META BREATHWORK - THE MARTIAL ARTS CONNECTION.
I trained for many years as a martial artist. In my art the breath was considered the source of Ch'i which is vital to spiritual unfoldment and mastery of the martial arts. Indeed, mastery of oneself is the true goal.
Ch'i flows like water, it flows around huge rocks with ease. It can also wear down those same rocks with its gentle but powerfully persistent rhythm. The mind (intention) directs the breath (Ch'i) and the breath moves the body. Bodily alignment and fundamental balance is a pre-requisite for mastery.
These two aspects combined have an emergent property: dynamic poise. Through this dynamic poise the breathing process is freed (see Kinetika) and the whole body participates in this breathing as if the body is 'being breathed'. This breathing reaches and cleanses every cell of the body, energising the body and creating a natural, open condition that is of the whole self.
In the master martial artist this natural dynamic poise and open condition becomes the matrix for all action and awareness. Ch'i then moves through and around the body of the master like water; it flows, has coherence and pattern, although it is unfixed and formless like the void.
Ch'i is energy and is inherently linked to life and consciousness on all levels in ordinary waking consciousness and non-ordinary states. Ch'i can be generated and stored in the body of a martial artist to be used for striking, re-directing the opponents energy, for healing and for self-protection. Its effects can be felt in the body as sensations of heat/cold, lightness/heavyness, vibration/silence etc. Like the tao Ch'i contains all opposites.
Ch'i is developed though focussed attention on the breath whilst paying particular attention to the posture (dynamic poise). Ch'i is used for healing and as a catalyst for the body's own awakening of inner-wisdom. It can bring about transcendent (META) experiences and spiritual connection.
With the development and expansion of Ch'i, our relationship to ourselves and others and the world begins to alter. It becomes more intimate, boundaries become permeable.
With full mastery the narrow ego sense of self dissolves, the distinction between self and opponent is not fixed. One is able to observe what is with undivided attention, with full awakened awareness and total embodiment.
We no longer concentrate on the
finger that points to the moon.
We not only contemplate all that
heavenly glory, we become infinity
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