Lao Tsu talks about a wise leader ‘emptying the hearts and stuffing the bellies of the nation’, and this has many levels of understanding. The word ‘karate’ often translated as ‘empty hand’ Funakoshi explained the ‘Kara’ part ‘empty’ as empty of (violent) intention and ‘te’ (hand) is generally understood as a term for martial art. Therefore an art of peace. Draining the chi (ki) from the heart to the belly calms the body, emotions and mind. Filling the belly is to retain and store power instead of losing it. This gives an absence of negative energies like fear and anger … Continue reading Emptying Hearts & Stuffing Bellies

Energy Movement We meditate, practice ‘inner work’ (neigong)and ‘energy work’ (qigong) assiduously every day for decades and get reasonably skilful at educating, alchemising and being able to raise and drain it rapidly when required. But sometimes when we’re not paying attention it can fire up and fill our head with emotion, anger, fear, anxiety, desire, empathy so fast that it takes a lot of effort to recognise, identify, resolve and drain it without it affecting us. If we haven’t educated, alchemised and trained our energy we become subject to it and it controls us. This is why we need good … Continue reading Energy Movement

People are going to do what they’re going to do. There’s no point trying to convince them to do anything different, if you do, you’ll probably only harden their intentions to do what they think is right. Arguing on the internet with friends or strangers is futile, trying to convince people close to you to do anything different from their intentions will only cause bad feelings. Trying to convert carnivores to veganism or vice versa is a waste of time or getting anyone close to you to practice your martial arts or to meditate just makes you a pain in … Continue reading Leave People Alone