Newsletter 970

Martial Arts and The Four Paths to Immortality

Last newsletter I talked about the path to immortality.
I mentioned that there were four paths to immortality,
of which the martial arts are one.
Let’s talk about these four paths.
Understanding all four paths will help you better progress
on the martial arts path.

There are fourth paths to enlightenment,
or immortality,
or getting out of your body,
or whatever you want to call it.
With no particular order in mind,
one of the paths is the monk.
Simply,
you study religious texts,
and meditate (pray) on them,
until you blast on out of your head.
Here is the problem.
You have to read a lot of religious texts,
not just the ones from one religion.
This is because you need context,
and context can be had from understanding
different points of view.
Let me explain it this way:
a guy who speaks English knows some stuff,
but a guy who speaks English AND Spanish
(or any other language)
can compare and contrast words and terms.
He has a richer experience in terms of phraseology,
anecdotes and mysticisms,
he will be,
for lack of a better word,
‘smarter.’
And don’t take it hard if you don’t speak two or more languages.
I only speak one,
and sometimes I don’t understand that one to well.
So you have to study different religions
until you understand what the various beliefs mean,
and then you can progress to the deeper concept,
which is the truth.
For instance,
before last newsletter
you were (perhaps) in awe of ‘immortals’ in the martial arts,
or were, at least, impressed by what you didn’t understand.
Now,
because of the last newsletter,
you do understand,
and you understand the concept behind immortality.
Not dying,
which is something a body can’t do,
but which an eternal spirit,
the ‘I am’ that you are,
can do.

A second path to immortality/enlightenment/
knowledge of your true self,
would be the fakir.
A fakir is usually a student of Islam or Hindi.
He denies the existence of the universe,
begging for meals,
not owning anything,
putting aside family,
until he achieves the ultimate realization,
that the universe isn’t real.
Which,
of course,
makes him real.
And it’s true.
But it is a path of no luxuries,
and self denial.
Not much fun,
if you ask me,
but don’t ask me,
because I don’t want to be judgmental
concerning a path that,
like it or not,
has results.

Another path to immortality
would be yoga.
I like this path,
though there is a major problem with it.
You sit in a posture and become aware of your body.
Change your posture and you change the way you are aware,
slowly becoming aware of more and more,
until you are aware of all,
or,
at least,
aware of yourself as separate from your body.
Sort of weird,
sinking into your body,
until you blast on out of it.
But there you go.
A minor problem is that the instructions for this
vary from strip mall to strip mall,
and few wish to study ancient writings,
and then compare schools,
until they have the truth of pure concept.
The major problem is that there is no motion.
Which brings us to the last path,
the one I prefer,
which solves this problem of no motion.

In the martial arts you use the body,
and you look at it,
but only as a tool for your motion.
You deny
as a fakir,
any distractions to your practice,
to your art and fighting.
You read countless texts,
from Bruce Lee to
the Book of Five Rings to
ancient Chinese writings,
trying to understand motion
and the contortions of your body,
what it means,
the energy involved,
and so on.
Eventually,
you understand that the universe is motion,
and you come to the truth:
you are the source of motion.
Which makes you the source of everything
that happens in the universe.

Okay,
I know I have slanted a bit here,
but that is only because I love the martial arts,
and I understand everything
from the viewpoint of the martial arts.
But what I say does make sense,
and makes use of the four specific concepts of the other three paths.

Study concepts,
from Bruce to Lao Tze,
and find the pure concepts of the arts.
deny that which would distract you
from practice or from freestyle.
Contort your body,
finding the nooks and crannies of awareness,
but while in motion.
And study motion,
realizing that it is you,
the spirit,
that causes motion in this universe.

Use all four paths
to propel you through the martial arts
to truth,
to the truth of yourself,
and find out what everybody is but nobody knows…
that you are a spiritual being.

And know it.
Not like reading about water,
but like jumping into the ocean.

Here’s a link to the Yoga Kata.

4b Yogata (The Yoga Kata)

Or, if you are feeling gutsy…

Black Belt Yoga

Have an immensely satisfying work out!
Al

BTW
If you like concepts such as are in this newsletter,
check out ChurchofMartialArts.com

A WIN!

Well Al, it has been almost a year since I started working with your Matrix Martial Arts material. I am pleased to tell you that I have improved more than I ever dreamt I could with your courses.
My body is stronger, more flexible, and pain free from the Yogata I learned. My Tai Chi has become a powerful, reliable, and completely energizing martial art. I have taken up the study of Karate again after 28 years of not practicing and the work is invigorating. My Bagua has become an art that is filled with effortless power. My mind is calmed and I am happy…I’m healthier and more aware of my body than I have been in my whole life. ~ Justin H

“The key to immortality is first living a life worth remembering.”
– Bruce Lee