cirdan]

I think I like how Iain Abenethy puts it:

By engaging in arduous, austere and realistic training, our mental and physical weaknesses are forced to the surface, such that they can be confronted. If you can overcome the fear generated by sparring, then you should be able to override the exact same emotion when it prevents you from pursuing your dreams. If you have the discipline to endure the demands of training, then you should also be able to endure difficult times in your life outside the dojo. If you are able to keep control of your temper during sparring, then you should also be able to control any potential outbursts that could harm your relationships with others. If you can face the most feared opponent in the dojo, then you should also be able to stand up for both yourself and others in the event of an injustice. However, if the training is not stressful enough, it is unlikely to stimulate any developments in character, simply because your character is unlikely to be tested to a sufficient degree.

 

[tellner]

This is exactly the sort of thing that makes me want to outlaw uniforms, dojo kun, belts, martial arts movies, dojos that aren't also health clubs and every single shred of popular culture that ritualizes and mystifies martial arts. Or at least scribble "Kill your idols!" all over them with a big Sharpie.

Things are what they are. A rock is a rock. A cactus is a cactus. A glass of water is a glass of water. And an exercise routine is a way of waving your body parts around. They simply are what they are and have no inherent cosmic significance. The significance and greater meaning are things you attach to them. What is cosmically important to you may be completely meaningless to me because I don't invest the same symbolism, self concept, worth or worship into the same things you do. To me a cross is a pair of sticks tied together at right angles. To someone else a torah scroll is a bunch of sheepskin covered in ink. Someday I'm going to make a copy of the t-shirt that says: "Your Body is a Temple. Mine is an Amusement Park."

You can certainly make all sorts of things into a vehicle for progress. If it teaches you to focus, perceive things as they more truly are and get rid of your baggage you could cook, play music, cut wood, serve boiled camelia leaves in cups or put on white pyjamas and practice archaic combatives. For you it's a useful yoga. But it's important to remember there's nothing special about that particular activity. If it leads you to enshrine your particular kinks and preferences as something Cosmically Significant and Ineffably Meaningful it becomes one of the absolutely classic traps - making an idol out of the ego and one's own piety.