Do you know any martial artists who have claimed to have had "moments of enlightenment" or be in a general state of enlightenment like Morihei Ueshiba claimed?
I think anyone whose been doing intense physical activities such as martial arts for a substantial amount of time (myself included I suppose) could tell you about occasionally hitting "the zone" or whatever you call it where it seemed like everything just falls into place without you even having to think about it. That seems to be the closest thing to enlightenment I've heard of people attaining through MA training.
Take the term "enlightenment" with a grain of salt. Too often it's used in the west for appearing mystic and superior and all that bs. I'm just going to use the word enlightenment in my response below, because I lack other English words lol, and I guess pretty much everyone will understand what I mean right down here. There is such a thing as enlightenment in martial arts. I once saw a video of Rorion Gracie talking about something like enlightenment, if you want an example that's at least somewhat respected by everyone. However those who are "enlightened" all share in common that they train very hard almost every day. They do not read about it, they train. I suggest you let go of enlightenment, and train. Spiritual and mental progression will come too when you train. An example of myself what can be called a little "enlightenment" is that 1 day I understood the principle of awareness! I finally knew what it was, after getting hit multiple times in the face, was thrown in surprise, etc. I finally realised something: awareness. Everything went much smoother. I found out that awareness helps with lots of things, not only martial arts. I had read multiple times about it, and I knew what it was. But one day I understood it through training. Just being focused, aware, ... Hope I helped, Blast
Where's the cult? What cult are you talking about? Ueshiba's ideas? Right because you'd be able to define what one was in no uncertain terms. It's rather obvious from your short time posting here at MAP that you only have the loosest grasp of this subject anyhow. So now you're jumping on the 'I stay away from cults' bandwagon? Puhleeeeze. Such nonsense. Because there is the crowd that says 'I always go for the cult - Oh yeah cults rock!' Seriously. Grow up.
No cult inparticular. I've met several people who claimed to be in an "enlightened state" . One guy told me, after his one month training of martial arts in shaolin temple, that my horse stance was wrong that I need to line up my chi better. Another more "enlightened one" told me that he could see dead spirits and that he could heal people from a distance. When I and friend took him to the park to practice some push hands tai chi, kept saying "Yeah, balance, I know that" and would make a hand sign like one of those buddha statues. My rule of thumb is that people who claim to be enlightened usually are not. It's like that old saying "those who know do not speak; those who speak do not know."
A local dojo claims that they teach enlightened warriors. They also take their students out drinking, give alcohol to minors when at training camps, and had an incident one year with several of the instructors and a female student. Needless to say, it's bollocks. If you want to be enlightened, go to church.
Oh there's also that story about a bunch of students who went out of Morihei's dojo at night, and they drank and brawled. When they came back and Morihei found out he beat the living CRAP out of them with. He smashed one of them through a door...with a BOKKEN (!).
"The totally awakened warrior can freely utilize all elements contained in heaven and earth. The true warrior learns how to correctly perceive the activity of the universe and how to transform martial techniques into vehicles of purity, goodness, and beauty. A warrior's mind and body must be permeated with enlightened wisdom and deep calm." At the instant a warrior confronts a foe, all things come into focus Progress comes to those who train and train. Reliance on secret techniques will get you nowhere. " Morihei Ueshiba The last one is my favourite.
Now that's enlightenment. Seriosly, I don't get it. If I want to know about fighting, it's best to talk to people who study fighting. If I want to learn to spar, it's best to talk to people who study sparring. If I want to know about philosophy I'll go talk to/read philosphers. Isn't that just common sense? Mitch
man... I really can't wait for school to get back in. Did they announce that MAP was the new pass time for students on break or what?!
School just stopped. Like, today. And I guess that you could be at least a little bit more respectful to young people who hardly know anything. That's the reason I'm here, after all. If you are talking about the comment above it was a joke.
Needless to say, it's bollocks. I'd just like to point out the wonderful way such useful words have spread across the world. It's mainly USA to the UK but it's nice to see some traffic back the other way. Wait...what's this thread about? Someone want's some new lights or something?
Do you have a problem with students? About what they do on this forum? MAP isn't 35+ or something. You don't see me complaining about guys in their midlife crisis who post stuff on MAP that I don't like for the full 100 percent... I have a feeling that you like to provoke online troll wars... (not only in this topic). No offence though.
