Brains vs. Brawn

"Power of mind is infinite, while brawn is limited."

-Koichi Tohei

Transcending Technique

"Technical knowledge is not enough. One must transcend techniques so that the art becomes an artless art, growing out of the unconscious."

-Daisetsu Suzuki

Doing the Impossible

"Nothing is impossible to a willing mind."

-Books of Han Dynasty

On Seeking

"When you seek it, you cannot find it."

-Zen Riddle

The Teachings of Trees

"Study the teachings of the pine tree, the bamboo, and the plum blossom. The pine tree is evergreen, firmly rooted, and venerable. The bamboo is strong, resilient, unbreakable. The plum blossom is hardy fragrant, and elegant."

-Morihei Ueshiba, The Art of Peace

Complementing your Opponent

"You and your opponent are one. There is a coexisting relationship between you. You coexist with your opponent and become his complement, absorbing his attack and using his force to overcome him."

-Bruce Lee

Recovering our Natural Selves

"The primary necessity is to recover our natural selves and bodies. We live in changing seasons, in heat and cold, on clear days and rainy days. To truly experience nature is also to be our natural selves and know joy and anger, happiness and sorrow. When we resist or ignore nature, we find ourselves unable to truly experience the range of human emotions. This is part of the depersonalization and dehumanization that affects us all. We must return to nature, accepting it as it comes, and recover our natural selves and bodies."

-Kisshomaru Ueshiba, The Spirit of Aikido

Self-Awareness

"Knowing others is wisdom; knowing yourself is Enlightenment."

-Lao Tzu

Pushing and Pulling

"When pushed, you pull; when pulled, you push. You find the natural course and bend with it."

-Aikido maxim

True Fearlessness

"True fearlessness is not the reduction of fear, but going beyond fear."

-Chogyam Trungpa, Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior

Polish your Path

"It is necessary to polish your own path."

-Miyamoto Musashi

The Warrior Archetype

"Each person has the Warrior inside of them. It is a personal decision as to whether you use this archetype or not."

-Kerr Cuhulain, Wiccan Warrior

The Oracle at Delphi

"The words ‘Know Thyself’ were written over the portals of the Greek Mysteries as a reminder that the only real magic works from the inside out, and self-knowledge is an absolute necessity to avoid falling into the snares of self-deception and illusion."

-J. H. Brennan, The Magical I Ching

My Kung Fu is better than your Kung Fu!

"Much of the modern martial arts is based around a philosophy of, ‘my style is better than your style,’ ‘my school is better than your school,’ ‘my teacher is better than your teacher,’ ‘I know more and am better than you.’ If we look at this ideology, however, we can easily see that it is based on a very low level of human consciousness. Its root is based in insecurity, envy, and rivalry. All of these do nothing to improve the physical or mental practices of the advancing practitioner of [a martial art]."

-Scott Shaw, Advanced Taekwondo

A Man of Peace

"The trained martial artist ... truly acts only in response to aggression. He does not seek it out. When made, his responses are nonresistant and nonviolent. He is a man of peace."

-Miyamoto Musashi

Overcoming Limitations

"A warrior is a person who, through objective and thorough self-examination, develops and understanding of his talents and limitations. A warrior then achieves his goals using a combination of this self-awareness and his will to overcome weaknesses, fears, and limitations."

-Kerr Cuhulain, Wiccan Warrior

Flowing

"Flow with whatever may happen and let your mind be free; stay centered by accepting whatever you are doing. This is the ultimate."

-Chuang Tzu

Fleas and Mosquitoes

"...some people are truly like fleas and mosquitoes and they bite — but what does their biting amount to? It itches a little, that’s all; it won’t endanger life..."

-Inazo Nitobe, Bushido: The Soul of Japan

The Ever-Changing Path

"We perceive that life unfolds in a linear fashion because our brain processes it one moment after another. But life itself is actually an infinitely complex dance in which we participate, but of which we catch only limited glimpses. Therefore the path of awareness and awakening is filled with twists, turns, backtracking, rest stops, and steep grades, all appearing in no particular order. Just when we think we can’t climb another step, the trail opens into a restful meadow. Just as we are enjoying walking along a babbling brook, a canyon opens up and the trail plunges into shadow and danger. It is an ever-changing path, and each moment of travel upon it is new."

-William Martin, A Path and a Practice: Using Lao-tzu’s Tao Te Ching as a Guide to an Awakened Spiritual Life

Strategic Living

"A warrior … cuts to a minimum his chances of the unforeseen … [he lives] strategically."

-Don Juan Matus

Flesh and Spirit

"For centuries, the West has been caught up in the drama of opposing the flesh and the spirit, whereas for Tantra there is no border between the two."

-Andre Van Lysebeth, Tantra: The Cult of the Feminine