Some years ago, as a Marine on Okinawa, I began learning the moves and principles of hand to hand combat under the tutelage of Tatsuo Shimabuku Sensei, founder of Isshinryu Karate. I followed and taught those practices over the years and added Jujutsu, Tai Chi, Chi Gung, and the Ki principles of Aikido to my repertoire.
Along the way, I saw that most people would not practice the martial arts so I began focusing on understanding and teaching the application of martial art principles to daily life. (All martial arts are relationship arts, defining the encounter between and among people. Thus the martial teachings are directly applicable to interpersonal communication.)
I developed a simple structure that seemed to me to encompass all martial art principles, hence all relationship art principles. I called it The Wheel Of Keen Weapons. Each "weapon" is a necessary tool for engaging in effective relations with oneself, with others, and with the world at large.
I am not so interested, for purposes of this writing, in the weapons depicted in the diagram, though they are useful in living one's daily life, as I am in the empty space at the core of the diagram. This empty space is at the core of our being if we but allow it, get out of our way and ways, stop standing in our own light. This empty space is the conduit through which the informational energies of love and wisdom flow.
Eventually I began to call the diagram "The Wheel of Radiance." You are this wheel. Imagine that you are standing with legs apart and with arms extended into the heavens. Your legs and arms form an X. Your right leg represents the practice of Relentless Intent, your left leg Mindful Presence. Your seat or lower body between the two legs represents Grounding & Deepening.
Your right arm extending into the heavens at about a 45 degree angle represents Compassion, your left arm Surrendering Attachments. Your head and crown represent Opening, opening to the infinity of the heavens.
Two horizontal lines are at your waist level. The horizontal is the plane of action in this world. The horizontal line extending to your left represents the practice of Calmness, to your right Firm Action.
The warrior of spirit (life force) embodies all of these at once, though each may be practiced separately: Grounding and Opening, Relentless while Surrendering, Mindfully Present Compassion, and Calm Action.
At your core where these eight lines potentially intersect is Vast Openness of your heart. This open space is the conduit for the inflow and outflow of the Life Force that forms us, that calls us into being. Here is great wisdom, true power and strength. This is the realm of Emptiness, empty of our little fearful selves that clutch and cling, empty of our man-you-factured identity. We must be empty to be filled. The conduit must be open, unclogged. This is spirit-ual practice.
We are born of the cosmos. We are the cosmos embodying. When we realize (real eyes) that, we open to our true being. When we are at home in the cosmos, we relax and begin to learn from our Source.
[Note: A more complete description of these eight principles and accompanying practices can be found in my book "Embodying Spirit: The Inner Work of the Warrior" online for free.]
Along the way, I saw that most people would not practice the martial arts so I began focusing on understanding and teaching the application of martial art principles to daily life. (All martial arts are relationship arts, defining the encounter between and among people. Thus the martial teachings are directly applicable to interpersonal communication.)
I developed a simple structure that seemed to me to encompass all martial art principles, hence all relationship art principles. I called it The Wheel Of Keen Weapons. Each "weapon" is a necessary tool for engaging in effective relations with oneself, with others, and with the world at large.
I am not so interested, for purposes of this writing, in the weapons depicted in the diagram, though they are useful in living one's daily life, as I am in the empty space at the core of the diagram. This empty space is at the core of our being if we but allow it, get out of our way and ways, stop standing in our own light. This empty space is the conduit through which the informational energies of love and wisdom flow.
Eventually I began to call the diagram "The Wheel of Radiance." You are this wheel. Imagine that you are standing with legs apart and with arms extended into the heavens. Your legs and arms form an X. Your right leg represents the practice of Relentless Intent, your left leg Mindful Presence. Your seat or lower body between the two legs represents Grounding & Deepening.
Your right arm extending into the heavens at about a 45 degree angle represents Compassion, your left arm Surrendering Attachments. Your head and crown represent Opening, opening to the infinity of the heavens.
Two horizontal lines are at your waist level. The horizontal is the plane of action in this world. The horizontal line extending to your left represents the practice of Calmness, to your right Firm Action.
The warrior of spirit (life force) embodies all of these at once, though each may be practiced separately: Grounding and Opening, Relentless while Surrendering, Mindfully Present Compassion, and Calm Action.
At your core where these eight lines potentially intersect is Vast Openness of your heart. This open space is the conduit for the inflow and outflow of the Life Force that forms us, that calls us into being. Here is great wisdom, true power and strength. This is the realm of Emptiness, empty of our little fearful selves that clutch and cling, empty of our man-you-factured identity. We must be empty to be filled. The conduit must be open, unclogged. This is spirit-ual practice.
We are born of the cosmos. We are the cosmos embodying. When we realize (real eyes) that, we open to our true being. When we are at home in the cosmos, we relax and begin to learn from our Source.
[Note: A more complete description of these eight principles and accompanying practices can be found in my book "Embodying Spirit: The Inner Work of the Warrior" online for free.]
I've fallen behind a bit in my reading. This is wonderful and very helping in moving from a discussion of embodying the Cosmos to participating in that process. Thank you, George!
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