The POWER of

 “Dynamic Martial Arts Meditation”

By Sifu Steven F. Tarrago

When you see the word Meditation together in the same sentence as Dynamic Martial Arts, it appears to be a contradiction due to the fact that most people do not associate the word Dynamic with Meditation. It is just recently that the world is becoming aware or searching for the holistic approach that people are realizing that the Ancient Martial Arts are an integrated system of physical exercise, mental discipline and a life science. Even amongst practitioners there are so many theories of how meditation can bring power to the dynamics of the martial arts. Some even disregard meditation completely from their training.

I want to challenge you to open your mind to the following possibility that what may appear to be very mysterious  or secret training method such as mediation is in fact a natural way of harmonizing the mind/body. A great master once told me “Take what appears to be very complicated and break it down to its simplest form. Once in a simplest form think about its profoundness.” Using this philosophy let us look at the word Meditation from another angle and call it “Awareness”. When we begin our training we begin at the simplest level with physical exercises in the form of stretching. By placing our body in a specific posture and holding the position (standing, sitting or prone) with the intention of improving or maintaining our flexibility. A natural sharing of information between the mind and body begins and in this simple internal exchange you are able to discipline (focus) the mind using the body as its vehicle. In this very natural interaction of mind (intention) and body awareness is the seed of static meditation. These types of static mediation can be experience in many different styles such as Zen Meditation of Japan, Qi gong in China and Yoga in Kalaripayattu India. The compliment or other polarity of static is dynamic therefore; motion is the natural progression from non-motion.

Static is just one technique but “Dynamic” or moving meditation is categorized by most Martial Artist as “Forms”. When performing these series of moving postures and concentrating in the gathering all your thoughts into one action. This reflection, contemplation, study of one activity in union of mind and body is the essence of Dynamic Meditation.  All practitioners regardless of styles use a similar technique of practicing a series of motions and do it repeatedly until through repetition of motion one will internalize this action. This will in fact allow you to travel easier between unconscious and already cellular memory recorded movements. This allows the mind not to over think but to follow the body intelligence.

Free flowing mind and motion together as one is a simple theory witch requires commitment, and patience. For example, whether a boxer is shadow boxing through the throwing of repetitive left and right punching combinations, a karate or Kung Fu practitioner practicing a series of movements in a form and or a judo player continuously repeating the steps in a throw over and over again, they all share this one goal through physical repetition. The movement evolves form static too step by step motion into finally free motion. Each different martial art style should have their own techniques based on a system or method to develop the student’s ability and potential. One universal method is combining physical repetition with mental focus and or concentration on a specific intention.

I recommend you have a qualified counselor or Guide, Coach, Sifu and or Guru when training. A Sifu or Guru is one who can share his experience or understands the circumstances and challenges you face during the learning process. This is due to the fact the Sifu or Guru has walked along the same path you walk on now, facing the same challenges. The Guru or Sifu can’t learn for you therefore they can’t teach you. Only you can teach yourself this is learning based on your own experience. But a qualified Guru or Sifu is one who is humble enough to share his own challenges along his own journey and has reached another level of understanding through time and effort.      

Physical repetition of movements with mental focus or sitting mediation is all mediation if they have same strategy and one objective, “To reduce stimulus to an over stimulated mind.” This over stimuli is what in modern day is called stress or anxiety. Therefore this over stimulation is the root causes of illness, both mental and physical. Weather you practice martial arts for wellness, self-defense or both. This reduction of stimulus will promote and maintain very positive results. “True power is concentration.”