Alan Armstrong

What do you want to be when you grow up? As every decade passes my answer changes. Right now in my 6th decade, my answer would be, to be a sage (this involves martial arts) this is a very serious undertaking, which involves as much laughter as possible. And you, what do you want to be, beside being incredibly rich and good looking, with a ton of popularity and status?

Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish. - John Quincy Adams

“Procrastinate now, don't put it off" Ellen DeGeneres"Procrastination is opportunity's assassin" Victor Kiam You know you are getting old when it takes too much effort to procrastinate. Author Unknown "Tomorrow is the only day in the year that appeals to a lazy man" Jimmy Lyons “The best way to get something done is to begin.” Author Unknown “Getting an idea should be like sitting on a pin; it should make you jump up and do something. E. L. Simpson “This one makes a net, this one stands and wishes. Would you like to make a bet which one gets the fishes" Chinese Rhyme “If and When were planted, and Nothing grew.” Proverb “Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.” Author Unknown “All things come to those who wait, but when they come they’re out of date.” Anonymous “The really happy people are those who have broken the chains of procrastination, those who find satisfaction in doing the job at hand. They’re full of eagerness, zest, productivity. You can be, too.” Norman Vincent Peale “You cannot plough a field by turning it over in your mind.” Author Unknown “Much of the stress that people feel doesn’t come from having too much to do. It comes from not finishing what they started.” David Allen “Do you know what happens when you give a procrastinator a good idea? Nothing!” Donald Gardner “Procrastination is the fear of success. People procrastinate because they are afraid of the success that they know will result if they move ahead now. Because success is heavy, carries responsibility with it, it is much easier to procrastinate and live on the “someday I’ll” philosophy”. Denis Waitley “Procrastination is a way for us to be satisfied with second-rate results; we can always tell ourselves we’d have done a better job if only we’d had more time. If you’re good at rationalizing, you can keep yourself feeling rather satisfied this way, but it’s a cheap happy. You’re whittling your expectations of yourself down lower and lower.” Richard O’Conner “We are so scared of being judged that we look for every excuse to procrastinate.” Erica Jong “He who hesitates is a damned fool.” Mae West

Very nicestory thank you for sharing. Lots of passionate Martial Artists here. Grazie italian_guy.You also must be passionate, welcome to KF, sharing that passion makes it twice as much fun. We have a few things in common, especially with all the styles and systems in your avatar, such as: karate, Wing chun, krav Maga, Kickboxing, Tai chi chuan and JKD.

TKD and I Ching What Taekwondo and the I Ching have in common is that they are both meant to be a way of life. The I Ching is just a book until it is lived by a person who moves and talks and thinks and interacts with other people; Taekwondo poomsae is merely a series of defense moves, not that practical for daily living, until it is imbued with the spiritual and ethical philosophies of its founders. The I Ching, also known as The Book of Changes, was originally composed by the Taoist sage Fu Hsi and became a cornerstone of Taoism; Confucius later amended it. Taoism and Confucianism were two of the philosophies that the ancient Korean warrior the Hwarang, forerunners of Taekwondo, embraced. I believe its safe to say that here the original connection between the I Ching and Taekwondo was made. But it was centuries later that someone solidified this connection by putting sixteen specific Taekwondo forms, the eight Taeguek forms and the eight Palgwe forms, together with the I Ching’s eight trigrams. Their motives for doing so are clear. They wanted the body and the mind and the spirit to come together and be as complete as the yin/yang philosophy that is at the heart of the I Ching and in turn at the heart of the Korean culture. They wanted each student of Taekwondo to be a living representation of the yin/yang symbol where the negative and positive of everything is represented by two complete halves forming a perfect circle. So today, each Taeguek and Palgwe poomse has its correlating I Ching symbol. Taeguek Il Jang along with Palgwe Il Jang have Heaven and Light; Taeguek Ee Jang along with Palgwe Ee Jang have Joy and Lake, and so on. As with most things spiritual, we are handed down established interpretations by teachers and sages, then encouraged to have enlightenments of our own. I shall approach the meaning of the I Ching symbols with this in mind. Il Jang- Heaven and Light Here is the concept of Pure Yang. It points to the Creative Force that lies behind everything. The actual I Ching interpretation is Sky; to me that suggests openness, perhaps openness to learning and the spontaneous creative process that arises thereof. Ee Jang - Joy or Lake Non-aggressive. Serene. Gentle. Spiritually uplifting. This seems to point directly to meditation and the meditative way of life. Our spirit, like water in a lake, reacts to agitation. When left alone, both water and spirit will revert to their natural state, that of serenity, which can also be interpreted as joy. Sam Jang- Fire and Sun This suggests great energy, something that is very lively and unpredictable. In contrast the sun by day and a fire at night can be a source of consistent warmth and comfort. It is interesting to note that the forms that coincide with these symbols are very different from each other. Taegeuk Sam Jang contains quick double punches and ends with a complicated series of low blocks, front kicks, and middle punches; whereas Palwge Sam Jang has no kicks, only singular punches, and at times draws on the elementary and therefore comfortable forms of Kicho Il and Kicho Ee. As for a personal meaning, I think I spot a bit of yin/yang humor here in this sense. That while we aspire to be quiet, calm and peaceful, like a lake or the glowing sun, we must avoid boring those around us. Amidst our tranquility, we must embrace the unpredictability of fire, its vibrancy, its spontaneity. That way we attract life to us, rather than cause life to sit back and yawn. Sa Jang- Thunder A storm and the danger it can bring – Thunder gives this a voice. The yin and yang of this of this has to do with courage in the face of danger. Thunder can make a person cringe, and yet by itself it is harmless. The disrupting effect of a kihop is one way of putting an attacker off-balance, but then it must be followed by action. Thunder reminds us to be prepared for action and to be on guard about losing our focus. Courage can be described as a mental and spiritual action, the ideal stance for facing thunder. Courage has the wisdom to know that trials will pass like a thunderstorm. Oh Jang- Wind The yin and yang qualities of Wind are obvious. It is sometimes forceful, sometimes gentle; sometimes it pierces through, sometimes it is yielding; sometimes it is destructive and sometimes soothing. I was born in the Nashville region, part of Dixie Alley, the Tornado Alley of the South; I am very aware of the destructive power of wind. Also, the humidity in summer can be overwhelming there, but a gentle breeze can be the ideal answer for it. A poomse flows and if done meditatively, it can have a soothing effect upon the performer and perhaps upon observers; yet its movements are intended for battle situations where one must be destructive in order to prevent destruction to oneself or to others. Yook Jang - Water This is the idea of acceptance, flow, and consistency. Even the idea of forgiveness is here, for being unforgiving creates impasses in one’s path. A person must be malleable to life. As it has been said in the dojang, water flows downhill and takes the path of least resistance. Unlike the water of Ee Jang’s lake, this water is moving and meeting obstacles head on and becoming what the situation requires. A Taekwondoist must accept whatever an attack demands and take the proper shape for defense, while at the same time looking for an opening to flow into with a counter-attack. Poomse done properly must flow and be as pleasing to the eye as the motion of a stream. It has been noted that the consistency of flowing water can in time smooth down the rough edges of rocks and even carve out canyons; a student with a black belt is simple a student with a white belt who has had their rough edges worn away by consistency. Chil Jang - Mountain My first inclination is to say that this is about stability, perhaps the stability of knowing one’s own mind or the stability of maintaining a healthy and balanced life. In Taekwondo there is the physical stability of its stances that act as launching pads for all of its moves. There are also the five tenets of Taekwondo that encourage stability in day-to-day life. However, upon studying I discovered a different meaning. The actual I Ching interpretation is Top Stop. In Master Cook’s book Ancient Wisdom for the Modern Warrior this is described as “the wisdom of knowing when and where to stop, as if one is traveling up a steep mountain.” Coming at it from that angle, I believe this is about setting your own pace, working toward your personal best, reaching for your own goals and not for the goals someone else has set for you. Pal Jang- Earth Here is the concept of pure yin. It marks the wholeness of opposites coming together to form perfect balance. Taeguek Pal Jang and Palgwe Pal Jang equal completeness. They are the last forms before obtaining black belt status. Earthrepresents physical creation, the final result of what was begun with Heaven and Light. Earth must be yielding in the creative process in order to be solid in the end. As a final note I will make the observation that like the I Ching, poomse is best when it is internalized. It is good to think, ‘The I Ching says, therefore I should do’, but it is even better to simply do. When a certain form is in my mind’s memory, I can execute it accurately: but when it is in the memory of my muscles, it frees my mind to go elsewhere, perhaps into those spaces in between thoughts where the act of meditation lies. But a form should never be mechanical: therefore, its philosophy must be absorbed as well. Then instinctively an advanced student performing poomse can have excitement like fire, can flow like water, can express inner joy, can be forceful like the wind, can inspire courage like thunder, can know when to start and stop like a mountain climber, and know when to yield like earth. When I think of the totality of Yin/Yang, from Heaven and Light, the act of creation, to Earth, the creation itself, I realize that a poomse that was created for students is not finished until a student performs it. Only then is it a complete and solid creation. In the same way Traditional Taekwondo is not complete until a student lives it in and out of the dojang. Thanks to the influence of the I Ching students have something to carry away with them, something that will help their daily lives be as balanced as the Yin and Yang symbol is to the eye. http://chosuntkd.com/2016/02/the-i-ching-and-its-relationship-to-poomse-philosophy/

Having clear thoughts and intentions makes everything we do as a martial artist far more effective than not. The I Ching helps accomplish this, by providing a comprehensive range of clues or pointers to guide us into informed natural matters, that makes sense, out of often times when things look like chaos. The beauty of I Ching is unclogging thoughts that are stuck for one reason or another, in the literary world it is called writers block. Just as this forum can help those that get stuck on certain aspects of martial arts, so can the I Ching with the constant reminder of change and time in nature. We are also a part of nature as connected and interrelated as everything else is, without exception. The I Ching promotes making wise decisions for peace and harmony and how to live in harmony with oneself and with their surroundings. As the I Ching is still very new in the Western world compared to the East, the understanding of it is still very skeptical. Yet when great thinkers take an interest in the I Ching, they become astonished and inspired from any subject matter, from mathematics to psychology and the list goes on. http://chungfumartialarts.com/dna-and-the-i-ching/ We still do not know how the human brain works completely, perhaps studying the I Ching will spark the imagination of how we do what we do with more clarity, than we do now. We in the West have gained alot from the ancient orient with martial arts, all I am doing is taking the next logical step a little further.

What is your reason for belonging to a martial art club or organization?

Preparing for battle, just the idea alone makes most people want to run for cover. On the contrary martial artists walk towards fear head on, by constantly preparing for battle that may or may not ever happen. As battles can take on many forms, from illness to legal matters, martial artist do it best with their fists and feet. Preparing for battle however, needs to consider controlling dangerous force, this is where, strict discipline and strong leadership come in to play. Most individuals turn to one type of organization or another for direction and leadership, that has or had military roots to draw from, gaining a type of rank eventually. Those that don't belong to any formal organization, are usually classified as gangs, as easy as a group of Oriental teenagers are viewed as a Asian street gang harmless or not. Belonging to a dojo or street gang is about equal now, for me personally, six on both sides. One thing they all had in common was the high value placed on respect. As in the dojo or gang in the street, the fights were with other likewise individuals, with a strong will to win. As many people have belonged solely to a MA club environment, there is another side to the story found on the streets. Have you belonged to an MA club and also a gang, what similarities and differences have you noticed between them? Perhaps someone reading this thread, has just left a gang for a martial art club, what is your story there?

We have all had them, one time or another, conflicts, struggling and arguments. It seems how we deal with these moment "sensibly" can be more important than the issue itself. With very trivial things, one does need to ask oneself the question, do you want to win or be happy? Ceasing to struggle and to accept those things you cannot change is another option. While in other cases the option to, agree to disagree, is always available. Stop Calm-down Talk Compromise, is very useful in most instances. When tempers boil over, it really is a time to listen more than to talk, as in these times, both sides stop listening. Don't compete for promotion or higher belt ranking, enjoy while you can where you are, struggling and causing internal conflicts, isn't going to make you or anyone else happy. Look at it this way for a moment- As students are like plants and the CI is like a gardener, when a plant is too big to grow in a pot the gardener transplants in into a bigger pot, giving it more room to grow; happy plant happy gardener. The plant gets a bigger pot and the student gets a promotion, pushing the issue as a student, will only cause a conflict, struggle or arguments with the CI. A small happy wise plant however, is constantly making its roots stronger by soaking up the moisture from the soil, preparing for the next promotional bigger pot and also soaking up the sunshine, till the next move arrives. If the plant happens to be a tree, well that plant is going to bust out of the pot if given enough time. As the plant knows, only the strong survive, survival of the fitist or forest, in either case, it might not be you. Therefore the time of internal conflicts, struggles and arguments, can be put to better use on becoming a more improved you instead. How are you dealing with conflicts, struggle and arguments, inside and outside of the dojo?

What are you waiting for, if not now then when? This could relate to many topics, such as timing, procrastinating or being patient to do the right thing at the right time. The decision making process can lead to in action, when not being honest to oneself, also being too hasty is also not advisable. Living in a world full of deadlines, rushing to get things done on time. Have been often asked "When will you be finished?" My answer "When I am done" Setting goals are fine, but being realistic with them is also important. Oten times, the debate on how long it should take to earn a black belt arises, which can cause unnecessary anxiety or the amout of time it takes to learn a kata. There is a reasonable amount of time to do everything correctly, depending on the subject, this however comes with experience, something younger people haven't developed yet. So what is holding you back from what you want? What are you waiting for? Is what you want worth all the time and effort? As living in a world where instant gratification, is something we have been conditioned, from childhood, to want more, and as one gets older, to come to the realization to want less; how ironic. Perhaps you are waiting for less as nature intended? Waiting for easy is not an option, being an assertive martial artist, while putting in the time and effort pays off, this is called "The hard easy work" as opposed to those that wait and end up doing "The easy hard work" does this make sense to you? Being confident comes by means of ensuring your success by doing whatever it takes today and not waiting for it tomorrow. Planning for your future instead of waiting for it to come to you. Waiting for fruit to ripen is one thing but waiting for opportunities, it is better to create them. Being impatient is just a bad as waiting indefinitely. Chose the right moment to make your move and make it count, on a dojo floor or with your resume for a new job, or whenever or wherever it might be. Survey the situation, make plans that accomplish your goals step by step, then act firmly and resolutely, in there proper time for success. Forsight and preparation is key to give you the confidence to make this happen, in the right time and place, without forcing the situation. Fate with careful planning leads you to not have needles worries, as you will be on the winning track, be happy with this accomplishment even if it fails, then, make a better plan for next time, waiting is an art, timing is everything, don't you think?

I'm not sure how it can be used per se but it definitely influenced Oriental culture and is a fundamental text for Taoism and Confucianism. Styles which developed in China such as Tai Chi or Baguazhang are heavily influenced but you can also see some minor influence in Japanese or Korean arts, mostly in their ways of thinking. DWx as martial artists, this implies some kind of finesse with this person and not a savage brute type.Fighting artists that train and learn the art for the right reasons and not to become bruteish bullies or spiteful disrespectful individuals. I Ching is a path on which becoming a wise person is encouraged. In the past it was the sages now the scientists, we have the best of both worlds today. Art seems to favor the number eight so does Bagua with other arts: For music: Do Ra Me Fa So La Ti Do For painting: Primary colors: Yellow Blue Red Secondary colors: Purple Green Orange Also: Black White The Bagua octagon is also the same shape as a compass and all of its directions. Including the four seasons and just like the secondary colors, the season in between, make up the other four; not forgetting the Yin Yang summer and winter solstice's. I Ching the book of changes can benefit all martial artists, as it involves cultivating the mind and body, by understanding the compliments and contrasts in all things and situations including ourselves. My personal contribution is by using a person's birthday and matching it to a trigram that corresponds with the odds and evens, as earlier stated, and take it from there. I've done this for many people in my past, just for fun mind you, with family, friends, work colleagues and at parties, with a very enthusiastic response. I have never been involved or interested in any type of astrology, as this implies looking in to the future, as I am always interested in the here and now. What the I Ching does, is make connections to things, so they can continue flowing in a favorable peaceful natural way. By using everday metaphors, for instance the relationship between a person that is a "Mountain" element and a "Fire" element, then this could be a way to understand that, this relationship is like a "Volcano" in nature, therefore forwarned is forearmed, and take it easy...

Thank you Bulltahr for being the first to share your thoughts.If I can suggest regarding struggling with flexibility, if the way you are doing things causes you an internal conflict or struggle, then this is a time for a change, for the better. Personally I love stretching, it isn't a job or a chore, I love it because how it makes me feel. As my attitude towards stretching is enjoyable, I become more flexible as a result, collateral elasticity is a good a way as any to describe it. By using a physio-ball, the ones used for sitting on are great for opening the hips with and gaining flexibility. I use a few pillows on top of a physio ball and sit on it, all the while activating as many joints in my body as possible, it is a terrific limbering up device. Then coaxing my muscles to stretch by practicing stretching by reaching and telling the muscles internally to relax and sleep, still using the ball. These are just a few favorite tips, things that I like and enjoy doing, hope they can be of some use to you, as they are for me.

Yes, using Chess was a good tactic.Was once invited to a chess club, while there of course played chess with this guy, that I never knew. I won the first game, he was upset, won the second game, he became even more upset, won the third game, he broke in to a fit of anger and stormed off. I thought this situation might get violent, I asked the friend that invited me there "who is that guy?" He replied "He is the club chess champion" The chess champ returned to play more chess with me, this time armed with a tournament stop clock, something I have never used. We played again using the stop clock and he won, how happy he became, as he regained his pride and honor, for me it was no big deal to win or lose. Playing chess as a martial artist was something this chess champ player hadn't had much experience with, as I learned and gained from him how to fight with the element of time. This chess lesson became very useful when sparring in the dojo, by combining not only martial art experience but also using the element of time against the opponent. Here is video especially chosen, for those that seriously hate homework. Excellent story, Alan!! Defeat and conquer...adapt or die...use whatever benefits the victory!! Thank you snsei8.As an artist, patience was my virtue against the chess club champ, he being impatient in the beginning games, while my simple strategy was to play carefully and capitaliz on his mistakes, if any. Adding the stop clocks was a good strategy on his part, as the element of time is very crucial in any type of war or conflict, be it a game or real. As with chess and I Ching, the element of time also implies change. As I Ching the book of changes, also considers, cycles, patterns and relationships, that are all in flux. Kings and Queens in chess, conquests and the like, I Ching is also rich in metaphors, that already exist in the world. Also look at how a Queen in chess can be transformed from a pawn, in to a Queen in real life; such as the Queen of Spain, today, was once a TV reporter. Or look at "The King of Pop" died poor and from drugs, a sad ending to a brilliant carrier; where in the I Ching it warns and advises, in other words about, what goes up must come down. The wisdom and guidance in the I Ching is overwhelmingly great, as to ignore it, is an act of ignorance and arrogance IMHO Also living out of a book isn't right either, for me however, personally, without having a stable father figure, for me, I Ching is next best thing.

The initial difficulties starting out in martial arts can be very overwhelming. Growing pains, moments of confusion and tension can run high. New things often times bring new troubles to deal with, also a chance to learn and grow is also present. This is a time for perseverance and working on your goal...the pressure is on!!! This is also a time to work with others and not against them, overcoming obstacles no matter how high or wide they seem. With persistentence difficulties can be overcome, this is the way of advancement and success, nothing worthwhile comes without a fight. This is a time to handle things with due care and attention, treading carefully and not recklessly. Accepting help is part of the learning process, also following and being guided in the steps of others who have been where you want to go, are worth while working with, keeping you on the right track towards your goal. Consider strategies and resources that will help you on your martial art journey, nothing complicated in the beginning, only things that help you to achieve your goal. Communicate and share with others, often times it is the person standing next to you, that can help you understand what you ate doing right and or wrong, perhaps they have some insights on how to do techniques more efficient and effective than yourself. What are or were your initial difficulties when first starting out as a martial artist?

Chief vs subordinate can have its issue, especially when knowledge, skill, talent, age and experience seem more or less equal. Also when there is a big difference between age and experience, there still are issues that can arise due to certain attributes such as: Loyalty Duty Perseverance Dependability Strength of character Friendliness Selflessness Reliability Hard working Trustworthiness Discretion Devoted Supportive Obedient Compliancy Respectfulness As assistant resentment due to playing second role can interfere with working together in harmony. Personally I've worn many hats as a chief, partner and subordinate, in and outside of the dojo, how well do you play your part? Also, what have you learned and discovered by the roles of chief and or subordinate, that you have been in?

Yes, using Chess was a good tactic.Was once invited to a chess club, while there of course played chess with this guy, that I never knew. I won the first game, he was upset, won the second game, he became even more upset, won the third game, he broke in to a fit of anger and stormed off. I thought this situation might get violent, I asked the friend that invited me there "who is that guy?" He replied "He is the club chess champion" The chess champ returned to play more chess with me, this time armed with a tournament stop clock, something I have never used. We played again using the stop clock and he won, how happy he became, as he regained his pride and honor, for me it was no big deal to win or lose. Playing chess as a martial artist was something this chess champ player hadn't had much experience with, as I learned and gained from him how to fight with the element of time. This chess lesson became very useful when sparring in the dojo, by combining not only martial art experience but also using the element of time against the opponent. Here is video especially chosen, for those that seriously hate homework.

ATTRIBUTES Heaven Key: Creative Animal: Horse Body link: Head Element: Metal Color: Purple Family: Farther odd _____ odd _____ odd _____ ------------------------------ Earth Key: Receptive Animal: Cow Body link: Solar Plexus Element: Soil Color: Black Family: Mother even __ __ even __ __ even __ __ ------------------------------- Fire Key: Separation Animal: Bird Body link: Eye Element: Fire Color: Yellow Family: Middle daughter odd _____ even __ __ odd _____ ----------------------------------- Water Key: Abyss Animal: Pig Body link: Ear Element: Wood Color: Red Family: Middle son even __ __ odd _____ even __ __ --------------------------- Wind Key: Gentleness Animal: Cat Body link: Thighs Element: Air Color: White Family: Eldest daughter odd _____ odd _____ even __ __ ----------------------------------- Thunder Key: Arousing Animal: Dragon Body link: Foot Element: Grass Color: Orange Family: Eldest son even __ __ even __ __ odd _____ --------------------------------- Mist Key: Happiness Animal: Sheep Body link: Mouth Element: Flesh Color: Blue Family: Youngest daughter even __ __ odd _____ odd _____ ----------------------------------- Mountain Key: Blockage Animal: Dog Body link: Hand Element: Stone Color: Green Family: Youngest son. odd _____ even __ __ even __ __ -------------------------------- This is the beginning of becoming familiar with your attributes and others.

I Ching and the game of chess have a few things in common. One using 64 squares and the other 64 hexigrams, also the use of black and white for battling. Playing chess and and I Ching both develop a strategic mindset. Games and divination have been around since civilization began perhaps even further back than that. A simple pack of playing cards was developed from the fifty-two weeks on the year and the four season. What I am doing by matching a birthday with an I Ching element, is making it relevant to each individual, by calling it astrology is just a name, something recognizable but not exactly the same. Just as chess is a game of life and death understanding and problem solving, I Ching can be viewed the same way, not to take it too seriously, as it is about opening up ways of understanding outside of the way things are usually looked at. I Ching is the book of changes, a reflection of how everything changes within us and around us, slowly or over long periods of time. As with chess and I Ching using the element of time changes everything. Yes more homework

Making I Ching viable to martial artists is nothing new, as that it has already been done with the internal martial art style of PA-KUA, eight-trigram-boxing. What I have done differently, is to make it blend on a personal level with a new type of Astrology. By using a person's birthday and using the odd or even principle from the day, month and year. Using Yin representing the even number __ __ Using Yang representing the odd number _____ There are 8 possible outcomes for everyone. Where each corresponding with a trigram. Therefore, a person born on an odd numbered day, represents the top of the trigram with an unbroken line _____ An odd numbered day _____ An odd numbered month _____ An odd numbered year _____ All three solid lines together represent the Heaven Element trigram. Born on an even numbered day __ __ " " " even numbered month __ __ " " " even numbered year __ __ All three broken lines together represent the Earth Element trigram. ---------------------------------------------------- Heaven is: odd _____ odd _____ odd _____ Earth is: even __ __ even __ __ even __ __ Fire is: odd _____ even __ __ odd _____ Water is: even __ __ odd _____ even __ __ Wind is: odd _____ odd _____ even __ __ Thunder is: even __ __ even __ __ odd _____ Mist is: even __ __ odd _____ odd _____ Mountain is: odd _____ even __ __ even __ __ This is enough information to find your element from your birthday. This is a good beginning. Still interested as there is alot more? A little homework is required:

I like you sensei8, within our day and age and real life experiences, feel like I have seen it all and done it all, been there done that, got the T-shirt, to accept or understnd new perspectives, one needs to change the way one looks at things. Looking through the eyes, temporarily from an ancient Chinese perspective, is one way of broadening ways of seeing ourselves and our relationship with others, which is possible with the help of the I Ching. As the ancient Chinese were not cynical rather totally the opposite by accepting everything, this will be the hurdle for westerners to climb over themselves first, to be able to be open for this other way of reasoning. The ancient Chinese were very superstitious and prayed to everything including the kitchen stove, this was part of their luck management, as famine, earthquakes and catastrophes were punishment for not being respectful to other worldly powers. As in the west, we usually bury the dead and hammer a cross on top, this to the Chinese is not the done thing, as it is implied as stabbing the earth, which could have its consequence. Also another opposite from west to east is it is appropriate to wear white to a funeral instead of black. Bruce Lee was given a girls name, just to protect him from evil spirits. I feel it necessary to give a little background information on this topic, just to get the picture of how different ways of understanding can be. For martial artists to use I Ching, it is from a strategic perspective, that includes elements such as fire and water, animals, parts of the body, family, everyday things and their interrelationships. Within this topic, nothing related or implied to religion or superstitions or supernatural phenomena whatsoever. Still interested?

Fighting for health against all types of sicknesses man made or not, is well worth the effort. As fighting for good causes against cancer is only one of many. Here is campaign that can make a difference even if it is in a supportive loving way. My latest small contribution in the battle against cancer: https://www.instagram.com/p/BcZshWRF0Go/?r=wa1 Are you or have you been involved in helping other as a fighter and or warrior?

Making I Ching viable to understand for martial artists. Some twenty years ago while looking in to I Ching, by just playing around with it, I accidentally discovered a way to make it viable and relevant for today. I'm going public with it right here on KarateForums.com in hopes that others can have some interesting, insightfully amusing fun, while learning ancient Chinese concepts. Your participation and interest is paramount to unlocking the I Ching on a personal level. Are you interested?

Concentration and focusing, making the best of the moment, is more apparent, for me personally, is when stretching; as focusing on breath and relaxation is needed.In my early days, trying to extinguish a candle with punches and kicks, was the done thing. As when sparring, concentration is far too intense, where being quick and responsive to the situation seems to be more suitable. Concentration, as in paying attention to detail, such as in katas works well; for me this is also the time for, how to improve my overall performance; by bringing together all the little nuances as correctly as possible.

No matter how good or bad he is, he still lost, due to fighting a girl. With public opinion against him, would have been worse if he choked or knocked her out. She on the other hand, couldn't lose even if she did technically, once again, due to public opinion. With her karate, one hit principle, that works well for strong well conditioned individuals, but not when up against a person who is notably stronger. If she was going up against a male, then to use Wing Chun, multiple striking techniques, would have been more favorable for her, for this type of fight, that didn't seem to include grappling.

While I think most of what you've said is a set of fair "what ifs" to throw in the hat, this last statement, the one that brings back this "women can't fight" aftertaste, just doesn't hold water. You do know that hair length and whether or not you wear a gi are independent of gender, right? I think you need to let go of the idea that her fault was being a woman here. I've seen plenty of male point sparring fighters get thrown down by heavy hitters in class, here and in Japan. This is fair. It just doesn't have to do with sex. The after taste is yours alone, as I have never stated that "Women can't fight" here or anywhere.Yes men and women can wear their hair long and wear a Gi, but if it interferes with a person's fighting abilities, these things should be addressed and noted, no matter the gender in Japan or Timbuktu.