Month: August 2025

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Venom & Intent

Steve Rowe

Anyone that has worked or had to function in a violent environment will definitely know this and I would have thought that almost everyone would, but sometimes I wonder. Intent and venom rule above all everything else, followed by rock solid basics that produce power. I look at so many videos showing fancy shit and think that I’d walk straight through them as would any of my Kohai from back in the day. They take the p*ss out of ‘old style’ karateka practising relentless basics and using the makiwara but they have no idea of how we trained and tested … Continue reading Venom & Intent

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What’s It Like Being Dis-Abled?

Steve Rowe

What is dis-abled? Our language, writing and speech is carefully crafted to reflect ‘positivity’ about disability and we usually see the disabled Olympics and sports people who are wonderful examples of what young, fit amputees are able to do, but where is the voice of the others? Those that are sick, diseased, fatigued, unable to move without extreme pain, the elderly, arthritic and cancer ridden people trying to survive? What’s it like for them? I see the government and community gradually turning against them, seeing them as an expensive inconvenience, taking away their paltry independence payments and labelling them as … Continue reading What’s It Like Being Dis-Abled?

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Emotional Balloons

Steve Rowe

Life changes, what you were yesterday, you’re not today, love, relationships, friendships all change. People die, pets die, your health changes, what you used to be able to do, you can’t do now. When Ragnor Lothbrok was in a boat with his sons going to war, one turned to look back to his mother on the dock and Ragnor turned his head back around and said “don’t look back, you’re not going that way”, good advice. If my mind inadvertently strays that way I imagine holding the strings to all the balloons of my past and let them go one … Continue reading Emotional Balloons

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Form/Kata Training

Steve Rowe

One of the great things about martial arts is the ability to vary the training. Forms/kata can be:Large, middle or small frameSoft, natural, or focused energy, healing or dischargingFocus on posture, breathing or balanceFast, normal or slow speedWork on snake, tiger, crane, leopard or dragon stylesWork on ‘pulling’ inwards (strangling, choking, throwing applications)With the same techniques work on ‘pushing’ outwards (striking, pushing applications)Focus on different body parts (feet, legs, hips, waist, upper torso, arms, hands, head)Change intent, focus on body, skill level, opponent, power and venomWork on mobility, rooting or ‘pulsing’ to create movement. Other forms of solo exercise training … Continue reading Form/Kata Training

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You Can’t Help…

Steve Rowe

You Can’t Help….. How many times have you looked at someone suffering and thought “I can really help you”…. “I could teach you some posture/breathing/mindfulness techniques and some basic neigong/qigong exercises that would really help to take away your mental and emotional anguish and physical pain”. But they don’t want your help. They’re locked into their suffering and think that you’re an annoying twat if you keep offering help, even worse if you get annoyed because they don’t want it. My advice is only offer help gently once and after that don’t mention it again because you’re not helping but … Continue reading You Can’t Help…

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The Bottom Line

Steve Rowe

When you plumb down to the bottom line of any martial art, past the dogma and politics, past the flowery hands and embroidered feet, you discover that although there are many paths, the bottom line is the same. Anyone who thinks it’s not, they haven’t got there yet. When you plumb down to the bottom line of any philosophy or religion, past the dogma, past the buildings, robes, and the rituals, you discover that although there are many paths, the bottom line is the same. Anyone who thinks it’s not, they haven’t got there yet. Truth is truth. It’s unchanging. … Continue reading The Bottom Line

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Buddhism Saved My Life

Steve Rowe

Buddhism saved my life.It’s a toolbox for the mind and emotionsIt’s diagnosticYou look at the symptomsYour fears and anxietiesYour rage and angerYour insecurities and addictions. Then you use mindfulnessTo sustain awareness and concentrationLeading to insight and wisdomEnabling you to drill downAnd find the root causeOf all those problems. The magic isThat when you can see the rootsOnce you know the name of the devilHe can’t hurt youJust by observingWhat they areWho you really areThey go away. Instead of looking at life through a microscopeGiven to you by othersYou are able to see the entire vistaOf life, death and the universe. … Continue reading Buddhism Saved My Life

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Hope Less To Enlightenment

Steve Rowe

You must have hopeYou can’t live without hopeThis is not trueWhen you reach a point in lifeWhere there is nothing leftNothing in the futureNothing you can haveEverything is out of reachNothing you wantNo desiresAs the self diesThere’s nothing to hope forYou are dead insideIn that darknessIn that stillnessIn that silenceLies immortalityUniversal consciousnessThe language of wisdom and insightNormally hidden by wantsAnd not wantsDesires and addictionsWhen hope diesSo does the selfAnd enlightenment arises.By Steve Rowe Continue reading Hope Less To Enlightenment

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Dependent Origination

Steve Rowe

Your DNA goes back to the emergence of life on this planet about 4 billion years ago when simple self replicating molecules occurred. Every part of evolution after that is still inside of you. You have died and been reborn millions of times to become who you are. Every time you feel small or worthless remember how you got here and what you’re made of. It’s all in your DNA, it’s there for you to call on when needed. Dig deep, meditate on every life inside of you, not just human, but every life form, through mammal to reptile right … Continue reading Dependent Origination

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What’s Missing With Mental Health?

Steve Rowe

Are you wanted?How do you know?Talk is cheapOnly actions tell truthDo your opinions count?Do they have any meaning to others?Do you help?Is it paid any regard?Do you support?Is it appreciated?When you speakDoes anyone pay attention?Are others just ‘putting up’ with you?Do you feel ‘trapped’ in any way?Can you change it?If you can’t, can you accept it?It’s important to be in the right placeWith the right peopleOr life loses its meaning and purposeYou feel isolatedImprisonedDepressedAnd when people talk about ‘mental health’They often fail to understandHow many people give upStop taking medicationDon’t seek medical help for conditionsAre happy to just ‘let go’It’s … Continue reading What’s Missing With Mental Health?