* Special Articles - The Martial Arts Mystic
The Martial Arts Mystic
The Martial Arts Mystic-
By SiGung Scott Winokur Master Instructor of MCMAC-
Mysticism is as old as time, and is hidden in most martial arts styles somewhere. Some Master’s know and pass on the material, some Master’s don’t know at all. Even more refuse to pass on or acknowledge the existence of such esoteric forces of nature. In Chinese Styles the mystic makes use of Chi (bio electric magnetic energy), and Chi Kung (Qi Gong-Pinyan) energy breathing exercises. In Okinawa or Japan they would call it Ki, or in Korean systems Kime, again energy breathing exercises. Many cultures and tribes make use of the breath, we know it is two-fold (yin/yang) breath in or breathe out; it is as simple as that. But like fishing faith is required you can’t see the fish in the water, but you believe they are there (universal law-Believe and Know) so you throw in your hook. Mysticism is the same it is always just beneath the surface and you really can’t see unless you are truly looking with you mind, body, and spirit simultaneously. The “Enlightened One’s” called Zen masters, use the same principles and similar techniques as they meditate to a higher sense of awareness. We all elevate ourselves as we perform the “Table Mediation Set” or focus and stilling exercise, at the beginning of class. Let us examine what happens: step one we kneel down and massage the spot just above the knee warming and invigorating that spot, which warms the knee and circulates vital energy in the Dan Tien (spot 2 inches below the navel) used in most martial arts and some religious practices. Step two we begin to relax and energy begins to flow, we use Mudra’s (hand and finger linking). In Japan the Ninja use Kuji Kuri (a similar to Mudra technique of linking fingers for inner focus), to attain the supreme goal at hand, or to complete their mission. In China the ninja like clan was called the Lin Chi Ryu or just Chi Ryu. These mostly Shaolin renegades hid their faces, were hired assassins and they used the Vagabond skills (18 skills of kung fu).Step three we grasp the thumb (lungs or air), with the first finger (large intestine or earth), so we say that we link the air, or sky with the earth. We humans live between the Heaven and the Earth, the Old Testament states that G-d created Upper Waters and Lower Waters with the Firmament in between, the human planet concept of the land or earth between the waters in used in many religions and cultures as well. Step four; we feel the warming energy between our hands that we have created with our mind. We push the collected chi (energy ) together uniting both the yin (feminine energy) with the yang (masculine energy). Just as yin and yang are separate they also unite as one, with-in one entity the circle contains both yin and yang energies. A cage can contain both Tiger (yin energy), and Dragon (yang energy), with-in one circle. Last month we spoke about the animals having qualities and metaphysical attributes: Leopard=Earth, Crane=Wind, Snake=Fire, Tiger=Water, and Dragon=Spirit. These elements alone have multi concepts and qualities, combine any two or more and many things happen. For example if you join fire with water you get steam, if water with earth mud, and so on. These principles are very important to us as humans we have water (plasma) inside us as well as fire (electrical impulses and sympathetic nervous system). When we meditate and visualize we release endorphins (brain chemicals) which flood our body especially the frontal lobe. The amydala is stimulated and teaches us to control of the physical body by use of our mental body. We must still and control the conscious mind to overcome the fear, obstacles and make us become more aware. This level allows us to turn off the conscious mind and unlock the subconscious mind to link to the super conscious mind connecting us to the supreme deity above us. As we unlocked this new awareness we see things in a completely different light as did the samurai and other groups that ascended to a higher level of consciousness. Many Hippies of the late 60’s and early 70’s tried to reach this cosmic level thru use of LSD, marijuana, and other drugs. Dr. Timothy Leary was a pioneer in this pursuit of new levels and ways to reach the ultimate high or supreme level of quantum physics connecting with everything and nature. Humans are only allowed to reach so high, only the most enlightened humans devoted and dedicated ever ascend to the supreme levels. In our MCMAC systems we work with the principle of three qualities the conscious level, the sub-conscious level, and the super-conscious level. Or the animal mind, the rational or intuitive mind, and the divine mind. The animal mind is the concept that we humans are above the animals but we must overcome that part of human nature, by mastering the animals we master ourselves on a physical level, next or start here with Tai Chi or other internal systems as a general rule, but not always. Next we perceive the unknown and begin to feel chi/Ki or energy in whatever name you choose to use. As we learn to focus our chi it teaches us, as we understand the concept of balance we stand in the middle of the tee-deer totter, not to high, not to low but balanced in the middle, both physically and emotionally. This balance on this level leads to a balance on the mental and spiritual levels. Remember the lesson on the # 4? Now is where it can begin to make some sense of learn a pattern, know the pattern, understand the form, master the form. We also see the principle of the four elements Air, Fire, Water, Earth, and the glue Spirit. Or in animal terms Leopard, Crane, Snake, Tiger, and Dragon the spirit glue that holds the others together. We can see Tai Chi quality as water, Wing Chun or Trapping as Fire, Chin Na as Wind, we as humans stand on the earth the animal system. As suggested earlier in other e news letters that both active and passive energies are required for a balance. The Leopard develops both strength of the stance as it holds to the earth, and the speed to re-direct attacks. Next we begin to know things more easily like who is calling on the phone, who is in the next room, etc. This tunnel of somewhat psychic ability is part of your training; we now are speaking about the second level or rational/intuitive mind. This brings with it a new understanding and allows you again to see things differently, on many subliminal planes, where most never venture, for it is much too difficult and time consuming and is left for the most dedicated travelers on the road of understanding. For example let us look at an apple “the fruit of knowledge” apples come in many colors, but the same skin texture. Apples are easy to bite into and easy to eat the skin and all. But as you explore to more esoteric and intuitive reasoning we use the example of an orange, you don’t just eat the skin you must take some time to peel away the outside to get to the sweet fruit on the inside, and just like the saying the Journey of 1000 Miles Begins with One Step. Each peel is the outside self or the trip each one of us takes to find who we are, the higher we attain the more earthly things must leave behind. But it takes more moral, ethical, and spiritual virtues to achieve this elevated status. We see it will take more time and patience to understand this emotional/mental level of reasoning. The patience and conviction to attaining this goal are like the fish just beneath the water hidden from normal view, only when your eyes, heart, and mind are made clear by our actions, controlling our emotions, and interjecting our intellect can we see and then proceed farther. Most never venture near this far for it is too scary and courage but not arrogance must be achieved for true success to happen. The final level is just that the extension of all that there is a connection that is more than us, where our soul links with the universal energy (G-d) or other interpretation of supreme deity. This third level the Divine Mind links the sub-conscious mind with the super-conscious mind and connects to everything in nature an the universe. For more on this subject see SiGung Scott personally, this is much too deep for a newsletter, and this information is usually only passed on to the advanced students, be patient little grasshoppers and learn to sit still and hear the un-hearable, and see the un-seeable, and learn to connect with nature. Mastery is a Road not a Destination, that is why we always say the Journey of 1000 Miles Begins with One Step, each of the three qualities of human understanding may take a lifetime, not all Sifu’s are teachers, and not all teachers are Sifu’s. And not everyone will make the climb to the top of the great mountain of life. You can’t achieve it, if you never tried.
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