The Martial Spirit — Revelations From Martial Arts

Most pugilists think that martial arts is about fighting. It is not all about fighting. Martial art was initially designed to be a tool of life and death, for the purposes of war, for that reason it is martial. Martial art is to be used in time of contingency, to save lives, and not merely for self-preservation. A fortiori, it is an avenue of transcendental self-discovery and understanding of nature. For that, it is art, and it is philosophy.

You can see the aptitude and altitude from the combat moves a proponent makes, and you look with keen…