Martial Arts / Yoga: Compared
Meditationtime Forum Post
Date: Posted 3 years before Dec 16, 2016
MiBeloved 3 years ago
This morning in the astral I had a conversation with a martial arts master who is deceased. He got information about yoga after leaving his body and wanted to talk about the differences and similarity between yoga and martial arts.
At first he said this:
I feel that there is no difference between what you do in yoga and what we do in martial art. In both practices there is a competitive urge which drives the student. In martial arts, the urge is applied to opponents who are outside the physical body, while in yoga it is applied to opponents which are inside the astral body.
Both practices are based on the competitive nature of the living being. In Chinese Taoist practice, they subdue the discordant subtle energies or they compete with such energies and develop enough power to harmonize them. In yoga you try to achieve the same harmony by beating down the unruly components in the psyche.
Can you confirm that this is the case?
Do you agree with me?
After he said that I said nothing to confirm or deny what he said.
What do you think about his comparisons?
Alfredo 3 years ago
As far as the competitive urge I agree.
However, there is a centripetal action acting in Martial Arts while Yoga is based on a centrifugal one.
Nam Saker II 3 years ago
Chinese character "Wu" meaning "martial"
The Chinese character that was translated to the word “martial” is wu. And if we break down the character it literally means, “to stop the use of weapons”, “to end the violence”, or “to stop the fighting”.
It is for this primary reason that we have the mightiest and most advanced military on the planet: to end conflict so we can enjoy peace.
Therefore, the primary need for the military is to defend, and sometimes that means war.
That brings us to the word “art”
At first glance, we likely consider things such as: beauty, creativity and expression. However, if we dig deeper and actually look at the definitions we see:
1.a. Creative or imaginative activity especially the expressive arrangements of elements within a medium. b. Works such as painting or poetry resulting from such activity.
2. A branch of artistic activity such as musical composition using a special medium and technique.
3. The aesthetic values of an artist.
4. Any of various disciplines, such as the humanities, that do not rely on the scientific method.
So far, it’s not so easy to see why the term martial was combined with the word art. Unless we are talking about some form of war-like performance – sort of for play or entertainment.
Is that what is meant? Let’s look further (italic emphasis is mine):
5. A craft or trade and its methods.
6. Contrivance. Cunning.
7. A practical skill. Knack.
Synonyms are: craft, expertise, knack, know-how, technique
Well, these make a bit more sense in combination with something pertaining to war. In fact, in China the term wushu is used, which means literally, “martial techniques.”
Let’s see what the American Heritage Dictionary has to say about the word, artist:
1. One who practices any of the fine or performing arts such as painting or music.
2. One whose work shows skill.
If we focus on the beauty, creativity, and expression we get a very different interpretation or perspective. It seems more like making the tools of war look pretty.
Or, creatively expressing oneself in the ways of war.
Sure, we can look at martial arts training like that. And on some level, it would be the essence of the ability to spontaneously express one’s martial skills rather than only being able to repeat a prearranged pattern or sequence created by someone else.
Yes, the martial artist must get beyond that.
But I must add: the artist, of war, whose main goal is peace, develops the expertise, the skills, the techniques, and all the tools necessary to end conflict.
We must be careful when we try to stretch out or too loosely interpret the meaning of martial arts and what it means to be a martial artist.
We cannot leave out the physical aspect.
To be truly prepared to end the conflict it means that if it escalates to that point you are still prepared.
Can you say you’re a martial artist if you’re not sparring?
I’m not talking about sparring in a competitive way, where one wins and the other loses. Not with a focus on tournaments and trophies, where one plans and prepares for a match.
I mean sparring in a way where you practice the physical skills that can help you stop the fight. Because that’s the goal: not to win, not for tournaments, not for trophies, not to beat people up, not to compete but to end the conflict and ultimately live in peace.
What’s the difference from real self defense to competitive fighting or combat sports?
In a real self defense situation there is no scheduled encounter. There is surprise and many times shock.
Fighting competitions and combat sports like MMA have nothing to do with whether one is a martial artist – or isn’t. We just must see it for what it is: a competitive sport.
How’s this for a definition of a martial artist:
One who studies, practices, develops, and creatively expresses the tools, techniques, and skills to face adversity and end conflict – from the inner battle up to and including a physical confrontation.
http://www.bluedragonkungfu.com/what-being-martial-artist-means/2056/
Thomer Scheepens 3 years ago
I have never heard anyone raising Kundalini by doing Martial Arts or any other form such as Tai Chi.. so how far that alone can take someone?
