The Warrior is Silent: Martial Arts and the Spiritual Path

Description

A master illuminates the spiritual foundations of martial artspractice in this fully illustrated guide. - Presents an overview of the spiritual foundations of the martial arts. - Takes the reader through a well-illustrated series of self-defense techniques that utilize Ki energy. - An essential guide for anyone interested in a spiritually-centered martial arts practice. The attainment of superior fighting technique is not the sole purpose of martial arts training. Just as a Zen Buddhist monk uses movement as a form of meditation, the refined martial artist uses the physical techniques of his practice to create a harmonious merging of his individual energy with that of the universe. The stages of training to realize this objective are arduous but necessary for the individual to become an enlightened being rather than simply an accomplished fighter. The Warrior Is Silent presents an overview of the spiritual foundations of martial arts practice in the East and its intimate connection with the perfection of the art itself. In addition, the author, an accomplished martial artist, takes the reader through a well-illustrated series of self-defense techniques that utilize Ki energy. Establishing a balance between the spiritual and physical aspects of the martial arts, The Warrior Is Silent is an essential guide for anyone interested in a spiritually-centered martial arts practice.

Scott Shaw is a regular contributor to all of the major national martial arts magazines and has a Ph.D. in Asian studies. He is the only non-Korean ever to be promoted to the rank of 7th Degree Black Belt in the Korean martial art of Hapkido by the Korea Hapkido Federation.

"Shaw's manual is an easy-to-read introduction to recognizing and developing the spiritual depth of the martial arts." * Publishers Weekly *