Internal Karate: Mind Matters And The Seven Gates Of Power

Description

Internal karate is a mostly forgotten or, at least, little understood component of traditional karate practice. It is alternatively, the very foundation upon which most Asian forms rest. It is also some of the best kept secrets of the Asian arts, and surprisingly, it remains a secret even to many modern instructors currently teaching them! This book reveals the mystifying powers of Qi and how everyone possess a unique ‘Energy Body’ that imbues us with amazing versatility to triumph over our opponents and bring well-being into our life. This book was written for martial artists of all styles as a primer on how every person organizes and uses subtle energy. The book is divided into five sections: Part 1 revisits why we train in martial arts and address its core nature. Part 2 looks at how the brain/mind is intimately entwined with our physical practices. Part 3 explores ‘Warrior Power’ with a seven-tiered template of the distinct ways in which we all use our personal powers. Part 4 discusses the working fundamentals of the Subtle Energy Body. Part 5 invites readers into a dialog amongst ten senior martial artists and takes a brief, practical look at one of the crucial internal components of three common martial techniques. There is a great mystery surrounding internal martial arts study, particularly within the hard style community. This is due in part to a lack of substantive information available in the mainstream literature at the side of a general skepticism about the subject matter. What was most amazing to the creator was how much of this information was embedded within the traditional forms coming out of Korea, China, Japan, and Okinawan. Hayashi shares his fascination with the unique technical configurations of the Okinawan empty-hand forms as they related to internal principles. He has been decoding traditional forms as conveyors of internal truths for the last 23 years. The various nei jia, or internal families/systems in China still convey their teachings non-verbally, that is, by way of calculated and consistent repetitions. Students just ‘did’. They did not talk about doing. Even though this methodology led to many fine intuitive internal experts and masters, it left a void for individuals who lacked such sensitivities. Hayashi differs in his approach to the subject by offering compelling insights and his ability to clearly give an explanation for these distinctions to an interested audience.