Connecting is a Skill and Philosophy from Martial Arts You Can Use in Daily Life
When you actively put philosophy to work in your martial arts, I believe they improve. The concept of "connecting" with your partner or opponent is one of the most important. You should see no difference between yourself and your opponent. When he moves, you should already be moving and melding with his center. There is no anger, no competition, just connection.
In my daily life, I try to put this connection concept into practice with every person I meet. I'm not better, I'm not really different, and when I connect, I can truly treat complete strangers the way I want to be treated. I watch out for them. I am there to help.
A few years ago, I ran across the "Do Good. Be Kind." people. They spread that mantra, and it resonated with me because of the philosophy I have tried to infuse into my martial arts. It requires empathy and connection to be kind to people. I often wake up in the morning thinking of keeping my eyes open throughout the day for opportunities to...
Connecting: A Crucial Skill in the Internal Martial Arts and in Life
I was testing for my black sash in 1997. Part of the test involved sparring with wooden broadswords.
I stood a few feet away from the black sash instructor who was testing me, Cornell Garrett. I was in the front on guard stance. The tip of my broadsword was pointing toward his throat. He was standing in the same stance.
"Okay," I thought to myself. "Calm down. Center yourself. And connect with him."
I felt a sense of calm come over me and it felt like I knew exactly when he was going to move.
Suddenly, his sword began moving to attack me.
Before it could get halfway to me, the tip of my broadsword was touching his chest at the heart.
I had never felt so connected. I had learned a very valuable skill.
My first internal arts teacher was Phillip Starr, who was also Cornell's teacher. You can find Pete's books on Amazon. He had not written any books when I was his student beginning in 1987. I earned a black sash but then began studying...
Author - Instructor
Ken Gullette
I have practiced martial arts since 1973 and began studying the internal arts in 1987. My goal is to cut years off your development time by coaching you in the real skills for high-quality Tai Chi, Xingyi, Bagua. To see more about my bio, click the "About Ken" link on the menu at the top of this page.
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